The twins’ secret treasures

1 NGC 697 Not to be unkind, but Aries isn’t generally regarded as a rich haven for amateur deep-sky jewels. However, we’re going to look hard and visit a light smattering of objects near the Aries–Pis

The faint, rather indistinct constellation Camelopardalis is supposed to represent a giraffe. It sits between Polaris (Alpha (α) Ursae Minoris) and Capella (Alpha (α) Aurigae). Our first target is loc

1. Psi Aquarii group 10x 50 This colourful grouping of stars spans nearly 5° of sky, from mag. +5.0 Psi3 (ψ3) Aquarii to mag. +5.6 96 Aquarii. The colours range from blue-white mag. +5.5 Psi2 (ψ2) Aqu

Star and deep-sky catalogues are crucial resources for making sense of the night sky. There are a lot of them, though – so many, in fact, that you almost need a catalogue of catalogues to keep track o

Nicole Poersch, Prestwick, South Ayrshire, UK, 15 September 2024–21 January 2025 Nicole says: “The Clamshell Nebula in Cygnus is often overlooked due to its proximity to the North America and Pelican

The Messier Catalogue is one of the most well-known collections of astronomical objects. Compiled in the 18th century by French astronomer and avid comet hunter Charles Messier as a quick reference of