MESSIER 45 (The Pleiades)

RA(2000) : 03h 47m 00s DEC(2000): +24° 07’ 00”

BASIC INFORMATION OBJECT TYPE: Open Cluster CONSTELLATION: Taurus BEST VIEW: Late January DISCOVERY: Known in Antiquity DISTANCE: 440 ly DIAMETER: 86 ly APPARENT MAGNITUDE: +1.6 APPARENT DIMENSIONS: 110’ AGE: ~100 million years FOV:Starry 1.00Night FOV: 60.00 Aries Auriga Lynx

Taurus NGC 1535 (CLEOPATRA’S EYE)

NGC 1535 RA(2000) : 04h 14m 15.8s DEC(2000): -12° 44’ 22”

Gemini

Orion

NGC 1535 FOV: 5.00 Eridanus Telrad

Cancer

Canis Minor Fornax

Monoceros Lepus

NGC 1535 Caelum

Canis Major

Columba BASIC INFORMATION Horologium OBJECT TYPE: Planetary Nebula CONSTELLATION: Eridanus Eridanus BEST VIEW: February DISCOVERY: William Herschel, 1785 DISTANCE: 3960 – 7520 ly Telrad DIAMETER: Approximately 1 ly Pictor Reticulum APPARENT MAGNITUDE: +10.5 PuppisAPPARENT DIMENSIONS: 0.6’

HIND’S CRIMSON STAR (R Lep) FOV:Starry 1.00Night FOV: 60.00

RA(2000) : 04h 59m 36s DEC(2000): -14° 48’ 23”

Sextans Canis Minor

Monoceros R Leporis Taurus Orion

Hydra

Canis Major

R Leporis FOV: 5.00 Lepus Pyxis Telrad

Puppis Eridanus

Antlia Columba

BASIC INFORMATION OBJECT TYPE: Carbon Star CONSTELLATION: LepusCaelum BEST VIEW: February R Leporis DISCOVERY: J. R. Hind, 1845 DISTANCE: 1360 ly Vela MASS: 2.5-5 MSOLAR APPARENT MAGNITUDE: +5.5 to +11.7 Fornax Pictor

Carina Dorado Telrad Horologium

Reticulum MESSIER 79

RA(2000) : 05h 24m 11s DEC(2000): -24° 31’ 27”

BASIC INFORMATION OBJECT TYPE: Globular Cluster CONSTELLATION: Lepus BEST VIEW: Late February DISCOVERY: Pierre Mechain, 1780 DISTANCE: 42,000 ly DIAMETER: 115 ly MASS: 200,000 MSUN APPARENT MAGNITUDE: +8.2 APPARENT DIMENSIONS: 9.6’ AGE: 10-12 billion years MESSIER 1 (THE CRAB NEBULA)

RA(2000) : 05h 34m 31.94s DEC(2000): +22° 00’ 52.2”

BASIC INFORMATION OBJECT TYPE: Supernova Remnant CONSTELLATION: Taurus BEST VIEW: Late February DISCOVERY: John Bevis, 1731 DISTANCE: 6500 ly DIAMETER: 11 ly MASS: 4.6 MSUN APPARENT MAGNITUDE: +8.4 APPARENT DIMENSIONS: 6’x4’ MESSIER 42 (THE ORION NEBULA)

RA(2000) : 05h 35m 17.3s DEC(2000): -05° 23’ 28”

BASIC INFORMATION OBJECT TYPE: Star Forming Region CONSTELLATION: Orion BEST VIEW: Late February DISCOVERY: Peiresc, 1610 (nebula), Galileo Galilei, 1617 (Trapezium) DISTANCE: 1350 ly DIAMETER: Approximately 24 ly APPARENT MAGNITUDE: +4.0 APPARENT DIMENSIONS: 65’x60’ MESSIER 37

RA(2000) : 05h 52m 18s DEC(2000): +32° 33’ 12”

BASIC INFORMATION OBJECT TYPE: Open Cluster CONSTELLATION: Auriga BEST VIEW: Late February DISCOVERY: Giovanni Battista Hodierna, before 1654 DISTANCE: Approximately 4500 ly DIAMETER: 20-25 ly APPARENT MAGNITUDE: +6.2 APPARENT DIMENSIONS: 24’ AGE: ~500 million years MESSIER 35

RA(2000) : 06h 08m 54s DEC(2000): +24° 20’ 00”

BASIC INFORMATION OBJECT TYPE: Open Cluster CONSTELLATION: Gemini BEST VIEW: Early March DISCOVERY: Philippe Loys de Cheseaux, 1745 DISTANCE: 2800 ly DIAMETER: 23 ly APPARENT MAGNITUDE: +5.3 APPARENT DIMENSIONS: 28’ AGE: ~150 million years MESSIER 41

