Discover NGC 6946, the Fireworks Galaxy—an active spiral rich in star formation. Includes Seestar S50 photo, sketch, and backyard observation notes.
Author Archives: Wayne McGraw
Messier 30 (NGC 7099): The Jellyfish Globular Cluster
Explore Messier 30, a stunning globular cluster in Capricornus, with insights into its history, structure, and observing tips. Includes a personal sketch and photo from my own telescope observations.
Anser: A Warm Double Star in Vulpecula
Anser is a bright optical double star in the constellation Vulpecula. It is a member of the Arcturus stream, meaning the Milky Way stole the star from a dwarf galaxy in the past.
VV Cephei: The Colossal Supergiant of Cepheus
Explore VV Cephei, a massive red / orange supergiant in Cepheus. Find viewing tips, photos, and sketches for this rare and fascinating star.
Viewing Comet C/2025 A6 Lemmon in Autumn Skies
Comet C/2025 A6 (Lemmon) brightens in the sky as 2025’s top comet. A rare long-period visitor visible in fall nights for eager stargazers.
Struve 331: A Binary of White and Blue-Green in Perseus
Struve 331 (HD 18537) is an optical double star in the constellation Perseus, bet viewed in Autumn. The pair of stars feature a bright white primary and a secondary fainter star that’s blue. Backyard astronomers should be able to split the double easily with most scopes to find that the bright white contrasted against the blue star makes for a pretty enchanting pair.
This double is also known as STF 331 and SAO 23763.
SHJ 282 (STT 525): A Multiple System of Orange and Blue in Lyra
Otto Struve 525 (aka STT 525) is a triple-star system that features a golden primary (Star A) with two companions (stars B & C) in the constellation Lyra. The Star C is a pretty blue color. Also known as SAO 67566.
Viewing Comet C/2025 R2 SWAN in October Skies
Discover Comet SWAN (C/2025 R2), its rare discovery by SOHO’s SWAN instrument, and its close approach to Earth in October 2025.
The Garden Astronomer 