By presenting three objects in each of several different groups, the hope is to provide all observers, no matter what their experience level, no matter what type of instruments they have access to, challenging objects to observe. There is even a group for the one instrument we are all born with, the naked-eye. Astrophotographers and astroimagers are not ignored here, either.

No matter what your experience, no matter what you use to observe, get outside and “Keep looking up!”

Mays’s Sky Challenges

Naked-Eye Challenges

• Uranus
• Eta Aquarids meteor shower
• M44, a third magnitude open cluster of about 1000 stars in Cancer. This large (95′ ) open cluster is known as the Beehive or Praesepe.

Binocular Challenges

• 7 Canum Venaticorum, a triple star system
• M51, a SA(s)bc pec type galaxy in Vanes Venatici, also known as the Whirlpool Galaxy
• M3, a globular cluster in Canes Venatici, second only to M13 in the northern skies

Small Telescope Challenges

For 2″ to 6″ telescopes:
• α Canum Venaticorum, a binary star system, more commonly known as Cor Caroli, with a primary star of spectral type F0 V and a variable companion with spectral type of A0 pSiEuHg and a variable type of ACV
• M53, a globular cluster in Coma Berenices
• ζ Ursae Majoris, a sextuple star system, consisting of the quadruple star system Mizar, spectral type A2 V/A2 V/A1 V, and the binary star system Alcor, spectral type A5 V. It is interesting to note that the splitting of Alcor and Mizar was used by many ancient cultures to test a person’s eyesight.

Medium Telescope Challenges

For 8″ to 14″ telescopes:
• M109 is a barred spiral galazy, type SB(rs)bc, in Ursa Major
• M84, a lenticular galaxy (type E1) in the heavily populated inner core of the Virgo Cluster, along with NGC 4388, a Seyfert spiral galaxy, type SA(s)b:sp II, and NGC 4387, an elliptical galaxy
• M86, a lenticular galaxy of type S0(3)/E3, in the heart of the Virgo Cluster

Large Telescope Challenges

For 16″ and larger telescopes:
• M97, a planetary nebula in Ursa Major called the “Owl Nebula”
• NGC4567-68, a galaxy pair of types SA(rs)bc and SA(rs)bc, in the Virgo Cluster, nicknamed the Siamese Twins and the Butterfly Galaxies
• M104, the Sombrero Galaxy, is a SA(s)a spiral galaxy in Virgo, with a prominent dark dust lane ad bright core bulge. It is interesting to note that observations with Spitzer have shown that the halo around large and more massive than thought and is indicative of a giant elliptical galaxy. Is this the future for the Milky Way after it merges with Andromeda?

Astrophotography/Imaging Challenges

• Novice: Alcor and Mizar
  
• Intermediate: M51
  
• Expert: Virgo Cluster centered on M84 and M86
  

May’s Sky Challenges is a post from: San Antonio SkyWatch.
Copyright © 2007-2012 by Scott Logan. All rights reserved.

By presenting three objects in each of several different groups, the hope is to provide all observers, no matter what their experience level, no matter what type of instruments they have access to, challenging objects to observe. There is even a group for the one instrument we are all born with, the naked-eye. Astrophotographers and astroimagers are not ignored here, either.

No matter what your experience, no matter what you use to observe, get outside and “Keep looking up!”

April’s Sky Challenges

Naked-Eye Challenges

• M6, an open cluster of about 80 stars in Scorpius. It is also called the Butterfly Cluster and is about 25′ across.
• M7, an open cluster in Scorpius. Also called the Ptolemy Cluster, it contains about 80 stars in an area about 80′ across.
• M44, a third magnitude open cluster of about 1000 stars in Cancer. This large (95′ ) open cluster is known as the Beehive or Praesepe.