RA(2000) : 06h 46m 01s DEC(2000): -20° 45’ 24”

BASIC INFORMATION OBJECT TYPE: Open Cluster CONSTELLATION: Canis Major BEST VIEW: March DISCOVERY: Giovanni Batista Hodierna c. 1654 DISTANCE: 2300 ly DIAMETER: 25 ly APPARENT MAGNITUDE: +4.5 APPARENT DIMENSIONS: 38’ AGE: ~200-250 million years NGC 2362 (TAU CANIS MAJORIS CLUSTER)

RA(2000) : 07h 18m 41s DEC(2000): -24° 574’ 18”

BASIC INFORMATION OBJECT TYPE: Open Cluster CONSTELLATION: Canis Major BEST VIEW: March DISCOVERY: Giovanni Batista Hodierna, c. 1654 DISTANCE: 4800 ly DIAMETER: 11 ly APPARENT MAGNITUDE: +4.1 APPARENT DIMENSIONS: 8’ AGE: ~5 million years NGC 2392 (THE ESKIMO NEBULA)

RA(2000) : 07h 29m 11s DEC(2000): +20° 54’ 42”

BASIC INFORMATION OBJECT TYPE: Planetary Nebula CONSTELLATION: Gemini BEST VIEW: March DISCOVERY: William Herschel, 1787 DISTANCE: 3000 - 5000 ly DIAMETER: 0.8 ly (brightest part at 4000 ly) APPARENT MAGNITUDE: +10.1 APPARENT DIMENSIONS: 44” WINTER ALBIREO (145 CMa)

RA(2000) : 07h 16m 37s DEC(2000): -23° 18’ 56”

BASIC INFORMATION OBJECT TYPE: Double Star CONSTELLATION: Canis Major BEST VIEW: March DISCOVERY: John Herschel, 1847 DISTANCE: 1420 ly ANGULAR SEPARATION: 26.8” APPARENT MAGNITUDE: 4.8

MESSIER 46

RA(2000) : 07h 41m 46s DEC(2000): -14° 48’ 36”

BASIC INFORMATION OBJECT TYPE: Open Cluster CONSTELLATION: Puppis BEST VIEW: Late March DISCOVERY: Charles Messier, 1771 DISTANCE: 5400 ly DIAMETER: 30 ly APPARENT MAGNITUDE: +6.0 APPARENT DIMENSIONS: 27’ AGE: ~250 million years MESSIER 44 (The Beehive Cluster)

RA(2000) : 08h 40m 24s DEC(2000): +19° 40’ 00”

BASIC INFORMATION OBJECT TYPE: Open Cluster CONSTELLATION: Cancer BEST VIEW: Early April DISCOVERY: Known in Antiquity DISTANCE: 577 ly DIAMETER: 39 ly APPARENT MAGNITUDE: +3.7 APPARENT DIMENSIONS: 95’ AGE: ~700 million years FOV:Starry 1.00Night FOV: 60.00 MESSIER 67

RA(2000) : 08h 51m 18s DEC(2000): +11° 48’ 00”

Lynx

Gemini

M67 Ursa Major

Cancer Canis Minor

Leo Minor Monoceros

M67 FOV: 5.00

Canes Venatici Telrad

Leo

ComaM67 Berenices BASIC INFORMATION OBJECT TYPE: Open ClusterSextans CONSTELLATION: Cancer BEST VIEW: Early April DISCOVERY: Johann Gottfried Koehler, 1779 DISTANCE: 2700 ly DIAMETER: 160 ly Pyxis APPARENT MAGNITUDE: +6.1 APPARENT DIMENSIONS: 30’ Hydra AGE: ~4 billion years Telrad Crater NGC 3242 (THE GHOST OF JUPITER)

RA(2000) : 10h 24m 46s DEC(2000): -18° 38’ 33”

BASIC INFORMATION OBJECT TYPE: Planetary Nebula CONSTELLATION: Hydra BEST VIEW: Early April DISCOVERY: William Herschel, 1785 DISTANCE: 1400 – 3600 ly DIAMETER: 0.3 – 0.8 ly APPARENT MAGNITUDE: +8.6 APPARENT DIMENSIONS: Inner Shell = 28” x 20” Outer Shell = 46” x 40” MESSIER 81 & 82

M81 RA(2000) : 09h 55m 33.2s DEC(2000): +69° 03’ 55” M82 RA(2000) : 09h 55m 52.4s DEC(2000): +69° 40’ 47”

