Welcome to the Owl Nebula, also known as Messier 97. This planetary nebula is located in the constellation Ursa Major and can be seen in the night sky every spring. When viewed with small telescopes under clear, dark conditions, it appears as a small circular smudge. However, telescopes with a diameter of over 8 inches can reveal more of the nebula’s unique owl-like features. Also known as M97, NGC 3587, ARO 25.
Category Archives: Messier Objects
Messier 108 (NGC 3556): Catching a Wave on Ursa Major’s Surfboard Galaxy
Messier 108, also known as NGC 3556, is a galaxy located in the constellation Ursa Major. Also known as the Surfboard Galaxy, it appears as a thin dim streak in the eyepiece of small and moderate telescopes under suburban skies.
Messier 71 (NGC 6838): A Globular Cluster Close to Home
Globular clusters like Messier 71 (M71) make for great targets. With a pair of binoculars away from bright city lights, an observer can see M71 as a fuzzy patch. Move up to the telescope (say 4 inches in diameter and larger), and you can start to make out some individual stars. For a long time,ContinueContinue reading “Messier 71 (NGC 6838): A Globular Cluster Close to Home”
Messier 23 (NGC 6494): Open Cluster in a Sagittarius Starfield
The constellation Sagittarius is home to Messier 23 (M23), a spacious and radiant open star cluster. This cluster is one of several within the summer Milky Way and can be observed through binoculars in dark sky conditions or a small telescope from the suburbs.
Messier 24 (NGC 6603): Small Sagittarius Star Cloud
Messier 24 is not a traditional astronomical object like a nebula, star cluster, or galaxy. Instead, it is a region within our Milky Way galaxy that is densely packed with stars, making it appear like a stunning celestial cloud.
Messier 11 (NGC 6705): A Wild Duck Swims Through Scutum
Backyard astronomers will appreciate Messier 11’s bright magnitude, which allows this “cloud” of more than 2,900 stars to be viewable under good conditions. Also known as the Wild Duck Cluster and NGC 6705.
Messier 9 (NGC 6333): Globular Cluster Near the Heart of the Galaxy
Messier 9 (NGC 6333) lies lower in the southern skies on summer nights in the constellation Ophiuchus. M9 is a globular cluster near the center of a galaxy and enjoyable summer target.
Messier 101: The Pinwheel Galaxy and Brilliant Supernova SN 2023ixf
On May 19, 2023, a bright supernova appeared in one of the Pinwheel’s spiral arms. A week after, I captured it with my DSLR camera.
The Garden Astronomer 