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Columns
The Skies of September, 2024
Sep 01 2024 05:00 AM |
cookman
in This Month
Highlights: Comet Journal, Martian Landers, Meteor Showers, Planet Plotting, September Moon Focus Constellations: Ursa Major, Draco, Ursa Minor, Camelopardalis, Perseus, Cassiopeia, Cepheus, Andromeda, Pisces, Pegasus, Cygnus, Lyra, Aquila, Hercules, Corona Borealis, Bootes
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Cosmic Challenge: IC 4997
Sep 01 2024 05:00 AM |
PhilH
in Phil Harrington's Cosmic Challenge
This month’s challenge, the planetary nebula IC 4997 lies within the borders of Sagitta, and is surprisingly bright, but extremely small. That combination makes this a great object for everyone, whether you are observing under the veil of light pollution or from a dark, rural location. Its intensity should shine through all but the most extreme situations.
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The Skies of August, 2024
Aug 03 2024 09:35 AM |
cookman
in This Month
Highlights: Comet Journal, Martian Landers, Meteor Showers, Planet Plotting, August Moon Focus Constellations: Ursa Major, Draco, Ursa Minor, Camelopardalis, Perseus, Cassiopeia, Cepheus, Andromeda, Pegasus, Cygnus, Lyra, Aquila, Ophiuchus, Hercules, Corona Borealis, Bootes
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Cosmic Challenge: Draconian Doubles
Aug 01 2024 05:00 AM |
PhilH
in Phil Harrington's Cosmic Challenge
The constellation of Draco the Dragon winds its way through our northern August sky, and while most of its stars are fainter than 3rd magnitude, it holds some fun resolution challenges for binoculars. Here are three of my favorites.
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The Skies of July, 2024
Jul 15 2024 09:45 AM |
cookman
in This Month
Highlights: Comet Journal, Martian Landers, Meteor Showers, Planet Plotting, July Moon Focus Constellations: Ursa Major, Draco, Ursa Minor, Camelopardalis, Cassiopeia, Cepheus, Cygnus, Aquila, Lyra, Hercules, Corona Borealis, Bootes, Coma Berenices, Canes Venatici
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Cosmic Challenge: NGC 6453
Jul 01 2024 05:00 AM |
PhilH
in Phil Harrington's Cosmic Challenge
NGC 6453 shines at 10th magnitude and measures nearly 8' across. Were it alone in the sky, it would be a fairly routine catch in 8-inch (20-cm) and larger apertures. But NGC 6453 is not isolated by any means; instead, it is immersed in a heavily packed field of stars. Spotting it can be literally like finding a needle in a haystack!
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The Skies of June, 2024
Jun 02 2024 06:01 PM |
cookman
in This Month
Highlights: Comet Journal, Mars Landers, Meteor Showers, Planet Plottings, June Moon Focus Constellations: Ursa Major, Ursa Minor, Draco, Cepheus, Cassiopeia, Camelopardalis, Lynx, Leo Minor, Canes Venatici, Coma Berenices, Bootes, Corona Borealis, Hercules, Lyra, Ophiuchus, Virgo, Leo
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Cosmic Challenge: Hortensius and Milichius Dome Fields
Jun 01 2024 05:00 AM |
PhilH
in Phil Harrington's Cosmic Challenge
Thanks to the lunar samples bright back by Armstrong, Aldrin, Collins, and the other Apollo astronauts, it is well established that the vast majority of craters are impact craters formed when leftover debris from the formation of the solar system slammed into the Moon. But if we look carefully, scattered among all of those impact scars is direct evidence that the early Moon was also a hotbed of volcanic activity. Some of the most intriguing evidence of that activity is the so-called lunar domes.
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The Skies of May, 2024
May 25 2024 07:57 AM |
cookman
in This Month
Highlights: Comet Journal, Martian Landers, Meteor Showers, Planet Plotting, May Moon Focus Constellations: Ursa Major, Ursa Minor, Draco, Cepheus, Cassiopeia, Camelopardalis, Lynx, Leo Minor, Canes Venatici, Coma Berenices, Bootes, Corona Borealis, Hercules, Ophiuchus, Virgo, Leo
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Cosmic Challenge: Palomar 4
May 01 2024 05:00 AM |
PhilH
in Phil Harrington's Cosmic Challenge
When you think of deep-sky objects in Ursa Major, you probably don't think of globular clusters. Galaxies, sure! Planetary nebulae? There's the Owl Nebula. But globular clusters? Probably not.
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