{"id":36267,"date":"2022-09-15T14:27:00","date_gmt":"2022-09-15T14:27:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/?post_type=purple_issue&p=36267"},"modified":"2022-09-21T10:26:09","modified_gmt":"2022-09-21T10:26:09","slug":"from-city-lights-to-deep-space-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/2022\/09\/15\/from-city-lights-to-deep-space-3\/","title":{"rendered":"From city lights to deep space"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

As the nights lengthen, Rod Mollise <\/strong>reveals rewarding objects to seek out in suburban and city skies this autumn

PART 3 OF 4<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n

\"\"
There\u2019s plenty to discover even under city lights \u2013 and now longer nights to enjoy the hunt <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

Autumn\u2019s arrival means the evenings are drawing in and the promise of long, dark, starry nights beckons us to get our telescopes out. As summer\u2019s jewels recede and the delights of winter make their first appearance, we are presented with a view away from the plane of the Milky Way. Galaxies are again the main attraction for observers and there are some great ones lurking in autumn skies. Autumn also offers a good selection of other objects, from star clusters to nebulae too. <\/p>\n\n

The key to exploring the urban night sky is to ensure you have the tools: larger apertures will reveal more. But perseverance is also important \u2013 you will be amazed at the marvels you can discover. Let\u2019s get stuck in! <\/p>\n\n

<\/p>\n\n

Autumn sights<\/h4>\n\n

Take our tour of autumn\u2019s favourable constellations, unearthing jewels as we go <\/p>\n\n

Pegasus, the Flying Horse <\/h4>\n\n

This well-known constellation is easy to find in the night sky <\/p>\n\n

Pegasus\u2019s Great Square \u2013 three bright stars in Pegasus, one in Andromeda \u2013 is easy to spot. Extending from the Square\u2019s southwest corner is a line of stars that represents the Horse\u2019s neck and head, terminating in brilliant mag. +2.3 Enif (Epsilon (\u03b5) Pegasi), Pegasus\u2019s nose. Just 4\u02da northwest of this is target number one, globular star cluster M15 <\/strong>(mag. +6.3, 18\u2019 across). Although it\u2019s easy to see, resolving its stars is difficult for smaller instruments. In the city, what is visible depends on your telescope\u2019s aperture: the larger the better. The most impressive thing about M15 is its bright core. Most groups of galaxies in Pegasus are faint, but spiral galaxy NGC <\/strong>7331 <\/strong>(mag. +9.48, 10\u201910\u201d x 3\u201942\u201d) can be seen by urban astronomers. <\/p>\n\n

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Enif points the way to glittering globular cluster M15<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n

Andromeda, the Maiden <\/h4>\n\n

The famous constellation is at the northeast corner of the Great Square <\/p>\n\n

M31 <\/strong>(mag. +3.4, 3\u00b09\u2019 x 1\u00b01\u2019) is so bright it can be seen with the naked eye, even in the city. Located 7\u02da30\u2019 northwest of mag. +2.0 star Mirach (Beta (\u03b2) Andromedae), M31 is so large you\u2019ll need binoculars or the widest field telescope. In the suburbs, it\u2019s possible to glimpse its spiral structure. A 12-inch or larger reflector reveals a bright star cloud near its southwestern tip: NGC <\/strong>206, <\/strong>an oval, 3\u2019-long brightening of the galaxy\u2019s nebulosity. In suburban skies, 8-to 12-inch telescopes reveal one of M31\u2019s many globular star clusters, mag. +13.8 G1, <\/strong>also known as Mayall 1. <\/p>\n\n

Like the Milky Way, M31 has a number of smaller galaxies orbiting it. The brightest, M32 <\/strong>(mag. +8.0, 8\u201930\u201d x 6\u201930\u201d), lies 24\u2019 south of its big sibling. It\u2019s easy to see in 3-inch refractors in the city and in 50mm binoculars from darker sites.<\/span><\/p>\n\n

M31\u2019s other bright companion, M110 <\/strong>(mag. +8.0, 21\u201954\u201d x 11\u2019), is difficult to see with reflectors of 4-inch aperture, but easier to view with a 6-inch.<\/span><\/p>\n\n

Finally, the outstanding planetary nebula NGC <\/strong>7662 <\/strong>(mag. +8.3, 20\u201d x 15\u201d) is easy to see from the city, even in 3-inch refractors, if you use 200\u2013300x magnification. <\/p>\n\n

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M31, the Andromeda Galaxy. Bigger instruments reveal its brightest star cloud, NGC 206 <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

Triangulum, the Triangle <\/h4>\n\n

A small constellation that\u2019s home to one of the gems of the night sky <\/p>\n\n

