2011-03-30

M 43


Photo by Pittendreigh

Find M43 by sweeping this area. Actually, this nebula is part of M42, but seems separated by a small gulf of space. This apparent gulf is caused by dark matter blocking the light of the nebula.

2011-03-29

M 42 - The Orion Nebula




Photos by Pittendreigh

HOW TO FIND IT:

This is an easy one. Find it by locating the constellation Orion. Find the belt, then the sword. Focus your telescope on the sword. On a good night, you will be able to see hints of the nebula with the unaided eye.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR:

The nebula is bright and easy to see. It will probably be so large that you will not be able to see it in its entirety in you telescope's lowest power setting. Focus in on the edge and let the earth's motion move the view into your telescope. Using this "drift method," you will be able to pick out a great amount of detail.

Look for the different shades of color, which will be mostly a green color. I have read that green will be the only color you will be able to see. Fred Schaff, in his book SEEING THE DEEP SKY, refutes this by claiming that red and purple become visible with a 10-inch, or an 8-inch with the trained eye. I agree. When I was 13, I bought an 8 inch reflector. The first object I saw was M42, and it clearly had hints of red and purple. I have a very clear memory of that night, and a written record as well. At the time, we were living on top of a mountain in Northeast Georgia. A short time later, we were in the foothill country of South Carolina, and I could no longer see any color but green.

By habit, if I go outside on a winter's night, the first thing I look at is Orion's Nebula. It will also be the last thing I look at when I'm ready to finish my night's observing. It is wonderful to notice the difference dark adaptation makes in what can be seen in this nebula. Find M43 by sweeping this area. Actually, this nebula is part of M42, but seems separated by a small gulf of space. This apparent gulf is caused by dark matter blocking the light of the nebula. Look also for the Trapezium, a set of four stars within the nebula.



2011-03-27

M 41


Photo by Pittendreigh

HOW TO FIND IT:

M41 should be no problem. It is found within the heart of the constellation, along the imaginary line from Alpha to Theta Canis Majoris, about the same distance from Alpha as Beta is from Alpha.

You can probably see it with the unaided eye. Aristotle did in 325 B.C.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR:

This cluster should be an enjoyable one to savor. Look for a reddish star near the center.



Photo by Pittendreigh

M 40



This is unique in Messier's list. It is a double star. Double stars are quite common and present their own challenges and opportunities for the observer, but it is odd that we would find such an object in Messier's list. After all, Messier's purpose was to compile a list of objects that might be confused with comets. How in the world can you confuse a double star with a comet?

Messier was searching the area for a nebula that an observer in the previous century had noted as being in this area. All Messier could find was this double star. Even though it has no nebulous appearance, it was assigned a number by Messier in 1764.

HOW TO FIND IT:

It will be easier to find the real M40 than to find its location on many star charts. Many atlases do not mention M40. Locate Delta Ursa Majoris. In the direction away from the dipper's cup, you will find a slightly curving row of three stars: Delta, 70 and 75 (with 74 near 75). You want to scan the area near 70 opposite the area of Delta.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR:

You'll see a double star, and that's about it.


Observe it at different nights with different conditions. I've been told that one can see an illusion of nebulosity in poorer viewing conditions, but I've never been able to do so. Perhaps I don't have enough averted imagination!



M 39


Photo by Pittendreigh


HOW TO FIND IT:


Look 10 degrees or so northeast of Deneb, the head star of Cygnus. If Cygnus is a swan, M39 is what it's flying after.



WHAT TO LOOK FOR:


M39 is a sparse cluster that will need low power.



2011-03-26

M 38



Photo by Pittendreigh

HOW TO FIND IT:

M36, M37 and M38 should be located during the same evening. They are all in the same neighborhood and are easily found in binoculars or low power telescopes.

Find the constellation Auriga. By scanning the area from the heart of the constellation's brightest stars toward the imaginary line from Theta to Beta Arigi, there will be three clusters. M36 is the one in the middle. M37 is the one closest to the imaginary line. M38 is the one deeper in the heart of constellation.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR:

Since you will probably be finding three Messier objects during a 5 minute period, the temptation will be to simply check off these objects as having been observed and to go onto something else.

Hold on! These are beautiful clusters and should be savored.

M37 is the best of the three Messier clusters in the constellation Auriga. I like what the Reverend T. W. Webb said when he published his CELESTIAL OBJECTS FOR COMMON TELESCOPES in 1859: "the whole field being strewed, as it were, with sparkling gold dust." Webb also recommended that the observer "gaze at it well and long." Follow his advice.



2011-03-25

M 37

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Photo by Pittendreigh


HOW TO FIND IT:

M36, M37 and M38 should be located during the same evening. They are all in the same neighborhood and are easily found in binoculars or low power telescopes.

Find the constellation Auriga. By scanning the area from the heart of the constellation's brightest stars toward the imaginary line from Theta to Beta Arigi, there will be three clusters. M36 is the one in the middle. M37 is the one closest to the imaginary line. M38 is the one deeper in the heart of constellation.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR:

Since you will probably be finding three Messier objects during a 5 minute period, the temptation will be to simply check off these objects as having been observed and to go onto something else.

Hold on! These are beautiful clusters and should be savored.

