Do you own a telescope but not sure what to look at? Well, here are some great targets for SPRING suitable for even small telescopes.
1. Cor Caroli
This is a beautiful double star and the brightest star in Canes Venatici. You can locate it with your naked eye near the Big Dipper. With your eyes it will appear to be one star but once you get it in the eyepiece of your telescope you will see that it is too stars of contrasting colors.
2. M3
M3 is a beautiful globular cluster in Canes Venatici. It is located in between the bright star Arcturus, the brightest star in Bootes and the fourth brightest star in the night sky, and Cor Caroli.
3. M5
M5 is another beautiful globular cluster (a type of star cluster that is ancient, compact, and roundish) located in Serpens Caput about two fist widths southeast of Arcturus. Another way to find it is to look about 2/3 of the way from Arcturus to Antares, the heart of Scorpius.
4. M 13
M13 is another globular cluster, probably the most famous and beautiful globular cluster in the night sky. It can be easily found in the constellation Hercules about two-thirds of the way from Zeta Herculis towards Eta Herculis.
5. M65, M66, and NGC 3628
These three galaxies are what are known as the Leo Trio, a group of galaxies found in the constellation, Leo the Lion. You can easily find them between Chertan and Iota Leonis.
Stargazing is a journey, and there’s always more to learn and explore. Stay tuned for more posts, and I look forward to sharing the wonders of the night sky with you. Dark skies forever!