Binocular Challenges

• Regulus, or α Leonis, is the brightest star in the constellation Leo and one of the brightest stars in the nighttime sky. It is a multiple star system composed of four stars which are separated into two pairs. The spectroscopic binary Regulus A consists of a blue-white main sequence star and its companion which has not yet been directly observed, but is probably a white dwarf star. Located 177″ away is the pair Regulus B and Regulus C, which are dim main-sequence stars.Regulus A is a class B7 V main sequence star. Regulus B is a dwarf type K1-2 V star and Regulus C is a red dwarf M5 V class star.
• ο Leonis, which carries the ancient name of Subra, is a optical and spectroscopic mulitple star system with an oddball primary star. ο Leonis A is a spectroscopic binary comprised of a type F6m star with an A5m secondary with a separation of 0.165 AU, or about half the orbital distance of Mercury. Both stars show an abundance of heavy elements and deficiencies of calcium and scandium, and are listed as “metallic line” stars. The optical companion, ο Leonis C, lies 1.5′ to the northeast of ο Leonis A. It is an 11^th mgnitude yellow star.
• The Coma Star Cluster in Coma Berenices, also called Melotte 111, is a small but nearby star cluster in our galaxy, containing about 40 stars, from magnitude 5 to 10, with a common proper motion. The open cluster has a distance of 288 light-years, roughly twice as distant as the Hyades, and covers an area of more than 5 degrees on the sky.

Small Telescope Challenges

For 2″ to 6″ telescopes:
• 54 Leonis is a beautiful binary pair with a separation of 6.5″. At magnitudes 4.5 and 6.3 this is a great double for the medium to small scope. The primary star is white of spectral type A1 V and the companion is a blue, class A2 Vn star.
• NGC 3521 is a tenth magnitude intermediate type SABbc spiral galaxy in Leo.
• Messier 66, also known as NGC 3627, is an intermediate spiral galaxy of type SAB(s)b in Leo. M66 is about 95,000 light-years across, with pronounced dust lanes and bright star clusters along sweeping spiral arms. M66 is part of the Leo Triplet, a small group of galaxies that also includes M65 and NGC 3628, that is popular with astrophotographers.

Medium Telescope Challenges

For 8″ to 14″ telescopes:
• γ Leonis is a binary star system, with the traditional name Algieba. The brighter component has an apparent magnitude of +2.28 and is of spectral class K1-III bCN-0.5. The companion star has an apparent magnitude of +3.51 and belongs to the spectral class G7 IIICN-I. Both stars are giants and the separation is 4″ or about 170 AU.
• NGC3377 is a 10^th magnitude elliptical galaxy in Leo, and it appears as a well-defined oval, instead of a near-circle or a thin cigar-shape. It is a member of a group of more than a dozen galaxies called the Leo I Group .
• M105 is a type E1 elliptical galaxy and at tenth magnitude it is tthe brightest member of the Leo I galaxy grouping, which includes M95 and M96. M105 also has a dust lane just above the core reminiscent of NGC5128.

Large Telescope Challenges

For 16″ and larger telescopes:
• NGC3395 and NGC3396 is an interesting pair of interacting galaxies. NGC3396 is larger of the two with a size of 3.4’ X 1.3’ and has a magnitude of 12.1. NGC3395 is the same magnitude but is smaller with a size of 1.6’ X 0.9’. They are both elongated and together they look like a butterfly. NGC3395 is more concentrated and has a soft nucleus. NGC 3396 has a brighter stellar core. This pair is also known as Arp 270.
• The 11th magnitude lenticular galaxy NGC3412 in Leo
• WOLF 359 is fascinating, not only for being the location of a fictional grand battle against the Borg, but because it is the third closest star to our own solar system at 7.75 light years. With a magnitude of 13.5 and its large apparent motion, it is always a challenge to find this dim red type M6.5 Ve dwarf.

Astrophotography/Imaging Challenges

• Novice: Star Trails
  
• Intermediate: M13
  
• Expert: Gamma Group of galaxies in Leo
  

Extra Credit Challenge

Photograph a Jackalope (Lepus tempermentalus).

The Jackalope is one of the rarest animals in the world and are extremely shy, unless approached.

As gentle as these creatures may seem, they are in truth, killer rabbits. And as such are very aggressive and unpredictable, and should not be provoked for any reason.

