Midmonth Check-In: June 2022

Introduction and Monthly Reminders   

    

    June is well underway and has offered observers many opportunities to view the stars, planets, and DSOs above. I hope that you have had the chance to view M13 and M92 in Hercules. If not, don't worry! The best time to view Hercules is during the summer months when this constellation is high in the sky, reducing the amount of atmospheric disturbance. However, Hercules will remain above the horizon for stargazers until December.

    Aside from unpredictable bright meteor streaks across the night sky, the remainder of June will be quiet. There are still some conjunctions between the planets and the Moon and the greatest western elongation of Mercury (June 16th) to look forward to. The quiet months create the best opportunities to view DSOs, so take your telescope out every chance you get to view them!

Messier Targets 🔭

    

    The Messier Catalog contains 110 objects to view throughout the year. Most of these objects require a telescope or a pair of binoculars. As with all DSOs, observing from a location with minimal light pollution will enhance your views. If using a telescope, I recommend using a low-power eyepiece to help find the object, then increase the power to bring out more detail. Earlier this month, I highlighted M13 and M92 in Hercules and how to spot them. This post will describe how to spot five more objects in Draco, Lyra, and Serpens. 

    The first object is a galaxy that is located in Draco. It has been designated as M102 (aka Spindle Galaxy or NGC 5866) and glows at a dim 9.9 magnitude. When first locating M102 in your telescope, it may appear as a fuzzy blob (typical of a DSO) but if you take your time and view this object, more detail will become apparent. Draco can be found high in the northeastern sky after sunset. The bright star Vega can be used to help locate this constellation if needed. As mentioned last post, Hercules can be found to the upper (towards the zenith) right of Vega. Draco can be found to the upper left of Vega near Ursa Minor (Little Dipper). Unfortunately, there are no bright stars to help guide an observer to M102, so below I have included some screenshots from Stellarium to help find its location. You may also use your favorite stargazing app to help locate this object. 

    This first image is looking towards the northeast after sunset. Recall that Polaris is the tip of the handle of Ursa Minor or the tip of the tail of the Little Dipper (left side of image). Also, notice the bright star Vega near the lower right in the constellation Lyra.  

Image to help identify the constellations in the eastern sky.

Location of M102 circled in orange.

    The next two objects belong to the constellation Lyra. Vega also belongs to Lyra, making M56 (NGC 6779) and M57 (aka Ring Nebula or NGC 6720) easier to find than M102. To find M56, locate the constellations Lyra and Cygnus. Using the head of Cygnus, an observer can draw an imaginary line in the sky towards Lyra. About halfway between these two constellations, M56 can be found. See the images below for guidance if needed.     

Image to help identify constellations in the eastern sky.

Location of M56 halfway between the head of Cygnus and Lyra.

    The next Messier object in Lyra, M57 (Ring Nebula), is located between the two stars at the end of Lyra opposite Vega. This location is just above M56.  

Location of M57, the Ring Nebula.

    The final two objects, M5 (aka Rose Cluster or NGC 5904) and M16 (aka Eagle Nebula or NGC 6611) are located in Serpens. Looking at a resource like Stellarium, both of these objects appear to be in different constellations, however, some constellations are large and incorporate several smaller constellations in them, such as the case of Serpens. Shifting your gaze towards the south, an observer will notice the bright red star, Antares. This star belongs to Scorpius where other Messier objects can be found. For now, shift your eyes to the constellation to the upper left. This is Serpens, but also contains the stars of Ophiuchus. Hopefully, this familiarizes you with this region of the sky. This time of year, the easiest way for me to find M5 is to move back to Antares and slowly guide my telescope, with a low-power eyepiece in the focuser, upward towards Arcturus. If I reach Arcturus, I know I have gone too far and will move back down to Antares and start over until I find it. These images from Stellarium should be able to help guide you if needed.

Looking towards the south after sunset. Antares is found bottom right of the center. Arcturus is labeled at the upper right. Altair is labeled to the left. Vega is to the upper left for reference.

Location of M5, the Rose Cluster.

    To find M16, I move my scope back to Antares. Instead of guiding it towards Arcturus, I guide it to the east, towards Altair. About halfway to Altair, in the Milky Way band, you should be able to spot M16. See the image from Stellarium for guidance.

Location of M16, the Eagle Nebula. 

     

    The Messier Catalog is a popular stargazing catalog for astronomers. I have created a Google Sheets file with each target including its Messier Catalog number, NGC number, Common Name, Magnitude, Sky Coordinates, Constellation, and the Viewing Season. I have also included columns for Eyepieces Used, Date Viewed, and a Notes section. Additionally, I have created separate tabs which categorize the Messier Catalog by Season, Constellation, Magnitude, and Classification. I will add to the notes section in which post I described how to find each Messier object.   

 

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Now get outside and look up!