Messier 41 lies south of the bright star Sirius and covers an area nearly the size of the moon. I credit this wintertime cluster for inspiring my life-long love of astronomy. Learn why.
Author Archives: Wayne McGraw
NGC 2232: A Bright Star Cluster at Home in the Gould Belt
NGC 2232 is an open star cluster that lies in the dim reaches of the constellation of Monoceros. Not to be overlooked, this cluster is attractive in the eyepiece and is part of the fascinating Gould Belt.
NGC 2244: A Star Cluster in a Rose
NGC 2244 is a bright and noteworthy cluster at the center of the Rosette Nebula. Backyard astronomers will appreciate the cluster is viewable with binoculars and small telescopes.
Psi1 Piscium: An Easy-To-Split Binary in Pisces
Psi1 is a wide, optical binary star with blue-white colors.
65 Piscium: A Splendid Citrine Binary in Pisces
This close binary star is considered the best in Pisces for its equal brightness and attractive yellow color.
Messier 34 (NGC 1039): A Robust Cluster with Attractive Pairs of Stars
Messier 34 is a treasure chest of 80-100 viewable stars in the winter constellation Perseus.
1 Arietis (Struve 174): Sunny Yellow and Pale Ocean Blue Double
1 Arietis is a colorful and tight double star in the constellation Aries. Urban stargazers will need a good small to moderate sized scope to split the pretty pair. It’s best viewed in late autumn and through winter.
Messier 78 (NGC 2068): A Friendly Ghost in Orion
Messier 78 joins a host of rich astronomical targets in the constellation Orion. M78 is a reflection nebula.
The Garden Astronomer 