It has also been said that the jackalope can convincingly imitate any sound, including the human voice. It uses this ability to elude pursuers, chiefly by using phrases such as “There he goes! That way!” During days of the Old West, when cowboys gathered by the campfires singing at night, jackalopes could often be heard mimicking their voices.

It is said that a jackalope may be caught by putting a flask of whiskey out at night. The jackalope will drink its fill of whiskey and its intoxication will make it easier to hunt. It has also been said that jackalopes will only breed during electrical storms including hail, explaining its rarity.

April’s Sky Challenges is a post from: San Antonio SkyWatch.
Copyright © 2007-2012 by Scott Logan. All rights reserved.

Dihydrogen Monoxide: A Global Threat is a post from: San Antonio SkyWatch.
Copyright © 2007-2012 by Scott Logan. All rights reserved.

How to see it

Around 4 p.m., local time, today, go outside and position yourself so that the Sun is hidden by a  rooftop.  Blocking the Sun is essential if you are looking anywhere close to the Sun.  WARNING: Never look directly at the sun with your unaided eye or through binoculars or telescopes without special light filters. Severe eye damage can result.

Face due south, and look two-thirds of the way up from the horizon to overhead.  If the sky is clear, you should be able to see the crescent Moon clearly.  Look just above the Moon and you should be able to see Venus as a tiny pinpoint of bright light.

You may also use binoculars to focus on the Moon.  Venus should be in your field of view, just north of the Moon.  Before using the binoculars ensure that the Sun is still safely obscured behind the rooftop.  You must be extra vigilant when using binoculars during the daytime when viewing the sky and never, ever point them at the Sun without using a solar filter.

Find Venus in the Daytime Sky is a post from: San Antonio SkyWatch.
Copyright © 2007-2012 by Scott Logan. All rights reserved.

[Click on the image to enlarge]

Venus and Jupiter Cross Paths is a post from: San Antonio SkyWatch.
Copyright © 2007-2012 by Scott Logan. All rights reserved.

By presenting three objects in each of several different groups, the hope is to provide all observers, no matter what their experience level, no matter what type of instruments they have access to, challenging objects to observe. There is even a group for the one instrument we are all born with, the naked-eye. Astrophotographers and astroimagers are not ignored here, either.

No matter what your experience, no matter what you use to observe, get outside and “Keep looking up!”

March’s Sky Challenges

Naked-Eye Challenges

• The constellation of Pyxis
• The constellation of  Lupus
• The constellation of Camelopardalis

Binocular Challenges

• M48, sixth mangnitude open cluster of about 80 members in Hydra.  It has an apparent size of 54′.
• M44, a third magnitude open cluster of about 50 stars in Cancer.  This large (95′ ) open cluster is known as the Beehive or Praesepe.
• The open cluster M67 in Cancer. It is about 29′ across and contains about 200 stars and shines at magnitude 3.1.

Small Telescope Challenges

For 2″ to 6″ telescopes:
• Winter Alberio (HD 56577), a binary star in Canis Major lying about 1.6° north of τ Canis Majoris and 0.5° west (2000.0 coordinates are: R.A. 7h 16m 36.8s, Dec. -23 deg. 18′ 56″). This colorful pair has an orangish primary and a blue-white secondary.
• Messier 81, also known as NGC 3031 and Bode’s Galaxy, is a type SA(s)ab spiral galaxy about 12 million light-years away in the constellation Ursa Major. M81 is one of the most striking examples of a grand design spiral galaxy, with near perfect arms spiraling into the very center. Because of its proximity to Earth, its large size, and its active galactic nucleus, which contains a 70 million solar mass supermassive black hole,  M81 is a popular galaxy to study in professional astronomy research.  The galaxy’s large size and relatively low apparent magnitude (lower magnitude implies higher brightness) also make it a popular target for amateur astronomy observations.
• M82, also known as NGC 3034 or the Cigar Galaxy,  is the prototype nearby starburst galaxy about 12 million light-years away in the constellation Ursa Major. The starburst galaxy is five times as bright as the whole Milky Way and one hundred times as bright as our galaxy’s center.   Although it has been classified as irregular galaxy, two symmetrical spiral arms were discovered in near-infrared (NIR) images of the galaxy.  The arms eminate from the ends of an NIR bar.  [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cglKLdUEqyU[/youtube]

