NGC 7039 is an open cluster with close to 100 stars in Cygnus, making it a good target for backyard astronomers in the northern hemisphere in summer.
Tag Archives: Summer
HD 189751 (SAO 69238): A Double Among a Colorful Stream in Cygnus
HD 189751 is a variable and double star in the constellation Cygnus. The binary is also known as SAO 69238 and STT 394. It is a 7th magnitude star.
Kappa Delphini: A Deceiving Triple Star System
Discover Kappa Delphini in Delphinus—a fascinating triple star system with a bright primary and companions, perfect for summer backyard stargazing.
Eta Lyrae (Aladfar): A Massive, Luminous Binary Star
Eta Lyrae is both a variable and binary star in the constellation Lyra. The traditional name for the star is Aladfar, which is Arabic for the talons of a swooping eagle. You can view the binary from suburban skies with a smaller to medium sized telescope.
Messier 26 (NGC 6694): The Cluster with a Little Hole
Messier 26 (NGC 6694) is an open cluster found in the constellation Scutum. It is best viewed in the summer in the northern hemisphere. Messier 26 is a fainter grouping of around 30 stars.
NGC 6543: A Cat’s Eye Looks Down at You
NGC 6543, also known as the Cat’s Eye Nebula, looks down from the constellation Draco in late summer skies. A dying star makes this beautiful object.
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.”
Rho Herculis: A Close Pair that Teases Different Colors
Rho Herculis (ρ Herculis) is a double star in the constellation Hercules, which is best viewed in summer. This fine pair are close in type and brightness, and most see them as bright white. However, my observation differs in that the smaller of the pair seems blue green in color as the sketch shows.
The Garden Astronomer 