While its stick figure \u2013 a triangle of 3rd and 4th magnitude stars \u2013 doesn\u2019t stand out, Triangulum should be visible in most urban skies if you know where to look and you\u2019ve allowed it to climb high in the sky. That\u2019s more than can be said for the much larger constellation it lies next to, Pisces, the Fishes. An attractive constellation from darker skies, Pisces\u2019s member stars are mostly faint, near mag. +5.0, and thus the Fishes suffers in city skies and may be completely invisible. The deep-sky objects it does contain are equally faint and difficult to realise from the city and suburbs. <\/p>\n\n

Triangulum, however, contains one of the most beautiful galaxies in the sky, M33 <\/strong>(mag. +5.7, 68\u201942\u201d x 41\u201936\u201d), the Triangulum Galaxy, with wide-open spiral arms and a near face-on orientation. But it is difficult to see in the city and any moisture in the air will make viewing the spiral arms almost impossible. A UHC-type nebula filter can help and may even reveal a small bright patch on the northeastern edge of the spiral, M33\u2019s titanic nebula NGC <\/strong>604. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n

\"\"
Filters will help reveal details in gorgeous M33, the Triangulum Galaxy <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n

Cassiopeia, the Queen <\/h4>\n\n

This W-shaped constellation holds two Messier clusters <\/p>\n\n

First up is an interesting cluster, NGC <\/strong>457 <\/strong>(mag. +6.4, 20\u2019 across). Once you have it in the eyepiece, you\u2019ll understand how it got its nickname, the ET Cluster. This medium-sized group of stars forms a little stick figure with an upraised arm that seems to be waving across the lightyears. The googly eyes, one of which is mag. +4.95 star Phi <\/strong>(\u03c6) <\/strong>Cassiopeiae, <\/strong>do suggest a comical extraterrestrial. There is a red star in ET\u2019s right armpit that makes the cluster look even more attractive. <\/p>\n\n

M103 <\/strong>(mag. +7.4, 6\u2019 across) has 40 stars, but expect to see up to 15 from light polluted areas, depending on aperture. Luckily, M103\u2019s few suns, which form an equilateral triangle, are scattered across a small area, so it looks rich in the eyepiece. M103 is better from urban rather than dark sites, as out of the city the cluster melts into the star-rich background. M52 <\/strong>(mag. +6.9, 16\u2019 across), west of Cassiopeia\u2019s \u2018W\u2019, is far better, showing as a larger, brighter and richer circle of at least 20 stars with a 3-to 4-inch refractor.<\/p>\n\n

\"\"
Small but bright NGC 40, the Bowtie Nebula <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n

Cepheus, the King <\/h4>\n\n

Northwest of Cassiopeia lies her husband <\/strong><\/p>\n\n

The emission nebulae of Cepheus are a challenge for urban observers, but there is one good planetary nebula in the constellation: NGC 40 <\/strong>(mag. +10.9, 37\u201d across), the Bowtie Nebula. It\u2019s formed by two arcs of material opposite each other around the mag. +11.6 central star, which form the tie\u2019s knot. The Bowtie\u2019s magnitude sounds forbidding, but that is not a problem as it is small but bright. <\/p>\n\n

\"\"
A visit to Cassiopeia and Cepheus opens up a wealth of royal riches <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n

Perseus, the Hero <\/h4>\n\n

Riding high in the east and full of treasures <\/p>\n\n

\"\"
As one of the faintest Messier objects, M76 calls for a sizeable scope and aperture <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n

This constellation, which represents the hero of the Andromeda myth, is not only distinctive in urban skies, being blessed with numerous bright stars, it holds one of the most beautiful deep-sky objects in the sky. <\/p>\n\n

Perseus\u2019s treasure is actually two objects, bright open star clusters NGC <\/strong>869 <\/strong>(mag. +3.8, 30\u2019 across) and NGC <\/strong>884 <\/strong>(mag. +3.8, 30\u2019 across). Bold in a small telescope, they sit just 25\u2019 apart. This is the famous Double <\/strong>Cluster. <\/strong>NGC 869 shows 30 stars to a 2-inch refractor under most conditions, while NGC 884 looks slightly less rich and is also more noticeably elongated. <\/p>\n\n

M76 <\/strong>(mag. +10.1, 3\u20197\u201d x 2\u20193\u201d), the Little Dumbbell Nebula, isn\u2019t bright but it\u2019s not large either, so its light is concentrated. It actually looks more like a dumbbell than its more famous relative, M27, the Dumbbell Nebula. With increased aperture, say a 12-inch reflector, M76 gives up more nebulosity and begins to resemble a rectangle rather than two round spots. On the best nights, arcs of nebulosity connecting the two lobes become visible.<\/span><\/p>\n\n