Medium Telescope Challenges

For 8″ to 14″ telescopes:
• The globular cluster, G1. G1 or Mayall II is located about 2.9 million light years away in the Andromeda Galaxy.
• Asteroid (26591) Robertreeves, formerly 2000 ET141
• 23 Ursae Majoris is a triple star.  Its main components, 23 UMa A and 23 UMa B, are approximately 75.5 light years from Earth.   The primary component, 23 Ursae Majoris A, is a yellow-white F0 IV type subgiant with an apparent magnitude of +3.65.  At a separation of 22.7 arcseconds is the type A, 9^th magnitude 23 Ursae Majoris B.   A and B form a physical binary. The third, optical, component, 23 Ursae Majoris C, is a magnitude +10.5 star 99.6 arcseconds away.

Large Telescope Challenges

For 16″ and larger telescopes:
• NGC 2419 is a globular cluster in the constellation Lynx.  NGC 2419 is at a distance of about 300,000 light years from the solar system and at the same distance from the galactic center.  This 10^th magnitude globular cluster is also known as the “Intergalactic Wanderer”.  This name was given to it when it was thought that it was not in orbit of the Milky Way.
• PK219-31.1 is a 12^th magnitude planetary nebula in Cancer with an apparent diameter greater than 980″
• At a distance of 24 million light years away, the SA(s)cd class galaxy NGC 2541 is close enough to see the many HII regions that glow in the dim disk of this loose spiral. This particular galaxy is not alone in the sky towards the constellation of Lynx. Like our own Local Group of galaxies, NGC 2541 is part of a group which includes NGC 2500, NGC 2537, and NGC 2552. The similarity in distances between these galaxies and those of the Local Group says much about the non-uniqueness of our corner of the Universe.

Astrophotography/Imaging Challenges

• Novice: any constellation
• Intermediate: any galaxy
• Expert: any asteroid

Extra Credit Challenge

Photograph a Jackalope (Lepus tempermentalus).

The Jackalope is one of the rarest animals in the world and are extremely shy, unless approached.

As gentle as these creatures may seem, they are in truth, killer rabbits. And as such are very aggressive and unpredictable, and should not be provoked for any reason.

It has also been said that the jackalope can convincingly imitate any sound, including the human voice. It uses this ability to elude pursuers, chiefly by using phrases such as “There he goes! That way!” During days of the Old West, when cowboys gathered by the campfires singing at night, jackalopes could often be heard mimicking their voices.

It is said that a jackalope may be caught by putting a flask of whiskey out at night. The jackalope will drink its fill of whiskey and its intoxication will make it easier to hunt. It has also been said that jackalopes will only breed during electrical storms including hail, explaining its rarity.

March Sky Challenges is a post from: San Antonio SkyWatch.
Copyright © 2007-2012 by Scott Logan. All rights reserved.

This had been attempted before, but had never been successful.  That did not stop the intrepid investigators from two of the largest astronomy clubs in Texas from trying.  Armed with a 1 watt blue laser, two 800 million lumen searchlights, and an assortment of handheld torches they lay waiting for the ISS pass at 19:23 CST.

Spotters were put in place to monitor the airspace for aircraft because of the laser.  Then the lights were powered up several minutes before the ISS pass and right on queue the event organizer, Robert Reeves of the SAAA, began the cadence to cover and uncover the lights.

It wouldn’t be until the following morning that the participants knew they had been successful when Robert Reeves received an e-mail from Don Petit containing several photographs of the “flashing”.  Don had been position in the ISS’ observing cupola to observe and photograph the experiment.

Not only were they successful, but Don Petit reports that the lights were seen soon after the ISS rose above the Lozano Obervatory’s horizon at a distance of nearly 1,500 kilometers (over 900 miles).  Which may be a record for the distance that man-made ground based light has traveled.

“Flash the Station” Experiment is a post from: San Antonio SkyWatch.
Copyright © 2007-2012 by Scott Logan. All rights reserved.

