Prime – Page 2 – The Garden Astronomer

Uranus: On Seeing the Planet for the First Time

There it was—Uranus—no longer a point of light but a small disc colored pale green. It seemed to float among the dim stars.

Messier 57 (NGC 6720): The Ring Nebula

Messier 57, the Ring Nebula in Lyra, is a bright planetary nebula of gas and dust surrounding a dying star—perfect for backyard observing.

Messier 13 (NGC 6205): A Brilliant Globular Cluster in Hercules

Messier 13 made history in 1974 when astronomers broadcast a message toward this awesome globular cluster, hoping that exterrestrial ears might hear the signal.