HD 210884, also known as HIP 109474 or STF 2883, is a double star in the constellation Cepheus. It’s best viewed on autumn nights.
Tag Archives: Autumn
Messier 32 (NGC 221): Le Gentil—A Galaxy in our Neighborhood
Messier 32 (M32, NGC 221), is a dwarf elliptical galaxy best viewed in the fall. It lies in the Andromeda constellation.
NGC 7331 (Caldwell 30): The Milky Way’s Twin
NGC 7331, also known as Caldwell 30, is a non-barred spiral galaxy in the constellation Pegasus, best viewed during autumn. One can make out the distant cousin as a smudge in smaller scopes.
NGC 7662: The Blue Snowball Nebula
NGC 7662, also known as the blue snowball nebula, is a bright planetary nebula in the andromeda constellation. It’s a good target for the casual backyard observer with a small telescope as it breaks through the light pollution pretty well for a nebula.
NGC 7009: The Saturn Nebula
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.
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.”
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 6866: One of Caroline’s Bright Clusters in Cygnus
NGC 6866 is a rich cluster with close to 100 stars, making it a good target for backyard astronomers. Caroline Hershel discovered the cluster in the summer of 1783.