Mercury (☿) is the closest planet to the Sun but not the hottest. That distinction goes to Venus. The planet was named after the Roman messenger of the gods because it moves quickly through the sky. Mercury is a small, grayish planet that is often said to resemble the Earth’s Moon. However, that is where the similarities end.  It is now suspected that Mercury is the remnant of a much larger planet that lost its crust in a collision with a planetesimal some 4.5 billion years ago.

Venus (♀), the second planet from the Sun, is the hottest planet because its atmosphere tends to trap heat. Named after the Roman goddess of beauty, Venus is the brightest planet. In fact, the only celestial body that is brighter is the Moon. Venus is around the same size as Earth with similar gravity, causing it to be referred to as Earth’s twin.

Earth (♁) is the third rock from the Sun. Its name is derived from the Old English word Eorða (pronounced Eortha) which means land.  In Latin, Portuguese, and Italian it is Terra. In  French it is Terre.  In Spanish it is Tierra,  In German, Erde. It is the only planet where life has been confirmed to exist. Roughly two-thirds of Earth’s surface is covered with oceans, and so far Earth is the only place where liquid water is known to exist.

Mars (♂), the fourth planet from the Sun, was named after the Roman god of war because of its red color, which is caused by rust in the rocks on the surface. Since it is the closest planet to Earth, people have long wondered if life could exist on Mars. Although no life has been discovered so far, some people still think that there may be life on Mars.  Mars is also suspected to have supported vast oceans in the distant past.

Ceres (⚳), the fifth planet and the smallest, with a diameter of 950 kilometers, is named for the Roman goddess of growing plants, the harvest, and motherly love.  It lies in the heart of the asteroid belt and has been designated a planet, shortly after its discover, as were Pallas, Juno, and Vesta, then an asteroid or minor planet, and is once again classified as a planet, albeit a dwarf planet.

Jupiter (♃), a gas giant, is the largest planet in this solar system. It was named after the Roman king of the gods, most likely due to its brightness and golden hue. Jupiter has 63 moons, one of which, Ganymede, is the solar system’s largest moon. Jupiter is also home to an enormous storm, the Great Red Spot, which has been raging for over two hundred years.

Saturn (♄), the sevent planet from the Sun, was named after the Roman god of agriculture and harvest, Saturnus. Saturnus was a Titan and father of Jupiter. Saturn, like Jupiter, is a gas giant and therefore does not have a solid surface, although both are suspected of having rocky cores. The most distinctive feature of the planet is its rings, which are composed of small pieces of rock and ice.

Uranus (♅), the third largest planet, is also an ice giant. While its atmosphere contains hydrogen and helium, like Jupiter and Saturn, it also has large quantities of water, methane, and ammonia. Uranus was named after the Greek “Father Sky” Ouranous, the father of Cronus (Saturn) and the grandfather of Zeus (Jupiter).  Uranus orbits very slowly; it takes the planet 84 years to circle the Sun. Its axis of rotation is nearly parallel to the orbital plane of the Solar System. It is suspected that an Earth sized protoplanet collided with Uranus.

Neptune (♆) is the ninth planet from the Sun. It was named after the Roman god of the sea; this is not surprising because it is bright blue, reminding one of a beautiful ocean. Neptune has four rings, although they are difficult to see. It was the first planet found by mathematical prediction.

Pluto (♇), the second dwarf planet from the Sun, was named for the Roman god of the underworld. It travels the Solar System in an highly elliptical and eccentric orbit that takes it inside of Neptune’s orbit on occasions. It mass has been determined to be just under 0.24_⊕.

Haumea, the eleventh planet from the Sun, was named for the Hawaiian goddess of fertility and childbirth, is a dwarf planet with one third the mass of Pluto and lies in the Kuiper belt. Like other Plutinos it crosses Neptune’s orbit on occasion due to their 2:3 resonance with the larger planet.

Makemake is the fourth dwarf planet from the Sun and is named for the Rapanui creator of humanity and god of fertility. It follows a highly inclined (29°) orbit.

