Cosmic Pursuits

Basic astronomy and night sky information

Deep Sky Observing

Articles about how to understand, find, and see celestial objects including stars, galaxies, nebulae, and star clusters with binoculars, telescopes, and the naked eye.

The Constellation Crux – The Southern Cross

by Brian Ventrudo Filed Under: Deep Sky

Image of the southern Milky Way showing Crux and the dark Coalsack Nebula, just right of center; the Southern Pointers Rigil Kent and Hadar, left of center, and the eta Carinae Nebula at extreme right. Credit: A. Fuji.
Image of the southern Milky Way showing Crux and the dark Coalsack Nebula, just right of center; the Southern Pointers Rigil Kent and Hadar, left of center, and the eta Carinae Nebula at extreme right. Credit: A. Fuji.

Following the southern Milky Way, through the bright constellations Orion, Canis Major, Puppis, Vela, and Carina, you finally arrive at the famous constellation Crux, the Southern Cross, arguably the most famous constellation in the night sky.  It’s also the smallest constellation by area, just 68 square degrees compared to Hydra’s 1302 square degrees.  Most new stargazers are a little startled by its tiny size.  The cross is just 6o long from top to bottom.

(This article is an excerpt of the Cosmic Pursuits course Fundamentals of Stargazing, to be released in February 2016) [Read more…] about The Constellation Crux – The Southern Cross

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The Crab Nebula

by Brian Ventrudo Filed Under: Deep Sky

The Crab Nebula, M1, a supernova remnant in the constellation Taurus (credit: Terry Hancock).
The Crab Nebula, M1, a supernova remnant in the constellation Taurus (credit: Terry Hancock).

With binoculars or a small telescope, just one degree northwest of the star zeta (ζ) Tauri in the horns of the constellation Taurus, the Bull, you can see the famous Crab Nebula, the remnant of a massive star that exploded nearly 1,000 years ago. The Crab Nebula takes its name from a drawing made by the Irish amateur astronomer Lord Rosse in 1844 using his 36-inch telescope at Birr Castle in Ireland. The drawing resembles a horseshoe crab [Read more…] about The Crab Nebula

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The Hyades Star Cluster – The “Raining Stars”

by Brian Ventrudo Filed Under: Deep Sky

Orion's Belt points the way to the V-shaped Hyades star cluster as seen from the southern hemisphere. The bright star at one tip of the Hyades is Aldebaran, which is not a part of the cluster. (Credit: Luis Argerich from Flickr.com)
Orion’s Belt points the way to the V-shaped Hyades star cluster as seen from the southern hemisphere. The bright star at one tip of the Hyades is Aldebaran, which is not a part of the cluster. The bright object below the Hyades is Jupiter, which was in this part of the sky when the image was taken. (Credit: Luis Argerich from Flickr.com)

The famed V-shaped head of the constellation Taurus is dominated by a lovely collection of blue and orange stars of the Hyades star cluster. Often overshadowed by the smaller and more famous Pleiades, the Hyades are visible high in the northern sky this time of year. They’re visible from the southern hemisphere, too, perhaps 20° above the northern horizon just after sunset in South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.

The Hyades have been known since antiquity. The cluster’s name comes from the Greek legend of the seven Hyads, the daughters of the titan Atlas and Aethra. Atlas was busy because he had seven more daughters by another wife, Pleione. These daughters were called the Pleiades. So by legend, the Pleiades and the Hyades are half-sisters. Unlike the Pleiades star cluster, the stars of the Hyades are not named after the sisters. And the Hyades contains some 20 stars visible to the naked eye; the Pleiades have just six [Read more…] about The Hyades Star Cluster – The “Raining Stars”

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A Look at ‘Kemble’s Cascade’

by Brian Ventrudo Filed Under: Deep Sky

Kemble's Cascade (credit: Wayne Young)
Kemble’s Cascade (credit: Wayne Young)

One of the most notable asterisms in the sky gained its fame just over 30 years ago. Called Kemble’s Cascade after the Franciscan friar from the Canadian prairies named Lucien Kemble, this group tumbles gracefully through the far-northern sky just east of Cassiopeia, ending at the open cluster NGC 1502. This is a perfect target for quick observation by northern observers on a cold winter’s night.

Here’s how to see this pretty little asterism for yourself. [Read more…] about A Look at ‘Kemble’s Cascade’

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The Colorful Double Star Almaak in Andromeda

by Brian Ventrudo Filed Under: Deep Sky

Almaak, a double star in the constellation Andromeda (credit: Mt. Lemmon Observatory)
Almaak, a double star in the constellation Andromeda (credit: Mt. Lemmon Observatory)

High in the northeast sky, Almaak, the third-brightest star in the constellation Andromeda, is one of the most beautiful double stars in the sky. It’s a snap to find and reveals its full splendor in even the smallest of telescopes [Read more…] about The Colorful Double Star Almaak in Andromeda

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