The Next Level Observing List is the Rose City Astronomers’ signature observing list, designed as the perfect next step after the Messier catalog. Curated by some of the club’s most experienced visual observers, it brings together 75 standout targets of varying difficulty, spanning both deep-sky and solar system objects.  This list offers beginner to intermediate observers a rewarding yet challenging path for growing their skills and exploring the night sky more deeply.

This list has the option of receiving a certificate or pin for completion. To qualify for a certificate you must observe at least 50 objects from the list. To qualify for a pin you must observe all 75 objects. When submitting your observations for review please Include:

  • Name of object

  • Observing Location

  • Date/Time of observation

  • Sky conditions (include seeing & transparency if it is deep sky)

  • Equipment used including telescope, eyepieces, and filter

  • We strongly encourage a description or rough sketch, but it is not required

Downloads

  • Download the list as a PDF here

  • Download the SkySafari observing list file here

For questions, or to submit your observing list for review please contact Angele Mott Nickerson or Brett Schaerer

Below is the list of all objects for reference, but we recommend downloading the PDF for best viewing.

Catalog Number Common Name RA Constellation Type Magnitude Observing Notes Personal Notes
Gamma Andromedae Almach 02:03:54 Andromeda Double Star 2.1 This double has a contrast in size and color, consisting of one large, yellow star and one, much smaller bluish star. It was discovered later the smaller, blue star is actually a triple star system, but this can't be seen in amateur telescopes. So the single star we see in the sky, Almach, is actually four.
NGC 404 Mirach's Ghost 01:09:27 Andromeda Galaxy 10.3 Try positioning Mirach out of the fov to reduce glare. Faint hazy smudge nearly obscured by Mirach. Part of the local group.
NGC 891 Silver Sliver Galaxy 02:22:33 Andromeda Galaxy 10.1 Fairly dim but visible in most instruments in dark skies. Edge on spiral with prominent dust lane.
NGC 7662 Blue Snowball 23:25:54 Andromeda Planetary Nebula 8.3 Fairly bright for a planetary nebula, similar in size and brightness to the Cat's Eye. It's blue!
NGC 7293 Helix Nebula 22:29:39 Aquarius Planetary Nebula 7.5 Almost half a degree in size, low surface brightness, responds well to narrowband filters. Under good conditions this is visible in binoculars. With moderate sized scopes the central star is visible.
Barnard 142/143 E Nebula 19:40:42 Aquila Dark Nebula -- Dark Nebulae become easier to spot with practice. Look for a lack of stars. E shaped, one of the nicer Barnard dark nebulae.
NGC 6709 Flying Unicorn Cluster 18:51:18 Aquila Open Cluster 6.7 Does not cover a large area, 15mm in a 10 inch centers cluster nicely. Just a little imagination and you'll see the unicorn with tail flying behind. Stands out from the Milky Way background.
NGC 6781 Snowglobe Nebula 19:18:30 Aquila Planetary Nebula 11.4 Roundish with one edge dimmer than the other.
Kemble's Cascade near NGC 1502 04:07:50 Camelopardalis Asterism -- To appreciate this asterism you need very wide field, so opt for binoculars. A string of nearly 20 stars ending in a pretty open cluster.
Alpha Cvn Cor Caroli 12:56:01 Canes Venatici Double Star 2.9 Can be found by drawing a line straight to the South from the end of the handle of the Big Dipper. This double has a fun contrast in size, with one star being significantly larger than the other. "Cor Caroli" means "Charles Heart," after the King Charles II of England.
NGC 4631 Whale Galaxy 12:42:08 Canes Venatici Galaxy 9.7 Has a small companion galaxy, which is slightly distorting the parent galaxy. Nearly in the same field of view is the Hockey Stick galaxy, NGC4656.
NGC 2359 Thor's Helmet 07:18:30 Canis Major Emission Nebula 11.5 Use a narrowband filter like OIII. Fairly low in the sky so be sure to catch it as it transits. Illuminating this nebula is a Wolf Rayet star residing at the center.