M37 is the best of the three Messier clusters in the constellation Auriga. I like what the Reverend T. W. Webb said when he published his CELESTIAL OBJECTS FOR COMMON TELESCOPES in 1859: "the whole field being strewed, as it were, with sparkling gold dust." Webb also recommended that the observer "gaze at it well and long." Follow his advice.



2011-03-24

M 36


Photo by Pittendreigh

HOW TO FIND IT:

M36, M37 and M38 should be located during the same evening. They are all in the same neighborhood and are easily found in binoculars or low power telescopes.

Find the constellation Auriga. By scanning the area from the heart of the constellation's brightest stars toward the imaginary line from Theta to Beta Arigi, there will be three clusters. M36 is the one in the middle. M37 is the one closest to the imaginary line. M38 is the one deeper in the heart of constellation.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR:

Since you will probably be finding three Messier objects during a 5 minute period, the temptation will be to simply check off these objects as having been observed and to go onto something else.

Hold on! These are beautiful clusters and should be savored.

M37 is the best of the three Messier clusters in the constellation Auriga. I like what the Reverend T. W. Webb said when he published his CELESTIAL OBJECTS FOR COMMON TELESCOPES in 1859: "the whole field being strewed, as it were, with sparkling gold dust." Webb also recommended that the observer "gaze at it well and long." Follow his advice.



2011-03-20

M 35



HOW TO FIND IT:

Identify the constellation Gemini. Look at the foot of one of the twins, around the stars Mu and Eta Gemini. It will be barely visible to the unaided eye on a very good night. It is easy to spot in binoculars.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR:

M35 is an excellent open cluster. It is nearly circular in appearance.

As an added bonus, M35 has a hidden gem to be found there. Near the apparent edges of this cluster is yet another cluster, NGC 2158. You will probably need at least a 4 inch reflector, and even then it may be difficult to see anything but a small patch. NGC 2158 is on the edge of our galaxy, being 16,000 light years away. By comparison, the M35 cluster is our next door neighbor at only 2,800 light years distance.




2011-03-12

M 34


HOW TO FIND IT:

Look between Beta Persei and Gamma Andromedae. Should be visible in the view finder or the binoculars.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR:

M34 is a loose open cluster with several stars that will form the letter "X".



2011-03-09

M 33


Photo by Pittendreigh

HOW TO FIND IT:

Many will agree that this is a difficult object for beginners, but that once it is found, it is easy to locate in the future.

Find it by scanning about one-third of the way from Alpha Trianguli to Beta Andromedae.

You must have a good, dark, clear night. Use binoculars first. M33 is large, but it has a low surface brightness and you will need the wide view of a pair of binoculars.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR:

You will be seeing a spiral galaxy face-on. What you will be aware of, however, is not the beautiful spiral arms but a hazy nebula which does not seem to have a very well defined shape.

Some observers put this on their list of great deep sky objects, while others would reject it as worthy of repeated viewing. What would you say?




2011-03-08

M 32


Photo by Pittendreigh

HOW TO FIND IT:

Look for M 31. M 32 is a satellite.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR:

M32 will appear as a distinctly separate object from M31. It will be small, round and hazy.




2011-03-05

M 31


Photo by Pittendreigh

M31 is the most distant object we can readily see without a telescope.

HOW TO FIND IT:

Locate the stars Beta and Mu Andromedae. They point almost directly to this galaxy, with its two smaller satellites. With the unaided eye, you should be able to see it as a small cloudy patch of haze

WHAT TO LOOK FOR:

This is the first galaxy many amateurs try to locate, and they often miss it because they are looking for something that looks like its photography. As with all Messier objects, the eye and the camera will see objects differently.

Look for a large, hazy oval.

Once you spot it, look for its satellite galaxies. There are four. Two will be too dim for most small telescopes. These are NGC 147 and NGC 185. The other two are M32 and M110.

M32 will appear as a distinctly separate object from M31. It will be small, round and hazy.

M110 will be a little more difficult to spot, appearing to be dimmer. It will be on the other side of M31 than the other satellite. M32 can be seen with binoculars, M110 will probably need a telescope.

Try to determine how extensive you can see the image of M31. Some have reported seeing this galaxy's glow for almost the equivalent of the 10 full moon diameters.

Look for any dark lanes across the image of the nebula.



2011-03-04

M 30



HOW TO FIND IT:

Draw a line from Eta through Zeta. Somewhat north of that line will be star 41. M30 will be found by inspecting the area around 41.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR:

M30 will appear as a round haze of light when viewed through binoculars. In the telescope, M30 will appear slightly oval.




2011-03-02

M 29




Photo by Pittendreigh

HOW TO FIND IT:

Locate Gamma in the heart of Cygnus and move slightly toward Epsilon.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR:

In my opinion, M29 is the Mini Dipper -- a 4 star cup with a 1 star handle.



2011-03-01

M 28


Photo by Pittendreigh

HOW TO FIND IT:

Find Lambda Sagittarius, the top star in the teapot. Don't look much further, because its just one degree away!

WHAT TO LOOK FOR:

Low powered binoculars will show simply a nebula. A telescope reveals that it is a globular cluster. Not a very impressive object.