BASIC INFORMATION OBJECT TYPE: Interacting Galaxies CONSTELLATION: Ursa Major BEST VIEW: April DISCOVERY: Johann Elert Bode, 1774 DISTANCE: 11.8 million ly (M81) 11.5 million ly (M82) DIAMETER: ~95,000 ly (M81) ~37,000 ly (M82) APPARENT MAGNITUDE: 6.9 (M81), 8.4 (M82) APPARENT DIMENSIONS: 27’ x 14’ (M81), 11’ x 4’ (M82) NGC 2903

RA(2000) : 09h 32m 10.1s DEC(2000): +21° 30’ 03”

BASIC INFORMATION OBJECT TYPE: Galaxy CONSTELLATION: Leo BEST VIEW: April DISCOVERY: William Herschel, 1784 DISTANCE: ~31 million ly DIAMETER: ~115,000 ly* APPARENT MAGNITUDE: +9.7 APPARENT DIMENSIONS: 12.6’ x 6.0’ ALGIEBA (g LEO)

RA(2000) : 10h 19m 58.4s DEC(2000): +19° 50’ 29.3”

BASIC INFORMATION OBJECT TYPE: Binary Star CONSTELLATION: Leo BEST VIEW: Late April DISCOVERY: Known to Ancients DISTANCE: 131 ly BINARY SEPARATION: 4” (170 AU) ORBITAL PERIOD: ~500 yr. APPARENT MAGNITUDE: 1.98 MESSIER 97 (THE OWL NEBULA)

RA(2000) : 11h 14m 48s DEC(2000): +55° 01’ 09”

BASIC INFORMATION OBJECT TYPE: Planetary Nebula CONSTELLATION: Ursa Major BEST VIEW: Early May DISCOVERY: Pierre Mechain, 1781 DISTANCE: ~2000 ly DIAMETER: 1.8 ly APPARENT MAGNITUDE: +9.9 APPARENT DIMENSIONS: 3.3’ THE LEO TRIPLET (M65, M66, NGC 3628)

M65 RA(2000) : 11h 18m 56s DEC(2000): +13° 05’ 32” M66 RA(2000) : 11h 20m 15s DEC(2000): +12° 59’ 29” NGC 3628 RA(2000) : 11h 20m 17s DEC(2000): +13° 35’ 22”

BASIC INFORMATION OBJECT TYPE: Galaxy Group CONSTELLATION: Leo BEST VIEW: Early May DISCOVERY: Charles Messier, 1780 (M65 & M66) William Herschel, 1784 (NGC 3628) DISTANCE: 41.1 million ly (M65) 33.6 million ly (M66) 37.8 million ly (NGC 3628) DIAMETER: ~117,000 ly (M65), ~89,000 ly (M66), ~163,000 ly (NGC 3628) APPARENT MAGNITUDE: 10.3 (M65), 9.7 (M66), 9.5 (NGC 3628)

NGC 4565

RA(2000) : 12h 36m 21s DEC(2000): +25° 59’ 15”

BASIC INFORMATION OBJECT TYPE: Galaxy CONSTELLATION: Coma Berenices BEST VIEW: May DISCOVERY: William Herschel, 1785 DISTANCE: 41 million ly DIAMETER: ~190,000 ly APPARENT MAGNITUDE: +10.4 APPARENT DIMENSIONS: 16’ x 3’ MESSIER 104 (THE SOMBRERO GALAXY)

RA(2000) : 12h 39m 59s DEC(2000): -11° 37’ 23”

BASIC INFORMATION OBJECT TYPE: Galaxy CONSTELLATION: Virgo BEST VIEW: Late May DISCOVERY: Pierre Mechain, 1781 DISTANCE: ~31 million ly DIAMETER: ~80,000 ly (based on 31 Mly distance) APPARENT MAGNITUDE: +8.0 APPARENT DIMENSIONS: 9’ x 4’ MESSIER 64 (THE BLACK EYE GALAXY)

RA(2000) : 12h 56m 43.7s DEC(2000): +21° 40’ 57.6”

M64

BASIC INFORMATION OBJECT TYPE: Galaxy CONSTELLATION: Coma Berenices BEST VIEW: Late May DISCOVERY: Edward Pigott, 1779 DISTANCE: ~17 million ly DIAMETER: ~50,000 ly APPARENT MAGNITUDE: +8.5 APPARENT DIMENSIONS: Approx. 10’ x 5’ MIZAR & ALCOR