NGC 7009 Saturn Nebula 21:04:10 Aquarius Planetary Nebula 7.8 Averted vision helps reveal the "Saturn's ring" structure, which is visible using high power and under very good seeing conditions.
NGC 281 Pacman Nebula 00:52:59 Cassiopeia Emission Nebula 7.5 A filter helps, UHC better than OIII. Requires fairly dark skies. In larger instruments, ote the embedded open cluster IC1590, Bok globules, and dust lanes.
NGC 457 Owl Cluster/ ET Cluster/ Wall-E Cluster 01:19:34 Cassiopeia Open Cluster 6.4 Large, bright open cluster that can be seen on hazy or light polluted nights. Goes by many names and everyone sees a different pattern. If looking for an owl, it will have two bright eyes, outstretch wings, and claws. One of the eyes can been seen naked eye.
NGC 7789 Caroline's Rose 23:57:24 Cassiopeia Open Cluster 6.7 Large, fairly dense open cluster. On a good night, the stars form loops that look like rose petals. Discovered by Caroline Herschel in 1783 and a suprising omission from Messier's catalogue.
NGC 6946 / NGC 6939 Fireworks Galaxy 20:34:52 Cepheus Galaxy / Open Cluster 9.6 Use lower power to see both the spiral galaxy and the open cluster at the same time. The galaxy is fairly faint and will appear fainter than the cluster. These two objects appear of similar size in the eyepiece, though you're seeing one object that is a part of the Milky Way and another that is an entirely separate galaxy at the same time. It is called the Fireworks galaxy becasue 10 supernovae have been observed there.
NGC 7510 22:56:14 Cepheus Open Cluster 8 This is a tight grouping in a larger star field, at over 1 billion years old, fairly old for an open cluster. A fun cluster to pick out of a larger field of stars. It is a busy area so you'll need some steady, dark skies to find it.
NGC 7023 The Iris Nebula 21:01:36 Cepheus Reflection Nebula 6.8 No filtering needed.
Mu Cephei Herschel's Garnet Star 21:43:30 Cepheus Star 4 Herschel's Garnet Star is a red supergiant, one of the largest known stars in the Milky Way. It is 1000 times the diameter of the Sun.
NGC 4565 Needle Galaxy 12:36:20 Coma Berenices Galaxy 10 While the main galaxy is bright, NGC4565a is difficult to see, requiring dark skies and at least 14 inches of aperture. A beautiful edge on galaxy, next to it is NGC4565a which is a much smaller and dimmer edge on.
Melotte 111 Coma Star Cluster 12:26:00 Coma Berenices Open Cluster 1.8 Spans 5 degrees of sky, binocular object.
61 Cygni Piazzi's Flying Star 21:06:53 Cygnus Double Star 5.2 On a clear night, this star can be seen naked-eye to make aligning the scope eaiser. In the scope, will appear as two bright yellow/orange stars. One of the closest stars in the sky at only 11.4ly. It is the closest star you can see with your naked eye in the northern hemisphere in summer. Named Piazzi's Flying Star by astronomer Giuseppe Piazzi in 1792 due to its high proper motion across the sky.
NGC 6888 Crescent Nebula 20:12:06 Cygnus Emission Nebula 7.4 Responds well to O3 and UHC filters. This emission nebula is illuminated by a super hot Wolf-Rayet star at its core.
NGC 7000 North America Nebula 20:58:48 Cygnus Emission Nebula 4 Can be difficult to see since it is in the middle of the Milky Way. The most distinctive feautures are the Florida peninsula and the the Gulf of Mexico. From there you can find the rest of North America .
NGC 6811 Hole in a Cluster 19:37:17 Cygnus Open Cluster 6.8 Brighter than other objects but the goal is to have good enough views to find the "hole" in the center. Another old cluster at roughtly 1 billion years old, but it has lost stars since originally formed. Not as hard of a find but one to take your time with instead of just marking it off and moving on. Study it and enjoy the star patterns knowing in time it will change and disapear.
NGC 6826 Blinking Planetary 19:44:48 Cygnus Planetary Nebula 8.9 Fairly bright planetary with a bright central star. When looking directly at the nebula, your eye focueses on the central star and the nebula "disappears." Then when using averted vision, the nebula will "blink" back into view.
