La Superba: One of the Reddest Stars in the Sky

One night, La Superba appeared randomly on my astronomy app while I navigated the springtime sky. I stared at the map for a moment, scratched my head, and believed the name to be a mistake. I pressed the information icon by the reddish pixel to reveal a summary of La Superba, including the fact thatContinueContinue reading “La Superba: One of the Reddest Stars in the Sky”

Struve 1850: A Wide Binary Star in Boötes

Struve 1850, a binary star system in the Boötes constellation, consists of two nearly identical A1V stars, easily observable with binoculars or small telescopes. Discovered by Friedrich Struve in 1823, they are over 800 light-years away. Their similar luminosity and proximity make them delightful targets for amateur astronomers. Also known as: STF 1850, HD 127067, SAO 83374, HIP 70786, HR 5414

24 Cancri (Struve 1224): A Quaint Triple Star in Cancer

24 Cancri, located in the spring constellation Cancer, is known as a triple star system, but backyard astronomers will only see a pair of nearly identical and pretty white-yellow stars, Learn more about the pair and see how they look through an 8-inch SLT scope. The pair is also known as 24 Cnc A, HD 71152, HR 3312, SAO 80184, STF 1224, Struve 1224, and upsilon.

NGC 4565: The Needle Galaxy

The post discusses the Needle Galaxy (NGC 4565) located in the Coma Berenices constellation, notable for its thin, edge-on spiral structure. It features a sketch of the galaxy as it appears through a telescope along with a photo from a Seestar S50. Also known as Caldwell 38 (C38). The article also mentions and shows NGC 4562 nearby.

HD 118266: An Attractive Orange and Dim Blue Binary in Virgo

Learn about the pretty double star HD 118266 in the constellation Virgo viewed on spring nights. The star also known as HJ 228, is a binary star that has a orange primary and a dimmer blue companion that lies far apart enough for smaller scopes to observe. It’s also known as SAO 100630, HIP 66326, HR 5114.

23 Ursae Majoris: A Stellar Duo in The Great Bear

Ursa Major is a familiar sight in the northern night sky, home to the easily recognizable Big Dipper. While the stars of the Dipper often steal the show, the constellation is filled with other fascinating celestial objects, including one of my favorite galaxies, M51. Amongst all these significant objects is the binary star system 23ContinueContinue reading “23 Ursae Majoris: A Stellar Duo in The Great Bear”