Pegasus is best known to deep-sky observers as a breeding ground for faint galaxies, with more than 100 faint NGC galaxies littering this winged steed.  Floating seemingly out of place among those systems is the globular cluster M15, one of the season's finest targets.

Did you know that there is a second globular within Pegasus lying just within the grasp of your 10-inch telescope?  That little known target is Palomar 13, one of those nasty globulars discovered by Abell and company while surveying the Palomar Observatory Sky Survey half a century ago.

Credit for the discovery of Palomar 13 actually goes to A.G. Wilson in 1955.  Though an accomplished astronomer, Wilson was not a student of bright deep-sky objects.  He nicknamed his find the "Pegasus Globular Cluster," apparently forgetting all about M15.  When Abell later published the list of Palomar clusters, he credited Wilson with the discovery, but omitted his ill-considered nickname.

Although Palomar 13 only shines at 14th magnitude, zeroing in on it is simple thanks to its position 2½° south-southeast of Markab [Alpha (α) Pegasi], the southwestern star in the Great Square.  Follow a winding line of 7th- and 8th-magnitude stars southward to 7th-magnitude SAO 108415, and then look just to its west to find a diamond pattern of four 8th- to 10th-magnitude stars.  One more hop, 9' northwest of the diamond and you'll find an 11th-magnitude star along with Palomar 13 just a bit to its west.

As one of the smallest, faintest globular clusters known, Palomar 13 takes extra effort to be seen.  With averted vision through my 10-inch reflector at 181x, I can just eek it out as a small, hazy spot.  I can find no evidence of a central concentration, but instead only see a dim, featureless blur.

While in the area, be sure to pay a call on two bonus galaxies.  NGC 7479 shines at 11th magnitude, while NGC 7495 is about a magnitude and a half fainter.  Both are shown on the chart above.

NGC 7479 is a splendid barred spiral galaxy approximately 105 million light-years from Earth. Classified as an SB(s)c galaxy, its structure features a well-defined central bar, from which two symmetric spiral arms extend, giving it a striking "S" shape. These arms show enhanced star formation, and the galaxy contains substantial amounts of gas and dust, fueling active star-forming regions. NGC 7479 also exhibits a unique feature — a strong, one-sided radio jet, evidence of a past merger event or interaction with a smaller galaxy. This activity suggests the presence of a central supermassive black hole, possibly powering an active galactic nucleus (AGN). The galaxy’s magnetic field is also highly organized, aligned with its spiral structure.

In contrast, NGC 7495 is a spiral galaxy located about 200 million light-years from Earth. Its classification as an Sc-type galaxy indicates it has a more loosely wound spiral structure, with fainter, less defined arms compared to NGC 7479. This galaxy shows some evidence of star formation, particularly in its outer regions, though its overall activity is lower. NGC 7495’s morphology is typical of intermediate-type spirals, with a smaller central bulge and less prominent bar, indicating less interaction and a more quiescent history.

Good luck with this month's Cosmic Challenge! And be sure to post your results in this column's discussion forum.

Until next month, remember that half of the fun is the thrill of the chase.  Game on!