NGC 6979 Fleming's Triangle 20:47:18 Cygnus Supernova Remnant >7 Fairly dim but visible in most instruments in dark skies. Pickering's Triangle is the largest central wisp. It is often referred to as Fleming's triangle to honor Willamina Fleming, the actual discoverer. it's located between the Eastern and Western portions of the Veil.
NGC 6960 Western Veil Nebula 20:47:18 Cygnus Supernova Remnant 7 Eastern and Western Veil are easy to view using an OIII filter. There are several other parts to this supernova remnant, the brightest being Fleming's Triangle.
NGC 6962 Eastern Veil Nebula 20:47:18 Cygnus Supernova Remnant 7 Eastern and Western Veil are easy to view using an OIII filter. There are several other parts to this supernova remnant, the brightest being Fleming's Triangle.
Gamma 2 Delphini "Derf" 20:46:39 Delphinus Double Star 4.2 In the nose of the dolphin, this is a true binary pair about 110 ly away. They look like a tiny pair of yellow-orange stars. Named by Fred Hess of Hayden Planetarium ("Derf" being "Fred" spelled backwards)
NGC 6934 20:34:12 Delphinus Globular Cluster 8.9
French 1 The Toadstool 21:07:47 Delphinus Open Cluster/Asterism -- A mix of blue and red stars lined up well for playing connect the dots to make a toadstool shape. Feeling fancy, make sure to notice galaxy NGC 7025 down at the "bottom" of the toadstool stem. Made popular by Sue French in a Sky and Telescope article. If you are using the SkySafari observing list you'll find this object designated as NGC7025
NGC 5907 Splinter Galaxy 15:15:53 Draco Galaxy 11 Particularliy nice, edge-on galaxy. Larger scopes may see hints of structure. Close to M102, the Spindle Galaxy. To tell them apart, the two are true to their names. Spindle Galaxy has a beefier core, like there is thread wound onto a spindle. The Splinter Galaxy is much sleeker.
NGC5981 / NGC5982 / NGC5985 Draco Triplet 15:38:00 Draco Galaxy Cluster 10.4 - 13.2 These are difficult, Dark skies and moderately large aperture necessary. Three galaxies in a row, each having a different shape.
NGC 6543 Cat's Eye Nebula 17:58:33 Draco Planetary Nebula 8.2 Under good seeing conditions use higher magnification to see structure within the nebula. It's green!
NGC 2392 Clown Face Nebula / Eskimo Nebula 07:29:11 Gemini Planetary Nebula 9.1 Use as much power as the skies can handle to reveal a double shell.
NGC 6207 16:43:03 Hercules Galaxy 11.6 In the same field of view as M13
NGC 3242 Ghost of Jupiter 10:24:46 Hydra Planetary Nebula 7.3 second brightest planetary nebula behind the Helix.
NGC 2419 Intergalactic Wanderer 07:38:08 Lynx Globular Cluster 10.3 Excellent star hopping object as there are three stars in a line that lead right to the object. 300,000ly away, almost twice as far out as the Large Magellanic loud. One of the most luminous globulars in the Milky Way.
T Lyrae 18:32:16 Lyra Carbon Star 7.6 T Lyrae is a true carbon star, very cool and much of the light is absorbed by carbon.
Barnard 37/LDN 1605 06.37:10 Monoceros Dark Nebula -- Clear, crisp winter skies help you notice a line of darkness to the west of NGC 2264. Good to have a dark nebula for winter, better to have one large enough to notice, and near to the bright Christmas Tree cluster so you know you are looking in the right spot, don't zoom in too much you'll miss it.
NGC 2244 Rosette Nebula 06:31:55 Monoceros Emission Nebula 9 Low surface brightness but visible in dark skies using scopes with a wide fov, even with binoculars. OIII Filter helpful. Open cluster in the middle.
NGC 2261 Hubble's Variable Nebula 06:39:10 Monoceros Emission Nebula 9 Bright enough to take some power, needs a 8inch scope for solid views. A favorite! Looks like a tiny little comet with a touch of blue color.
Barnard 72 The Snake Dark Nebula 17:23:30 Ophiuchus Dark Nebula -- This is looking into the central area of our galaxy with a lot going on, including a number of dark nubula. This stands out from others because of its curving shape. The snake is a small part at the tip of a larger dark nebula, but is "darker" than others close by.
NGC 6572 Blue Raquetball Nebula 18:12:06 Ophiuchus Planetary Nebula 9 Fairly Bright, glows a vivid teal color.
