Constellations of Lyra, Serpens, Ophiuchus and SerpensContinuing the tour of stellar objects crossing the meridian line in August: a star and three open clusters from constellations lying in the South, currently above Mars and Saturn:

  • Star: Epsilon Lyrae, in Lyra
  • Cluster: NGC 6633 in Ophiuchus
  • Cluster: Graff's Cluster (IC 4756) in Serpens
  • Cluster: Wild Duck Cluster (M11, NGC 6705) in Scutum

In this month's edition:

  • Planetary Skylights: Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Mars and Mercury.
  • Meteors: Perseids
  • August 2018 Sky Charts

M5 Globular ClusterContinuing the tour of stellar objects crossing the meridian line this month: three objects from the constellation of Hercules:

  • Planetary Nebula: Turtle (or NGC 6502)
  • Globular Cluster: M92 (NGC 6341)
  • Star: Alpha Herculis (or 'Rasalgethi' - ‘the kneeler’s head’)

Sky Notes - July 2018

In this month's edition:

  • Planetary Skylights: Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars at Opposition.
  • Meteors: Capri-Cornids, Alpha-Cygnids- Delta-Aquarids
  • Lunar Eclipse
  • July 2018 Sky Charts

M5 Globular ClusterContinuing the tour of stellar objects crossing the meridian line this month: two globular clusters from the constellations Serpens and Scorpius.

  • Globular Cluster: M5 (NGC 5904)
  • Globular Cluster: M4 (NGC 6121)

Sky Notes - June 2018

In this month's edition:

  • Planetary Skylights: Venus, Jupiter, Mars, Saturn
  • Meteors: Ophiuchids, June Lyrids
  • Summer Solstice
  • Noctilucent Cloud
  • June 2018 Sky Charts

Continuing the tour of stellar objects crossing the meridian line this month: two objects from the small 'Hunting Dogs' Galaxy, officially called 'Canes Venatici'

  • Star: Cor Coroli or ‘Charles's Heart’.
  • Galaxy: Sunflower Galaxy (M63 or NGC 5055)

Sky Notes - May 2018

In this month's edition:

  • Planetary Skylights: Venus, Jupiter, Mars, Saturn
  • Meteors: eta Aquarids, Orionids
  • May 2018 Sky Charts

Continuing the tour of stellar objects crossing the meridian line this month: a double-star in the 'Sickle' of Leo, a field barred spiral galaxy also in Leo, knwon to its friends as "NGC 2903"; and the 'Ghost of Jupiter' planetary nebula in Hydra.

  • Star: Algieba: the ‘The Lion's Mane’.
  • Galaxy: NGC 2903.  Discovered by William Herschel in 1784, this barred spiral galaxy lies in Leo near the top of the lion's head, to the right of the sickle asterism
  • Nebula: NGC 3242 - ‘Ghost of Jupiter’ nebula.

Sky Notes - April 2018

In this month's edition:

  • Planetary Skylights: Venus, Jupiter, Mars, Saturn
  • Meteors: Lyrids, Virginids, Alpha Scorpiids
  • April 2018 Sky Charts

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