Introduction and Monthly Reminders
For Utahns, the month of November has started off cold, rainy, and snowy. Unfortunately, this weather prohibited the last Total Lunar Eclipse until 2025, to be viewed from the mountainous regions of Utah. Personally, I was able to view the nearly Full Moon through the clouds a couple of days before the eclipse, as well as the Red Triangle, made up of Mars, Aldebaran, and Betelgeuse. This triangle has been one of my favorite objects to view in the morning sky while at work before sunrise.
Observers will still have the opportunity to view the Orionid Meteor Shower which peaks on the 17th. For those fortunate enough to have clear skies and willing to brave the cold temperatures, the Messier objects highlighted so far are still visible in the night sky. Many other DSOs are also available to be viewed, however, they will require a telescope. Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars will also be excellent targets on cold winter nights.
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, Sagittarius, Cygnus, Vulpecula, Aquarius, Andromeda, Cassiopeia, Capricornus, Cetus, Pegasus, Perseus, Triangulum, and Pisces.
This post will highlight the Messier objects belonging to Auriga and Taurus. The Stellarium image below shows what the night sky looks like during a mid to late November evening in Utah. This image shows the night sky as an observer faces east after sunset.
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| November night sky as an observer faces east after sunset. |
Notice the three red stars that form a triangle in the center of the image. The rightmost star is Aldebaran. The leftmost "star" is actually Mars, and the lower star is Betelgeuse. The image below is the same as above only with constellation labels and lines to help identify the constellations in this region of the sky.
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| Looking east after sunset with constellation lines and labels. |
The first Messier object in this post is actually the first object on Messier's list, M1. This object is a supernova remnant which is known as the Crab Nebula and NGC 1952. Mars is in a great position in the sky to help observers find M1. After locating Mars in the evening sky, drop down slightly to find the Crab Nebula. Personally, I have never viewed this object through my telescope, but it is one of the targets near the top of my list of things to view. See the image below for the location of M1.
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| Location of M1 in Taurus the Bull. |
The next object in Taurus is M45 (aka Pleiades, Seven Sisters, Subaru) is an open cluster of young stars. The Pleiades are visible with the unaided eye. Personally, I can count six stars with my eyes, but other observers may be able to see a different amount, depending on their eyesight. The Pleiades are best viewed through a pair of binoculars or a low-power eyepiece in a telescope. See the image below for the location of M45.
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| Location of M45 in Taurus the Bull. |
The next three objects are located in Auriga, the constellation to the left of Taurus in the images provided in this post. The first object, M36 (aka Pinwheel Cluster, NGC 1960) is an open cluster like M45. See the image below for the location of M36.
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| Location of M36 in Auriga. |
The next object, M37 (aka NGC 2099) another open cluster, is located just below M36 in Auriga. As with most Messier objects, I recommend beginning with a low-power eyepiece to locate the object before bumping up the power to bring out more detail. See the image below for the location of M37.
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| Location of M37 in Auriga. |
The final object for this post, M38 (aka Starfish Cluster, NGC 1912) is also an open cluster. This object can be found just above M36 in Auriga. See the image below for the location of M38.
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| Location of M38 in Auriga. |
The images below can be used to find the location of the Messier objects covered in this post.
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| Messier objects that are located in Taurus and Auriga. |
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| Messier objects that are located in Taurus and Auriga with constellation lines and labels. |
The December Monthly Night Sky Report will continue to highlight the Messier objects which are best viewed during the winter months. All of the above images were provided by Stellarium. My updated Messier list can be found here.
Remember to follow me on Instagram @CosmicLure01 to receive notifications for new posts. You may also follow me on Twitter @CosmicLure.
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| Now get outside and look up! |
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