MIZAR RA(2000) : 13h 23m 55.5s DEC(2000): +54° 55’ 31.3” ALCOR RA(2000) : 13h 25m 13.5s DEC(2000): +54° 59’ 16.7”

BASIC INFORMATION OBJECT TYPE: Multiple Star System CONSTELLATION: Ursa Major BEST VIEW: Early June DISCOVERY: Known to Ancients DISTANCE: 83 ly BINARY SEPARATION: ALCOR & MIZAR: 11.8’ (0.3 ly) MIZAR A & B: 14.4” (367 AU) ALCOR A & B: 1.1” (28 AU) ORBITAL PERIOD: ALCOR & MIZAR: 750,000 yr MIZAR A & B: 5000 yr + ALCOR A & B: 90 yr + APPARENT MAGNITUDE: MIZAR: 2.2, ALCOR: 4.0 NGC 5139 (w CENTAURI)

RA(2000) : 13h 26m 47s DEC(2000): -47° 28’ 46”

BASIC INFORMATION OBJECT TYPE: Globular Cluster CONSTELLATION: Centaurus BEST VIEW: Early June DISCOVERY: Ptolemy, 150 A.D. DISTANCE: 15,800 ly DIAMETER: 175 ly APPARENT MAGNITUDE: +3.9 APPARENT DIMENSIONS: 36’ MESSIER 3

RA(2000) : 13h 42m 11.62s DEC(2000): +28° 22’ 38.2”

BASIC INFORMATION OBJECT TYPE: Globular Cluster CONSTELLATION: Canes Venatici BEST VIEW: June DISCOVERY: Charles Messier, 1764 DISTANCE: 33,900 ly DIAMETER: 180 ly MASS: 450,000 MSUN APPARENT MAGNITUDE: +6.2 APPARENT DIMENSIONS: 18’ MESSIER 51 (THE WHIRLPOOL GALAXY)

RA(2000) : 13h 29m 53s DEC(2000): +47° 11’ 43”

BASIC INFORMATION OBJECT TYPE: Galaxy CONSTELLATION: Canes Venatici BEST VIEW: June DISCOVERY: Charles Messier, 1773 DISTANCE: ~25 million ly DIAMETER: ~80,000 ly (visible disk @ 25 Mly) APPARENT MAGNITUDE: +8.4 APPARENT DIMENSIONS: 11’ x 7’ FOV:Starry 1.00Night FOV: 60.00

Scutum

Serpens Cauda Hercules

IZAR (e BOO)

Izar RA(2000) : 14h 44m 59.2s DEC(2000): +27° 04’ 27.2”

Ophiuchus Corona Borealis

Serpens Caput

Izar FOV: 5.00 Boötes

Canes Venatici

Scorpius

Libra

Izar BASIC INFORMATION Coma Berenices OBJECT TYPE: Binary Star CONSTELLATION: Bootes BEST VIEW: Early July DISCOVERY: Known to Ancients VirgoDISTANCE: 203 ly Boötes BINARY SEPARATION: 2.8” (185 AU) ORBITAL PERIOD: 1000 yr. APPARENT MAGNITUDE: 2.3

Lupus Norma MESSIER 5

RA(2000) : 15h 18m 33.2s DEC(2000): +02° 04’ 51.7”

BASIC INFORMATION OBJECT TYPE: Globular Cluster CONSTELLATION: Serpens BEST VIEW: Early July DISCOVERY: Gottfried Kirch, 1702 DISTANCE: 24,500 ly DIAMETER: 165 ly MASS: 834,000 MSUN APPARENT MAGNITUDE: +5.6 APPARENT DIMENSIONS: 23’ AGE: 12-13 billion years MESSIER 4

RA(2000) : 16h 23m 35.2s DEC(2000): -26° 31’ 32.7”

BASIC INFORMATION OBJECT TYPE: Globular Cluster CONSTELLATION: Scorpius BEST VIEW: July DISCOVERY: Philippe Loys de Chéseaux, 1746 DISTANCE: 5600 – 7200 ly DIAMETER: 75 ly MASS: 450,000 MSUN APPARENT MAGNITUDE: +5.6 APPARENT DIMENSIONS: 36’ AGE: 12-13 billion years MESSIER 13

RA(2000) : 16h 41m 42s DEC(2000): +36° 27’ 41”

BASIC INFORMATION OBJECT TYPE: Globular Cluster CONSTELLATION: Hercules BEST VIEW: Late July DISCOVERY: Edmond Halley, 1714 DISTANCE: 25,100 ly DIAMETER: 145 ly APPARENT MAGNITUDE: +5.8 APPARENT DIMENSIONS: 20’