The Saturn Nebula, also known as Caldwell 55, is a planetary nebula viewable in the northern night sky in autumn in constellation Aquarius. Even though dim nebulas like NGC 7009 can be challenging to view in suburban backyards because of light pollution, astronomers should not loose heart. This nebula is pretty easy to spot on a moonless night with a smaller telescope. It will appear light-blue or green and as a small smudge in the scope.
Author Archives: Wayne McGraw
Eta Lyrae (Aladfar): A Massive, Luminous Binary Star
Eta Lyrae is both a variable and binary star in the constellation Lyra. The traditional name for the star is Aladfar, which is Arabic for the talons of a swooping eagle. You can view the binary from suburban skies with a smaller to medium sized telescope.
Messier 26 (NGC 6694): The Cluster with a Little Hole
Messier 26 (NGC 6694) is an open cluster found in the constellation Scutum. It is best viewed in the summer in the northern hemisphere. Messier 26 is a fainter grouping of around 30 stars.
NGC 6543: A Cat’s Eye Looks Down at You
NGC 6543, also known as the Cat’s Eye Nebula, looks down from the constellation Draco in late summer skies. A dying star makes this beautiful object.
NGC 6826: A Blinking Planetary Nebula in Cygnus
As one stares at the central star, or uses averted vision, the nebula’s fuzzy cloud may come into view as if turning on a light switch. Because of this, some refer to NGC 6826 as the “blinking planetary.”
Rho Herculis: A Close Pair that Teases Different Colors
Rho Herculis (ρ Herculis) is a double star in the constellation Hercules, which is best viewed in summer. This fine pair are close in type and brightness, and most see them as bright white. However, my observation differs in that the smaller of the pair seems blue green in color as the sketch shows.
Messier 27 (NGC 6853): The Dumbbell Planetary Nebula in Vulpecula
Messier 27 (NGC 6853) is a planetary nebula in the constellation Vulpecula. It is also known as the Dumbbell Nebula due to its distinctive shape resembling a dumbbell or hourglass. It’s best viewed in summer and early autumn. Amateur astronomers can find M27 fairly easy with binoculars and small telescopes, even from light-polluted suburban area as the sketch in this article shows.
NGC 6229: A Very Distant Globular Cluster
NGC 6229 is a dim globular cluster in the summer constellation of Hercules. It lies nearly 100,000 light year away in the outer halo of the Milky Way. Still, amateur astronomers using a modest telescope can still view it.
The Garden Astronomer 