[ausastronomer (John Bambury)]

Originally Posted by hector

In my opinion.

Best Galaxy: Milky Way overhead during winter, or LMC Agreed

Best Nebula: Eta Carina Agreed

Best Globular: 47 TUC or Omega Cen depending on your preference. Agreed

Best Open Cluster: Jewel Box. A very tough call. I also rate The Football Cluster NGC 3532 right up there with The Jewel Box

Best Variable Star: Eta Carina My favourites are Eta Carina and Hind's Crismson Star (R Leporis) but Eta Carina also has the Homonculus to give it an easy victory

Best Double star: Alpha Cen. My favourite is X Velorum (Dunlop 95) because of the colour contrast, but Alpha Centaurus is right up there

Best Planetary goes North with either the Ring or the Dumbell both of which we can see anyway. I rate NGC 3242 The Ghost of Jupiter at least as good as both of those

Even the last great Supernova and Comet were in the South. Agreed

My preference is about 30deg south. Clouds up high, Milky Way center overhead, and most of the best northern targets are high enough over the horizon to see properly. Agreed

Cheers,
John B