M104 Galaxy
The well-known “Sombrero” galaxy M104 in Virgo is probably the best example of an Sa spiral, with tightly- wound spiral arms and a large luminous bulge.
Updated: Jun 26, 2024 | By Tom Urbain
M1 Supernova Remnant
Have you ever seen the remains of a star in its old age? If not, take out your scope on a clear night and point it towards the constellation Taurus.
Updated: Jun 26, 2024 | By Tom Urbain
NGC 6891 and NGC 6905
Delphinus contains a variety of deep sky objects for backyard telescopes. Two of these objects are of particular interest: the easily observed planetary nebulae NGC 6891 and NGC 6905.
Updated: Jun 26, 2024 | By Tom Urbain
M81 and M82 Galaxies
Information about M81 and M82, two interesting galaxies in Ursa Major.
Updated: Jun 26, 2024 | By Tom Urbain
M35
M35 can be found in the constellation Gemini and contains over one hundred member stars scattered across an area as large as the full Moon.
Updated: Jun 26, 2024 | By Tom Urbain
M78 and NGC 2071
M78 is a bright reflection nebula located close to the celestial equator, and about four degrees east of Mintaka (Delta Orionis), the westernmost star in Orion’s belt.
Updated: Jun 26, 2024 | By Tom Urbain
M76 Planetary Nebula
M76 (the Little Dumbbell Nebula) is located in the constellation Perseus at a distance of roughly 3,600 light-years.
Updated: Jun 26, 2024 | By Tom Urbain
M44 Open Cluster
M44, Praesepe, also popularly termed the Beehive Cluster, is one of the largest and brightest of all open star clusters.
Updated: Jun 26, 2024 | By Tom Urbain
M41 Open Cluster
M41 is one of the deep sky showpieces of winter, a beautiful open star cluster first documented in 320 B.C. by Aristotle.
Updated: Jun 26, 2024 | By Tom Urbain
Open Clusters
Open clusters are extended families of a few hundred comparatively young stars bound together by gravity.
Updated: Jun 26, 2024 | By Tom Urbain
NGC188
NGC 188 has the dual distinction of being both the northernmost and the oldest open star cluster visible from Earth.
Updated: Jun 26, 2024 | By Tom Urbain
NGC 7662 Planetary Nebula
NGC 7662 is a bright planetary nebula in Andromeda, one of the easiest objects of its type to see with small amateur telescopes.
Updated: Jun 26, 2024 | By Tom Urbain
Planetary Nebulae
Planetary nebulae are shells of gas thrown out by some stars near the end of their lives.
Updated: Jun 26, 2024 | By Tom Urbain
Owl Nebula
M97, the Owl Nebula lies relatively nearby at 2,300 light-years from our Sun, so it appears 3.2 arcminutes in diameter – only ten times smaller than the Full Moon.
Updated: Jun 26, 2024 | By Tom Urbain
Orion Nebula
In winter evenings Orion the Hunter stands high in the southeast at midnight, with his shield and club raised against the fierce charge of neighboring Taurus the Bull.
Updated: Jun 26, 2024 | By Tom Urbain
Whirlpool Galaxy
Of all the countless island universes scattered across the sky, none seem as exciting as M51, the renowned Whirlpool Galaxy.
Updated: Jun 26, 2024 | By Tom Urbain
The Virgo Cluster
The Virgo-Coma Cluster of Galaxies is a huge aggregation of systems at a mean distance of around 60 million light-years.
Updated: Jun 26, 2024 | By Tom Urbain
The Hyades Star Cluster
The Hyades (also catalogued as Melotte 25) are one of the major tourist attractions in the sky
Updated: Jun 26, 2024 | By Tom Urbain
Stephan’s Quintet
Stephan’s Quintet is a remarkable compact group of galaxies which is also known as Hickson 92 and Arp 319.
Updated: Jun 26, 2024 | By Tom Urbain
Rosette Nebula
One of the most attractive deep sky objects in Monoceros is NGC 2244, a bright open star cluster visible even to the naked eye under good conditions.
Updated: Jun 26, 2024 | By Tom Urbain