Hickson 92 Stephan's Quintet 22:36:00 Pegasus Galaxy Cluster 13.4 This is a small tight galaxy cluster, use high power ~200x or higher if seeing permits. Using averted vision will help. While larger apertures will give a more satisfying view, the cluster can be detected as a faint clump in 10 inch scopes. Near NGC 7331, this is a compact galaxy group. One of the five galaxies is not physically associated with the others, and is much further away. It can be difficult (and rare) to see all five.
NGC 7331 Deer Lick Group 22:37:04 Pegasus Galaxy Cluster 9.5 Bring the power but still bright enough to be found at Stub on a moonless night. A good little collection of galaxies with a mix of some bright and others faint.
NGC 1499 California Nebula 04:02:22 Perseus Emission Nebula 5 This is a big (145'x40'), bright nebula, but its location near the Milky Way and extended size make it a little more of a challenge. Use your widest eyepiece and try your nebula filter, or borrow someone else's H-Beta filter. 10x50 binoculars can show this object well too. Best evening viewing is winter-spring, but morning viewing is possible in later summer/early fall. Open cluster in the middle. Use your biggest eyepiece--it's bigger than you think.
NGC 869 / NGC884 Double Cluster 02:19:00 Perseus Open Cluster 3.9 Visible as a naked eye object, use lowest power to see both in the same field. Another surprising omission from Messier's catalog.
β Persei / Algol The Demon Star 03:08:10 Perseus Variable Star 3.4 to 2.1 This eclipsing binary is a famously variable star. But have you made careful magnitude estimates during one of its regular, frequent eclipses? If not, this is a good opportunity to learn and apply the 'binocular defocus technique' and observe the magnitude changing over several hours. To count this as 'observed', make at least 5 brightness estimates over two or more hours when the brightness is predicted to be changing.
NGC 507 Group 01:23:40 Pisces Galaxy Cluster 11.3 Note the blue/gold binary superimposed in the field. This is the richest group in the Pisces Galaxy Cluster with over a dozen galaxies visible.
NGC 2438 07:41:50 Puppis Planetary Nebula 10.8 Large planetary nebula that is superimposed on M46. This is actually a foreground object and is not in the cluster.
Barnard 86 / NGC 6520 Ink Spot Nebula 18:03:25 Sagittarius Dark Nebula / Open Cluster - Very round dark nebula adjacent to NGC 6520. They both are in the same field of view and of similar size. Actually don't need a large scope to find this, it is more about finding it after your eyes adjust to the darkness so you can pick it out among the star field. The background of the Milky Way helps this dark nebula stand out.
NGC 6822 Barnard's Galaxy 19:44:57 Sagittarius Galaxy 9.3 large-ish but very low surface brightness. sweeping the area with low power is a good technique. A galaxy in Sagittarius? It is the closest non-satellite galaxy to the Milky Way. Also visit NGC 6818, the Little Gem nebula nearly in the same field of view and listed elsewhere on this list.
NGC6522 / NGC6528 18:03:34 Sagittarius Globular Cluster 8.3 Right off the spout of the Teapot. 2 Globulars in one view!
NGC 6818 Little Gem 19:43:58 Sagittarius Planetary Nebula 9.5 Pretty planetary with structure, right next to Barnard's Galaxy
NGC 253 Sculptor Galaxy / Silver Coin Galaxy 00:47:33 Sculptor Galaxy 8 Never gets very high, observe during its transit at highest altitude above horizon. Huge, beautiful galaxy. One of the best in the sky! Will look even better if you observe it from farther south.
NGC 3184 Little Pinwheel 10:18:17 Ursa Major Galaxy 9.8 Structure is visible in larger scopes.
Polaris The North Star 02:31:49 Ursa Minor Double Star 2,9.1 Not everyone knows Polaris has a companion visible in medium sized scopes. Polaris has a magnitude of 2 while its companion Polaris B has a magnitude of 9.1.
3C273 12:29:06 Virgo Quasar 12.9 Don't let the magnitude discourage you. It is a stellar (point) object so is easier than the same magnitude extended object. First Quasar discovered. Brightest quasar in the sky. 2.5 Billion light years distant, it may be the most distant object visible with your telescope. When a non-astronomer asks: "How far can your telescope see?" you'll want to say 2.5 Billion Light Years!
