This image of the beautiful open star cluster around the bright star Mirfak in Perseus was taken by Martin Gembec of the Czech Republic in 2007. Mirfak dominates the centre, with the stars of the cluster, also known as Melotte 20, the Alpha Persei Moving Group, and the Little Cloud of Pirates, sprinkled mainly to…
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The prominent galaxies Messier 81 or Bode’s Nebula (left) and Messier 82 or the Cigar Galaxy (right) are located near the Big Dipper’s bowl in the northern sky. This image by AstroDoc Ron Brecher of Guelph, Ontario from February, 2017 spans about 1.5 degrees, or three full moon diameters. Messier 81 is large and bright…
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This labelled map of Mars shows which features will be facing Earth-based telescopes around midnight EST on December 7-8, the night of Mars’ opposition. Mars’ northern polar cap will appear as a bright spot that the darge wedge of Syrtis Major points toward. Your telescope will probably mirror image and/or invert this view. (Starry Night…
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