Unaided-eye Deep Sky Jewels in the Southern Hemisphere

[Pradeep]

Hi Guys! What are the best unaided-eye gems in the southern hemisphere. By the way I already know Alpha Cen, Omega Cen, Jewel Box, LMC, SMC, Coalsack, 47 Tuc. What are other significant objects?
Thanks!:welcome:

[BeanerSA]

Carina Nebula should be on your list

[Pradeep]

Yes :)

[GrampianStars]

Hello Pradeep
Try these out for luck ;)

[Pradeep]

thanks! :d

[barx1963]

Personally, my favorite naked eye "thing" is seeing the galactic centre and tracing the dark lanes and trying to spot some of the nearby objects. M8, M6 and M7, M24 etc.
For a real challenge, NGC 5128 under very dark skies and good conditions can be glimpsed. Did it myself a few years back and have heard of others.

Malcolm

[madbadgalaxyman]

A most severe test for "extreme averted vision" or , more properly, "extreme averted imagination", is undoubtedly the galaxy NGC 253.

The integrated V-band magnitude of this galaxy is near to 7.

Steven James O'Meara has claimed that he has seen this galaxy with the naked eye, but I am cynical about his observation, as it is usually only just possible to glimpse a magn. 7 star.....
and NGC 253 is spread over many square arcminutes of sky.

cheers,
Robert

Another hard test of naked eye performance on vanishingly-faint diffuse objects is the brightest part of Barnard's Loop; that part which is north-following of Orion's belt. This section of the Loop used to be relatively easy to see in binos, when I had young eyes, if the sky was extremely dark.

[Pradeep]

Thumbs up!

[Pradeep]

Thank You Robert! Very Useful Info :)

[Pradeep]

http://astronomy.com/columnists/stephen%20omeara/2010/02/stephen%20james%20omearas%20secret% 20sky%20deep%20naked-eye%20diving

[ZeroID]

Seen that a few times from home with the 10" on the rare really good night. And Hamburger. When a cold clear southerly blows up and sends all the dust and humidity back where it came from.

[astroron]

I think he meant with the naked eye.
I would also be skeptical of the NGC 5128 observation with the naked eye:question:
Stephen James O'Meara reckons he can see M83 also.
He lives half way up a volcano in Hawaii, but still not convinced.
Cheers:thumbsup:

[cfranks]

Visible in the SH is Andromeda Galaxy. If you have a dark sky you will be amazed.

[bigjoe]

IC 3291 the Omicron velorum cluster ; rarely gets a mention, and

NGC 6067 in Norma

And even M11 ! Those are just some of my favs of top of my hat.

[skysurfer]

This is not in the SH, only 'visible from'.

SH objects I've seen with the NE:

SMC
LMC
Omega Centauri
47 Tuc
Southern Pleiades
NGC3372
M7
M8
M20
Jewel Box
Coal Bag (dark nebula)
M41
M42

No, not NGC 5128 without optical device. As difficult as the far northern object M81 (+6.9).

I'll try M4, should be visible.

[cfranks]

As I said!

[AEAJR]

I always find the discussion of naked eye objects a bit challenging as I live in a very light polluted area. So what is visible to you as a naked eye object may not be to me. The Milky Way is something I read about, not see, for example.

Where I observe, in front of my house, the dimmest stars I can see are around Mag 3.5. So Andromeda, for example, is definitely not a naked eye target for me. Often I have trouble finding it with 10X50 binoculars.

So, when you talk about naked eye objects are you assuming totally dark skies?

[Pradeep]

Yes I am. I living in a rural village in Sri Lanka. Only problem I have is weather. I'm still unaided eye obsever cause there aren't trustworthy telescope/binocular sellers here in SL.

http://messier.seds.org/xtra/similar/binosky.html

[AEAJR]

Seems we have opposite problems. I have easy access to equipment but light polluted skies.

You have dark skies but no equipment.

I can understand a lack of dealers for telescopes but I would think binoculars should be fairly available in Sri Lanka. But I too make assumptions without validation.

Let's enjoy the sky as best we can.

[ZeroID]

Yeah, I know he did. I'm halfway up a (small) volcano too. Just saying.
I have only seen 253 with 'extreme averted imagination' as MBG says and 5128 also.
No, I lie, I have seen 253 with averted vision, just ! 5128 I have imaged but can't remember if I managed a visual as well. Even being a little bit elevated at my location can make a difference. Just gets me a wee bit above the suburban fug. That and not having any nearby street lights.
I've just about given up visual mainly because of my eyes. Between lens damage and floaters I have extreme difficulty getting focus so imaging with BYE and it's focussing feature is my preferred method.
Doesn't stop me trying now and then though ... :D