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’ 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’ Starry Night FOV: 1.00 Lyra FOV: 60.00 Libra MESSIER 6 (Butterfly Cluster) h m s RA(2000) : Ophiuchus17 40 20 DEC(2000): -32° 15’ 12” M6 Sagitta Serpens Cauda Vulpecula Scutum Scorpius Aquila M6 FOV: 5.00 Telrad Delphinus Norma Sagittarius Corona Australis Ara Equuleus M6 Triangulum Australe BASIC INFORMATION OBJECT TYPE: Open CLuster Telescopium CONSTELLATION: Scorpius Capricornus BEST VIEW: August DISCOVERY: Giovanni Batista Hodierna, c. 1654 DISTANCE: 1600 Ly DIAMETER: 12 – 25 Ly Pavo MicroscopiumAPPARENT MAGNITUDE: +4.2 APPARENT DIMENSIONS: 25’ – 54’ AGE: 50 – 100 miLLion years Telrad Indus MESSIER 7 (Ptolemy’s Cluster) RA(2000) : 17h 53m 51s DEC(2000): -34° 47’ 36” BASIC INFORMATION OBJECT TYPE: Open CLuster CONSTELLATION: Scorpius BEST VIEW: August DISCOVERY: Claudius PtoLemy, 130 A.D. DISTANCE: 900 – 1000 Ly DIAMETER: 20 – 25 Ly APPARENT MAGNITUDE: +3.3 APPARENT DIMENSIONS: 80’ AGE: ~220 million years FOV:Starry 1.00Night FOV: 60.00 Hercules Libra MESSIER 8 (THE LAGOON NEBULA) RA(2000) : 18h 03m 37s DEC(2000): -24° 23’ 12” Lyra M8 Ophiuchus Serpens Cauda Cygnus Scorpius Sagitta M8 FOV: 5.00 Scutum Telrad Vulpecula Aquila Ara Corona Australis Sagittarius Delphinus M8 BASIC INFORMATION Telescopium OBJECT TYPE: Star Forming Region CONSTELLATION: Sagittarius Equuleus BEST VIEW: August DISCOVERY: Hodierna, 1654 (nebuLa) Le GentiL, 1747 (nebuLa & cLuster) DISTANCE: 4000 – 6000 Ly Capricornus DIAMETER: Approximately 130 ly x 60 Ly APPARENT MAGNITUDE: +Microscopium6.0 APPARENT DIMENSIONS: 90’x40’ Telrad Indus MESSIER 20 (THE TRIFID NEBULA) RA(2000) : 18h 02m 42s DEC(2000): -22° 58’ 18” BASIC INFORMATION OBJECT TYPE: Star Forming Region CONSTELLATION: Sagittarius BEST VIEW: August DISCOVERY: Messier, 1764 DISTANCE: ~5200 Ly DIAMETER: 42 Ly APPARENT MAGNITUDE: +9.0 APPARENT DIMENSIONS: 11’ MESSIER 17 (THE SWAN NEBULA) RA(2000) : 18h 20m 47s DEC(2000): -16° 10’ 18” BASIC INFORMATION OBJECT TYPE: Star Forming Region CONSTELLATION: Sagittarius BEST VIEW: Late August DISCOVERY: PhiLippe Loys deCheseaux, 1745 DISTANCE: 5200 – 6800 Ly DIAMETER: 15 – 20 Ly APPARENT MAGNITUDE: +6.0 APPARENT DIMENSIONS: 11’ FOV:Starry 1.00Night FOV: 60.00 Sagitta Vulpecula Ophiuchus M22 Serpens Cauda MESSIER 22 RA(2000) : 18h 36m 23.9s DEC(2000): -23° 54’ 17.1” Aquila Delphinus Scutum Equuleus M22 FOV: 5.00 Scorpius Telrad Pegasus Sagittarius Corona Australis Capricornus Ara M22 BASIC INFORMATION OBJECT TYPE: GlobuLar CLuster CONSTELLATION: Sagittarius BEST VIEW: Late August DISCOVERY: Abraham Ihle, 1665 Telescopium DISTANCE: 10,400 ly MicroscopiumDIAMETER: 97 ly APPARENT MAGNITUDE: +5.1 Aquarius APPARENT DIMENSIONS: 32’ Pavo Piscis Austrinus Telrad Indus EPSILON LYRAE (e LYR or “THE DOUBLE DOUBLE”) e1 RA(2000) : 18h 44m 20.3s DEC(2000): +39° 40’ 20” e2 RA(2000) : 18h 44m 22.8s DEC(2000): +39° 36’ 46” BASIC INFORMATION OBJECT TYPE: MuLtipLe Star System CONSTELLATION: Lyra BEST VIEW: Late August DISCOVERY: F.G.W. Struve, 1831 DISTANCE: 163 ly AVG. BINARY SEPARATION: e = 208” (>10,000 AU), e1 = 2.8” (235 AU), e2 = 2.2” (145 AU) ORBITAL PERIOD: e = At least 400,000 years, e1 ~ 1800 years, e2 ~724 years APPARENT MAGNITUDE: 3.8 MESSIER 57 (THE RING NEBULA) RA(2000) : 18h 53m 35s DEC(2000): +33° 01’ 45” BASIC INFORMATION OBJECT TYPE: Planetary NebuLa CONSTELLATION: Lyra BEST VIEW: Late August DISCOVERY: CharLes Messier, 1779 DISTANCE: 2300 ly DIAMETER: 0.9 Ly (bright ring), 2.5 Ly (IR haLo) APPARENT MAGNITUDE: +8.8 (nebuLa) +15.7 (central star) APPARENT DIMENSIONS: 1.4’ x 1.0’ MESSIER 11 (The Wild Duck Cluster) RA(2000) : 18h 51m 05s DEC(2000): -06° 16’ 12” BASIC INFORMATION OBJECT TYPE: Open CLuster CONSTELLATION: Scutum BEST VIEW: September DISCOVERY: Gottfried Kirch, 1681 DISTANCE: Approx. 6000 Ly DIAMETER: Approx. 50 Ly APPARENT MAGNITUDE: +6.3 APPARENT DIMENSIONS: 14’ AGE: Approx. 220 million years ALBIREO (b CYG) RA(2000) : 19h 30m 43s DEC(2000): +27° 57’ 35” BASIC INFORMATION OBJECT TYPE: DoubLe Star CONSTELLATION: Cygnus BEST VIEW: Late September DISCOVERY: Known to Ancients DISTANCE: Albireo A = 328 ly Albireo B = 389 ly APPARENT MAGNITUDE: 3.1 MESSIER 27 (THE DUMBBELL NEBULA) RA(2000) : 19h 59m 36.4s DEC(2000): +22° 43’ 15.8” BASIC INFORMATION OBJECT TYPE: Planetary NebuLa CONSTELLATION: VuLpecuLa BEST VIEW: EarLy October DISCOVERY: CharLes Messier, 1764 DISTANCE: 1360 Ly DIAMETER: 3 Ly APPARENT MAGNITUDE: +7.4 APPARENT DIMENSIONS: 8.0’ x 5.7’ MESSIER 15 RA(2000) : 21h 29m 58s DEC(2000): +12° 10’ 01” BASIC INFORMATION OBJECT TYPE: GlobuLar CLuster CONSTELLATION: Pegasus BEST VIEW: Late October DISCOVERY: Jean-Dominique MaraLdi, 1746 DISTANCE: 33,600 ly DIAMETER: 175 ly APPARENT MAGNITUDE: +6.2 APPARENT DIMENSIONS: 18’ .