While the north of Perseus is a place of open clusters, the southern half is littered with galaxies. Most are beyond the range of urban astronomers with small telescopes, except for one: lenticular galaxy NGC <\/strong>1023 <\/strong>(mag. +10.2, 4\u201946\u201d x 2\u201911\u201d) shines through heavy light pollution and is visible with a 4-inch refractor. <\/p>\n\n

\"\"
Find the Double Cluster shining on the top of Perseus\u2019s head <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n

Aquarius, the Water Bearer <\/h4>\n\n

A trickier constellation with some challenging wonders to uncover <\/p>\n\n

M2 <\/strong>(mag. +6.3, 16\u2019 across) rivals the best globular star clusters of autumn. In the city, it takes reflectors of 10-inch aperture to resolve the many stars ringing the bright core, but even a 4-inch version provides tantalising views. NGC <\/strong>7009 <\/strong>(mag. +8.0, 41\u201d x 34\u201d), the Saturn Nebula, was given its nickname by its discoverer Sir William Herschel in the 18th century. With enough aperture and magnification, it does look a little like Saturn when its rings are edge-on. NGC <\/strong>7293 <\/strong>(mag. +7.6, 25\u2019 across), the Helix Nebula, is a great ring of nebulosity that is worth viewing. An OIII filter shows the nebula\u2019s dark centre and averted vision reveals mottling in the ring and hints of the streamers that give the Helix its name. <\/p>\n\n

\"\"
Aquarius is a challenge but M2 stands out in a sparse region <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n

Cetus, the Whale <\/h4>\n\n

A sprawling constellation where you\u2019ll find an impressive spiral galaxy <\/p>\n\n

Cetus lies close to the horizon, although the area that contains M77 <\/strong>(mag. +8.8, 7\u2019 across) is slightly higher. M77 is a Seyfert galaxy, meaning it has a very bright core due to a massive black hole at its centre. In a 3- or 4-inch reflector, it shows a small, bright central region when using 100x magnification and upwards. <\/p>\n\n

\"\"
M77 looks starlike in binoculars and small scopes <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n

Capricornus, the Sea Goat <\/h4>\n\n

The sail-shaped constellation can be hard to see <\/p>\n\n

The Sea Goat is often masked by smoke and haze near the horizon \u2013 the constellation never gets much higher than 25\u00b0. But it contains M30 <\/strong>(mag. +7.7, 12\u2019 across) which is easy to see with a 6-inch or larger refractor from badly lightpolluted areas. From the suburbs, with a 12-inch refractor and 150x magnification, two streams of stars extend from the cluster, looking like the horns of a goat.<\/span><\/p>\n\n

\"\"
Low altitudes make Cetus and Capricornus tricky <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n

Taurus, the Bull <\/h4>\n\n

One of the most beautiful constellations in the night sky <\/p>\n\n

The V-shaped pattern of the face of the Bull is formed from the brightest stars of an open cluster, the Hyades <\/strong>(mag. +0.5, 5\u00b030\u2019). It is so large because it is so close to Earth \u2013 only 151 lightyears away. The size of the group means it\u2019s best suited to small, short focal length telescopes and binoculars. <\/p>\n\n

M1 <\/strong>(mag. +8.4, 4\u2019 across), the Crab Nebula, was the first object to make it on to Charles Messier\u2019s list. While it is easy to find, only 1\u00b0 northwest of star Beta (\u03b2) Tauri, which forms one of the corners of Auriga\u2019s pentagon, it is badly compromised by light pollution. <\/p>\n\n

You don\u2019t need a telescope or a Go-To system to locate M45 <\/strong>(mag. +1.2, 2\u00b0), the justly famous Pleiades \u2013 it is a brilliant open cluster. It can be mistaken for Ursa Minor\u2019s Little Dipper asterism; its brightest stars are arranged in a similar, vaguely dipper-like shape. <\/p>\n\n

The rise of M45, the Pleiades, heralds the end of autumn and the advent of winter, and brings this part of our seasonal tour to a close. <\/p>\n\n

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Our autumn and winter companion M45, the Pleiades <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n
\n\n
\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n

\u2018Uncle\u2019 Rod Mollise is an American amateur astronomer and writer who lives near Mobile, Alabama. He is the author of Choosing and Using a New CAT<\/em><\/p>\n\n

<\/p>\n\n

Photos: JULIAN74\/ISTOCK\/GETTY IMAGES, TOMMY NAWRATIL\/CCDGUIDE.COM, MANFRED WASSHUBER\/CCDGUIDE.COM, JOHANNES SCHEDLER\/CCDGUIDE.COM, CHARTS BY PETE LAWRENCE, MICHAEL DEGER\/CCDGUIDE.COM, G\u00dcNTER KERSCHHUBER\/CCDGUIDE.COM, BERNHARD HUBL\/CCDGUIDE.COM, CHARTS BY PETE LAWRENCE<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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