What are the five brightest deep-sky objects? And what is brighter, the Magellanic Clouds or the Andromeda?

According to the book that came with my scope and discounting open clusters, in first place would be M42 at mag 3.9 (Andromeda beats it though at 3.5). After that there's a big drop in brightness to M5(glob) at 5.8 or so, M13(glob) at 5.9, M22(glob) at 5.1, M33 (gal) at 5.7. Well, there's five. I didn't list any NGCs since Meade didn't either. Some of those mags are variable and I haven't seen M33 even though it should be bright enough. Oh well.

The last part, well I'll say Andromeda is most likely brighter but I don't know the brightness of the Megellanic clouds.

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There are at least two Globular clusters brighter than M5 - Omega Centauri and 47 Tucanae. Both of the Magellanic clouds are brighter than M31. The LMC is the brightest galaxy*.

Excluding the Milky Way of course.

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A few weeks ago (under excellent seeing), Omega Cen. was visible to the naked eye as a distinctly distended object. Not bad for a glob! 47 Tuc. is still my favourite though - beautiful GC through any aperture telescope.

The Magellanic Clouds are significantly brighter than the Andromeda galaxy (especially from my latitude! 8) ).

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"I'd take the awe of understanding over the awe of ignorance any day." - Douglas Adams

"Certainly, in the topsy-turvy world of heavy rock, having a good solid piece of wood in your hand is often useful." - Ian Faith

From my latitude, the deep sky objects I've seen naked eye are rather few. M31, of course. Open clusters like M45 and the Beehive and the double cluster in Perseus. The Orion Nebula. Some of the objects above Sagitarius are visible as small clumps in the Milky Way.

Nothing like Omega Centauri, of couse!

Judging from your nic though, I'm guessing your latitude allows you to see the aurora - that would be an awesome sight and something I hope to experience one day!

__________________
"I'd take the awe of understanding over the awe of ignorance any day." - Douglas Adams

"Certainly, in the topsy-turvy world of heavy rock, having a good solid piece of wood in your hand is often useful." - Ian Faith