Eris, at present the last planet in our star system and is named for the Greek goddess of discord. It is 27% more massive than Pluto or about 0.27_⊕. It along with its moon, Dysnomia, are the most distant known natural objects in the Solar System, with the exception of a few comets.

Planets in the Sol System is a post from: San Antonio SkyWatch.
Copyright © 2007-2012 by Scott Logan. All rights reserved.

The northern lights in the south usually reveal their beauty in a rare, red glow.  All-red auroras appear at times when intense geomagnetic storms hit the Earth, but are not fully understood.

On March 13, 1989, a massive CME slammed into Earth.  The solar storm this collision caused was called “The Quebec Blackout Storm”, and was seen as far south as Florida and Cuba.   The majority of people in the Northern Hemisphere had never seen such a spectacle in recent history.  The aurora from this storm was visible here in San Antonio as well, even from within the light dome, as a strong red glow in the north.

The media considered the spectacular aurora to be the most newsworthy aspect of the storm.  However, electrical ground currents created by the magnetic storm found their way into the power grid of the Hydro-Quebec Power Authority and the entire Quebec power grid collapsed. Six million people were affected as they woke to find no electricity to see them through a cold Quebec wintry night. This storm could easily have been a $6 billion catastrophe affecting most US East Coast cities.

The striking view of the aurora, shown below, was recorded from a site near El Paso, Texas and the Hueco Tanks State Historical Park on  15 September 2000 at a latitude just under 32° north. Polaris is the brightest star visible near the top and right of center while a Perseid meteor pierces the auroral glow left of picture center, below the bowl of the little dipper.

On August 28, 1859 a massive solar storm, called the Carrington Event, was the most powerful solar storm in recorded history. It occurred during solar cycle 10 and caused spectacular aurora seen all over the world even as fas south as  the Caribbean; also noteworthy were those aurora over the Rocky Mountains that were so bright that their glow awoke gold miners, who began preparing breakfast because they thought it was morning.

Telegraph systems all over Europe and North America failed. Telegraph pylons threw sparks and telegraph paper spontaneously caught fire. Some telegraph systems appeared to continue to send and receive messages despite having been disconnected from their power supplies.

Ice cores suggest that such a blast of solar particles happens only once every 500 years, but even the storms every 50 years could fry satellites, jam radios and cause coast-to-coast blackouts.

One of the many reports came from Galveston:
August 28 as early as twilight closed, the northern sky was reddish, and at times lighter than other  portions of the heavens.  At 7:30 PM a few streamers showed themselves. Soon the whole sky from Ursa Major to the zodiac in the east was occupied by the streams or spiral columns that rose from the horizon. Spread over the same extent was an exquisite roseate tint which faded and returned. Stately columns of light reaching up about 45 degrees above the horizon moved westward. There were frequent flashes of lightning along the whole extent of the aurora. At 9:00 PM the whole of the streaking had faded leaving only a sort of twilight over the northern sky.”

To view an aurora from here in South Central Texas, check with one of the space weather sites, such as SpaceWeather.com, on a regular basis for CMEs heading our way.  Aurora are best seen away from the city lights, but if we get a strong storm, like the one in 1989, lights may not be a problem.

Aurora in Texas is a post from: San Antonio SkyWatch.
Copyright © 2007-2012 by Scott Logan. All rights reserved.

By presenting three objects in each of several different groups, the hope is to provide all observers, no matter what their experience level, no matter what type of instruments they have access to, challenging objects to observe. There is even a group for the one instrument we are all born with, the naked-eye. Astrophotographers and astroimagers are not ignored here, either.

No matter what your experience, no matter what you use to observe, get outside and “Keep looking up!”

