Messier 36, nicknamed the Pinwheel Cluster, is an open cluster in the constellation of Auriga. It is best viewed in winter through early spring. Approximately 60 stars make up the cluster, with many of the brightest stars making straggling lines or chains streaming from the center.
Tag Archives: Winter
Phi Tauri: Double Star of Gold and Blue
Phi Tauri, also known as Phi Tau or 52 Tau, appears in the constellation Taurus and is best viewed on winter nights. This optical double star features a bright golden primary star with a blue companion, which make a great target with a telescope or binoculars.
Struve 872: A Mystical Pair of Yellow and Lilac
Struve 872, also known as STF 872, is a double star in the constellation of Auriga and best viewed in winter. It’s often listed in top 100 charts of attractive doubles, most likely due to its pink and light yellow colors. Also known as SAO 58905.
Psi5 Aurigae (56 Aur): A Yellow and Deep Dark Blue Pair
Psi5 Aurigae, also known as 56 Aur, is an attractive multiple-color double star in the Auriga constellation, best viewed on winter nights. The pair is bright and features a bright yellow star near a dark deep blue star. Also cataloged as SAO 41330.
Beta Camelopardalis: A Double Dancing Around the Celestial Pole
Beta Camelopardalis is a 4th magnitude double star in the constellation Camelopardalis, viewable much of the year as it circles close to the North Star. The binary is also known as 10 Cam, SAO 13351, HD 31910, HIP 23522.
Messier 37 (NGC 2099): A Diamond Starburst in Auriga
M37 is one of the most beautiful clusters in the northern winter sky. It resides in the constellation Auriga. it fills a wide-field eyepiece wonderfully.
23 Orionis: The Hunter’s White-Blue Double
23 Orionis is a 4th magnitude double star in the Orion constellation best viewed on winter nights. Backyard astronomers under suburban skies should be able to split this nice white-blue pair with any scope or binoculars. Also designated as STF 696.
Struve 958: A Tight Binary of Star Twins
Struve 958 is a binary star in the Lynx constellation, best viewed on winter nights. Both of the stars in Struve 958 shine a vibrant white at a magnitude of 6.3, making them perfect twins.
Struve 764: Two White-Gray Pinpoints in Auriga
Struve 764 is a double star in the Auriga constellation, best viewed on winter nights.
The pair of stars that make up STF 64 are both off-white in color and are easily separated in the sky with a telescope. The primary star is a off-white, while the secondary star is white but with a touch of alluring green. Systems i also known as SAO 77383.
Struve 698: A Colorful Pair of Orange and Blue
Struve 698 is a double star with several great attributes: it’s colorful, bright, and fairly wide apart. A great target for backyard astronomers on cold winter nights.
The Garden Astronomer 