[AppleGecko (Brent)]

Hey im new to astronomy and just got a new saxon 8" dobsonian

Ive gotten ahold of some star charts by Wil Tirion and i need to know some things.

- what does the M mean. For example M42 and why does each one have a number assigned.

- how do i find the diagrams of stars and things in the sky, do i just observe and find something i recognise and go from there with the charts.

- do galaxies rise and set?. Is there a time to see them and a time you cannot see them.

- What do filters do, they change the way you see obviously but are they a good add on to buy? Also how much can they range from.

- what does aligning the mirros mean?

- which is an easy galaxy to view and find, the orion nebulae perhaps?

That all the questions i can think of at the moment. Some one plz help