NGC4567/4568 Siamese Twins 12:36:34 Virgo Galaxy 10.9 Interesting interacting pair of galaxies.
Collinder 399 Coat Hanger 19:25:00 Vulpecula Asterism -- Very large, best in binoculars. Located near Sagitta. Truely looks like coathanger.
Mercury -- Planet Variable, -1.6 at brightest Due to its proximity to the sun it is challenging to find and is above the horizon for only short durations in the night sky.
Zodiacal Light -- -- -- This collection of diffuse dust in the plane of the solar system requires dark, transparent skies to view, but no magnification is needed. Best viewing is in the west, around the end of evening twilight in the spring or in the east just before the start of morning twilight in the fall. Look for a cone of light up to 60 degrees long and 10 or more degrees wide at the base/horizon, aligned with the ecliptic plane, and passing through through the zodiac constellations. It is more challenging to observe when the angle of the ecliptic is shallower to the horizon or it lies in front of the Milky Way. A similar phenomenom that requires especially good viewing conditions is the Gegenshein, the faint glow directly opposite the sun.
Shadow Transit of Jupiter by one of its moons -- -- -- These are ever changing. Sometimes the shadow will transit the surface, sometimes the shadow and the moon will transit, and on occasion you may get to see a double transit. You will need to do your own research via planetarium software or online to identify timing of the transits.
Ceres -- Dwarf Planet/Asteroid 9 Like the full-sized planets, this is on the move and also will vary in brightness .
Vesta -- Dwarf Planet/Asteroid 8 2026 is a good year for observing Vesta as it will be in opposition in October in Cetus, high to the south near Saturn.
Clavius -- Lunar Crater -- Low to the south, large crater with huge variety of featers from rugged walls to many small craters inside the large crater. My favorite lunar crater, I encourage making a sketch of this crater so you can really spend time getting to know the details.
Aristarchus -- Lunar Crater -- One of the brightest craters on the Moon, deeper then the Grand Canyon. Don't miss Schroter's Valley right next door. Want a fun challenge, using only Earth shine, you should still be able to pick out the crater as it is so bright.
Wargentin -- Lunar Crater -- No dark skies or large telescope are needed to see this unusual lunar feature. It just takes some magnification, reasonably good seeing, and careful timing. Lunar coordinates are 49.6°S 60.2°W, so it is best appreciated during the waxing or waning gibbous phases on either side of a full moon. At 84 km in diameter, it is slightly smaller than Tycho, but much less conspicuous due to its placement. A few of the neighboring craters are bigger, but when you get the timing just right, you will be astonished! In fact, your face might look a little like the combination of craters Phocylides, Shickard, Wargentin, and Inghirami at 13.34 days old!
Messier & Messier A -- Lunar Crater -- All that time looking at Messier objects, the two craters on moon with the astronomer's name are also interesting to see. The two craters are related, the first oval shape, the second formed from a "ricocheted projectile." Looking at them as a pair (with the rays if you catch it right) you get the feeling of seeing how the craters formed.
Rupes Recta -- Lunar Feature -- Lunar feature, visible as a distinct line during certain phases. Best seen on day 8 then again with a very different appearance on day 21 of the lunar cycle. Also known as Huygens Sword and Straight Wall.
Hippalus Rilles -- Lunar Feature -- Multiple rilles in a rounded pattern running for miles, cutting through craers and mountians. One of those things that sometimes get overlooked but once you see them you'll wonder how you didn't notice before. Lots to see as you follow the line of the rilles along the surface.
Vallis Alpes/Alpine Valley -- Lunar Feature -- Over 100 miles long, the feature cuts through the Alpes range in the north. While difficult, it can be done, so look for the rille running through the center of the valley.