Cosmic misfits

When the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) launched on Christmas Day 2021, astronomers hoped it would revolutionise our understanding of the early stages of the Universe. And they were right. Almost a

1. NGC 6940 10x 50 Let’s start the tour with open cluster NGC 6940, which deserves to be far better known. To find it, use the chart to identify mag. +4.2 52 Cygni and pan 3.5° to the southwest to an

Six low-altitude gems that barely peek above the horizon – all the more satisfying to catch! We’re going low for this month’s tour, looking at objects that are best seen when their region is above the

VICTOR M BLANCO 4-METER TELESCOPE, 9 JULY 2025 This is NGC 6188, an emission nebula 4,000 lightyears from Earth, known as the Fighting Dragons of Ara because of its resemblance to two dragons preparin

Ron Brecher, Guelph, Ontario, Canada, 23–30 July 2025 Ron says: “Many celestial objects resemble animals, but perhaps none more so than the Dark Shark. Its snout, jaws, eye, dorsal fin and tail are al

Did you know? The nearest black hole is ...