Messier 92 (NGC 6341): A Chandelier of Stars

On summer nights, when the constellation Hercules makes its way to the top of the sky, two of the greatest globular clusters tag along: Messier 13 and Messier 92. These ancient objects of the universe are must-see objects, and one can get a good view of them with a simple pair of binoculars. Many observersContinue reading "Messier 92 (NGC 6341): A Chandelier of Stars"

Pi Bootis: A Pair of White Stars in Bootes

The prominent springtime constellation Boötes contains a host of nice double stars. Like the colorful double star Xi Bootis in Bootes, Pi Bootis is a naked eye object under darker sky conditions with a magnitude of +5. While the pair is fairly bright, they are close in proximity, so you will need at least aContinue reading "Pi Bootis: A Pair of White Stars in Bootes"

Xi Bootis: A Yellow and Reddish-Violet Double in Bootes

The prominent springtime constellation Boötes contains a host of nice double stars. One, in particular, XI Bootis, is a rare sight because it's a naked-eye object with a mass and luminosity less than our sun. The primary star is 90% of the mass and 83% of the radius of the Sun. Due to XI Bootis'Continue reading "Xi Bootis: A Yellow and Reddish-Violet Double in Bootes"

Mu Boötis: A Triple Treat of Stars

Mu Boötis is a spring treat for those who enjoy observing multiple star systems. The system's proper name is Alkalurops, which means "club" in Greek and represents a shepherd's staff. With the naked eye from a dark site, one can see the primary star, Alkalurops A. It has a yellow, white color. Nearby are theContinue reading "Mu Boötis: A Triple Treat of Stars"

Polaris: Celebrated North Star and Triple Star System

Polaris, known as the North Star, is a triple-star system located 433 light-years from Earth. The primary star, Polaris A, is a yellow supergiant and a Cepheid variable, with two companions. Although it appears singular, Polaris is a complex system, offering astronomers a tool for measuring cosmic distances. This article shows how it appears in an 8-inch SCT telescope under suburban skies.

HR 4893: A Pretty Double Near the North Celestial Pole

Up near Polaris, the North Star, there are a number of good double stars. The ever popular Mizar in Ursa Major comes to mind. Another double star bright enough with good separation is Nu Draconis in Draco. In this same region is a double star system called HR4893 in the constellation Camelopardalis. It appears HRContinue reading "HR 4893: A Pretty Double Near the North Celestial Pole"

Messier 60 (NGC 4649): Hubble’s Fastest Moving Galaxy

Messier 60 is a giant elliptical galaxy in the Virgo constellation. It's best viewed in spring. According to NASA, M60 has a diameter of 120,000 light-years and is as massive as one trillion suns. At its center is a supermassive black hole with a mass 4.5 billion times that of our sun. It's easy toContinue reading "Messier 60 (NGC 4649): Hubble’s Fastest Moving Galaxy"

Messier 86 (NGC 4406): A Galaxy Not Running Away

Astronomers are unsure which is the best description for Messier 86 as it falls between an elliptical or a lenticular galaxy. It resides in the Virgo constellation and is best viewed in spring. As I mentioned in my post on Messier 60, the galaxies in Virgo played an essential role in Edwin Hubble's research inContinue reading "Messier 86 (NGC 4406): A Galaxy Not Running Away"