Introduction and Monthly Reminders
August, like July, has been filled with hot days and warm nights which make it more comfortable for stargazing. Unfortunately, I have been unable to do any serious stargazing or astrophotography for the first two weeks this month. I have, however, been able to watch Saturn rise above the mountains as it was nearing opposition. The different Moon phases have also been a treat to watch. Hopefully, the second half of August will continue to offer me the opportunity to take out my telescope and astrophotography gear and enjoy a night under the stars.
The second half of the month will bring a few conjunctions between the Moon and morning planets. Stargazers will also be able to see Mercury reach its greatest eastern elongation on the evening of the 27th. Don't forget that the Messier objects in Sagittarius which were discussed in August's Monthly Night Sky Report and those belonging to several other summer constellations may still be seen in the night sky.
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. So far, I have highlighted the Messier objects belonging to Hercules, Draco, Lyra, Serpens, Scorpius, Scutum, Ophiuchus, and several objects in Sagittarius. For this post, I will highlight the remaining Messier objects which belong to Sagittarius. I will continue to highlight each object and the directions that I use in locating these objects and I will also include a single image at the end of this post showing the location of each item in Sagittarius.
If you, as an observer, enjoy globular star clusters like I do, then you will enjoy the remaining Messier objects of Sagittarius. All but two of the remaining objects are globular star clusters. Below is an image of the night sky as an observer faces south after sunset.
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| Looking south after sunset during August. |
Notice Saturn (labeled) near the left border of this image and the dim Milky Way band in the center. Recall that Sagittarius is to the lower left of the Milky Way band. See the image below which includes constellation lines and labels to help identify the stars belonging to Sagittarius.
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| Constellation lines and labels to aid in orientation. |
The first target this month, M75 (aka NGC 6864), a globular star cluster, can be found between the constellation lines of Sagittarius and Capricornus. For those unfamiliar with the constellations, the image above can be helpful in locating M75. The two stars that come off the main body of Sagittarius form an imaginary line towards Capricornus. About halfway along this line between these two constellations, M75 can be found. See the image below for clarification.
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| Location of M75 in Sagittarius. |
The next Messier object, M55 (aka Specter Cluster, NGC 6809), is a globular star cluster that can be found below M75. When searching for this object, I start by locating the four stars that make up a small trapezoid. I then use the top two stars to guide me to M55. These stars form an imaginary line that extends to this object. See the image below for clarification.
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| Location of M55 in Sagittarius. |
After viewing M55, I move to M54 (aka NGC 6715), another globular cluster that can be found below the trapezoid shape that I used to find M55. This object can be found just below the star that makes up the lower left corner of the trapezoid. See the image below for further clarification.
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| Location of M54 in Sagittarius. |
My next target is M70 (aka NGC 6681), a globular star cluster. This object is located below M54. To find M70, I connect the lower left star of the trapezoid to the bright star that can be found below and to the right. A little more than halfway to this lower star, M70 can be found along this line. See the image below for clarification.
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| Location of M70 in Sagittarius. |
After viewing M70, I nudge my telescope to the right, so that it is pointed directly above the lower star that I used to find M70. In this area, I will find another globular star cluster, M69 (aka NGC 6637). See the image below for guidance.
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| Location of M69 in Sagittarius. |
From M70, I guide my scope to the last of the globular star clusters in Sagittarius, M28 (aka NGC 6626). This object can be found inside the Milky Way band. By using the trapezoid figure again, I shift my gaze to the right, to the bright star that lies just inside the Milky Way band. From here, I guide my scope slightly to the right of this star to locate M28. See the image below for help.
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| Location of M28 in Sagittarius. |
After getting my fill of viewing M28, I guide my telescope to the star a little farther to the right of M28, which takes me deeper inside the Milky Way band. After locating this star, I guide my telescope upwards a short distance until I find M24 (aka Small Sagittarius Star Cloud). As its other name suggests, this object is a grouping of many stars. Unlike a globular or open star cluster, these stars are not in close proximity (astronomically speaking) to each other. These stars lie between 10,000 and 16,000 light-years away from Earth. A low-power eyepiece or a pair of binoculars are ideal for viewing M24. See the image below for the location of M24.
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| Location of M24 in Sagittarius. |
Following M24, I guide my scope to the left to locate the open star cluster, M25. This object may feel a little lackluster compared to M24, but since I enjoy star clusters, I feel this is a great object to end with. See the image below for the location of M25.
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| Location of M25 in Sagittarius. |
This concludes the list of Messier objects located in Sagittarius! See the images below for the locations of all of the Messier objects discussed in this post.
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| Discussed Messier objects in Sagittarius. |
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| Discussed Messier objects in Sagittarius with constellation lines and labels. |
Next month, I will highlight the remaining Messier objects that are best viewed during the summer and begin highlighting those that are best viewed during the autumn. All of these images were provided by Stellarium. My updated Messier list can be found here.
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| Now get outside and look up! |
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