Welcome to your Free DSO-Finder Mini Guide

If you’ve ever looked up at the night sky and thought “I know there are galaxies and nebulae up there, I just have no idea how to find them”, this guide is for you.

Inside, you’ll find four object guides, one for each season of the year. Each one is built the same way I build every guide in the Virtual Astronomy Club: a detailed overview of the object, the data you need, annotated star charts, and step-by-step instructions for finding it with your own telescope.

How to get the most from these guides

Start with whichever season you’re in right now. Download or print the charts before you head outside. It makes a real difference when you’re standing in the dark. Give yourself a clear night and a dark spot, and follow the guide step by step. Don’t rush it.

If you find the object, great. If you don’t on the first attempt, that’s completely normal. Come back to it. The object will still be there.

Enjoyed these four guides? There are more than 220 more just like them inside the Virtual Astronomy Club, covering galaxies, nebulae, star clusters, and more, with new ones added every month.

Take a look at what’s inside the VAC →