Solar System Planetary Mythology
As part of the planetary bodies series, we took a look at how the different planets were viewed by different cultures and their mythology. An interesting look that often gets shown is how each planet…
Articles by Mike R
Planetary Oppositions in 2022
August 14 – Saturn at Opposition. The ringed planet will be at its closest approach to Earth and its face will be fully illuminated by the Sun. It will be brighter than any other time of the year…
Messier 74 Phantom Galaxy
Messier 74, nicknamed the Phantom Galaxy, is a grand design spiral galaxy located in the constellation Pisces. Messier 74 is a perfect example of a grand design spiral galaxy. It has two clearly defined spiral…
Famous Naked Eye Southern Hemisphere Objects
For those visiting the Southern Hemisphere, what would be some of the most famous objects to look to see? When would be the best time to see them and what makes them so famous? Well…
Messier 73
Messier 73 is an asterism formed by four physically unrelated stars located in the southern constellation Aquarius. The four stars that form the Y-shaped asterism only appear close to each other in the sky because…
Southern Circumpolar Constellations
The circumpolar southern constellations are Carina, Centaurus, and Crux. They can be found circling the south celestial pole and can be seen from southern latitudes at any time of year while remaining invisible for observers in most northern locations….
Scientific Missions: Uranus And Neptune
As it takes between 5 to 10 years for a spacecraft to either flyby or enter orbit around these planets, Uranus and Neptune have not been explored by many spacecraft. We have done a few…
Top 5 Most Famous Planetary Nebulae To View
When looking in the sky, there are several easy and well known planetary nebulae (plural of nebula) that are visible from the Pacific Northwest and other Northern Hemisphere observing locations. A planetary nebulae galaxy is…
Messier 72
Messier 72 is a globular star cluster located in the constellation Aquarius, the Water Bearer. Pierre Méchain, a French astronomer and colleague of Charles Messier, discovered the globular cluster M72 in 1780. It was the first of…
Top 5 Easiest Open Clusters To View
When looking in the sky, there are several easy and well known open cluster objects that are visible from the Pacific Northwest and other Northern Hemisphere observing locations. An open cluster is a type of star…