February’s Sky Challenges

Naked-Eye Challenges

• Barnard’s Loop, also known as Sharpless 2-276, is an emission nebula in the constellation of Orion. It is part of a giant molecular cloud which also contains the bright Horsehead and Orion nebulae. The loop takes the form of a large semi-circular arc some 14° across. It is thought to have been created about 2.5 million years ago by a series of supernoavae that also gave rise to several runaway stars, including AE Aurigae, Mu Columbae and 53 Arietis. The stars within the Orion Nebula are believed to be responsible for ionizing the loop.You will need dark, cloudless, and transparent skies and may benefit from using a nebula filter to see this diffuse nebula.
• The Pleiades or M45. This well known open cluster lies in the constellation of Taurus. It is about 100′ across and contains about 100 stars. Why, you are wondering, is this easy to find object in the challenge list? Well, the six bright stars are fairly easy to see: Atlas, Alcyone, Maia, Taygeta, Electra, and Merope. The challenge here is to view Asterope, Caleano, Pleione, 18 Tauri, HIP 17776, and HIP17900.
• The third member of this month’s naked-eye challenges is to view the Andromeda Galaxy from inside of Loop 410 in San Antonio. A good place to try this would be at the February meeting of the San Antonio Astronomical Association at Christ Lutheran Church of Alamo Heights.

Binocular Challenges

• M33 is a very large, very dim spiral galaxy in Triangulum. M33 is the third largest member of the Local Group of Galaxies. It is small compared to its big apparent neighbor, the Andromeda galaxy M31, and to our Milky Way galaxy, but by this more of average size for spiral galaxies in the universe. One of the small Local Group member galaxies, LGS 3, is possibly a satellite of M33, which itself may be a remote but gravitationally bound companion of the Andromeda galaxy M31. M33 is approaching the Milky Way at 24 km/sec.The Triangulum galaxy is of type Sc, and is a “late” representative of that type of galaxy so it is classified as an Scd. The pronounced arms exhibit numerous reddish HII regions, including NGC 604, as well as blueish clouds of young stars. Population II stars and globular clusters have been found. Although no supernovae have yet been detected in the Triangulum galaxy, several supernova remnants have, and were cartographed by radio astronomers with high acuracy. At least 112 variables have been discovered in M33, including 4 novae and about 25 Cepheids. A strong X-ray source is also situated in this galaxy.
• NGC 2354, an open cluster in Canis Major. It has an apparent diameter of 20′, it is round, and composed of relatively bright stars and a sprinkling of fainter stars. The center seems empty, with very few stars.
• The open cluster Collinder 70. It is about 150′ across and contains about 100 stars, including Orion’s Belt Stars. How many stars can you find?

Small Telescope Challenges

For 2″ to 6″ telescopes:
• Observe the Sun. You will need a solar filter for this one. Please review Sky & Telescope‘s article on Viewing the Sun Safely before attempting to view the Sun. Never, ever look at the Sun without a solar filter!
• Winter Alberio (HD 56577), a binary star in Canis Major lying about 1.6° north of τ Canis Majoris and 0.5° west (2000.0 coordinates are: R.A. 7h 16m 36.8s, Dec. -23 deg. 18′ 56″). This colorful pair has an orangish primary and a blue-white secondary.
• Arp 336, also know as NGC 2685, an edge-on galaxy in Ursa Major, with an apparent  size of 4.5′ by 2.4′.

Medium Telescope Challenges

For 8″ to 14″ telescopes:
• The globular cluster, G1. G1 or Mayall II is located about 2.9 million light years away in the Andromeda Galaxy.
• Leo I, also known as the Regulus Galaxy. This dwarf spheroidal galaxy is a member of the Local Group of Galaxies and is a companion of the Milky Way. It is fairly bright at magnitude 9.8 and large, 9.8′ x 7.4′, but is only 12′ from Regulus making this a difficult object to view.
• Asteroid (26591) Robertreeves, formerly 2000 ET141

Large Telescope Challenges

For 16″ and larger telescopes:
• Split Sirius
• NGC 2285/NGC 2288/NGC 2289 are three faint spiral galaxies in Gemini that lie within 7′ of each other.
• J 900 or PK 194+2.1 is a starlike planetary nebula that lies some 3° west-northwest of γ Geminorum.

Astrophotography/Imaging Challenges

• Novice: Star Trails
  
• Intermediate: IC2177 – Seagull Nebula
  
• Expert: B33/IC434 – The Horsehead Nebula
  

February’s Sky Challenges is a post from: San Antonio SkyWatch.
Copyright © 2007-2012 by Scott Logan. All rights reserved.