Two clusters that come to mind are M11 and M39. Both are known as open clusters.
M11 or the Wild Duck Cluster is named for its distinctive V-shape, which resembles a flock of ducks in flight. With around 3,000 stars, it's one of the most densely populated open clusters in the sky. At magnitude 6.3 It is visible through 10x50 binoculars and appears as a bright wedge-shaped glow of light and in an 8" Dob you'll be able to resolve hundreds of stars. Located in Scutum
M39 is sparsely populated with only about 15 stars but is easily seen in a small telescope at low power. In a pair of binoculars the cluster really stands out do to the larger field of view. At a magnitude of 4.6 it spans an angular diameter about the size of the full Moon. It is less than 10° from Deneb in Cygnus.
Our next cluster is known as M71 and for many decades thought to be a densely packed open cluster but is now classified as a globular. Located in Sagitta at magnitude 8.1 it is visible in an 8" telescope and increasing magnification will show that is does not have a dense core like most globulars.
Two galaxies you should not miss are M31 and M33.
M33 known as the The Triangulum Galaxy is a face-on spiral lying about 2.7 million light-years away in the constellation Triangulum. It is the third largest member of the Local Group, after Andromeda and the Milky Way. At mag. 5.7 it is large enough to be seen through binoculars as a faint, misty patch, while a telescope can bring out finer details. Under really dark skies you can glimpse some spiral arms.
Of course we can't forget The Andromeda Galaxy or M31. Located in Andromeda at 2.5 million light-years away and at mag. 3.5 is visible to the naked eye even in slightly light polluted skies. It is the largest member of our Local Group of galaxies and is similar to our own Milky Way but a little larger. If you look carefully can see the two main dust lanes in a modest sized telescope. Also look for the two companion galaxies M32 and M110. You can see all three under low power.
Clear and Dark Skies, Dave Holland
