August came, and with it, in the middle latitudes of Russia, the white nights were left behind. Therefore, the night sky in August is dark, dotted with many stars from the brightest to the faintest, and almost from the zenith to the horizon, a wide whitish strip seems to fall. Milky Way. Suddenly, a meteor flies in the sky with a completely unexpectedly bright short-term flash, then another and another ... It is not without reason that August is called the month of “shooting stars” (meteors), because in August, perhaps the most famous Perseid meteor shower, named after the constellation in which its radiant is located (a point in the sky, from which meteors “tracing” the starry sky with a short flash, seem to scatter). And on such nights, many people want to get to know the night sky and its constellations at least a little. To do this, we decided to prepare a special review, which, with a certain persistence, will allow us to learn to recognize the main constellations of the August sky already in a few clear evenings. All you need is a cloudless (preferably country) sky and, if possible, the simplest binoculars.
Northern sky view
Acquaintance with the starry sky always begins with a ladle Ursa Major, which on August evenings with the onset of darkness is located low in the northwestern - northern part of the sky. With its front part, the bucket seems to be descending towards the horizon. Armed with card number 1, let's get acquainted with all the seven main stars of the bucket. Pay attention to the star Mizar, located on the "break" of the ladle handle. Above Mizar, the faint star Alkor is clearly visible. Can't you see it with the naked eye? Then take binoculars and take a look at Mizar. Alcor will be near and slightly above this star.
Now draw a mental line from the star Merak through the star Dubhe (the two most extreme stars of the Ursa Major bucket) to the first star on the path of this mental line, similar in brightness to the stars of the Ursa Major bucket. In front of you is the North Star. But the constellation Ursa Minor itself, which also looks like a bucket, is not as expressive as the stars of the Ursa Major bucket. The brightest stars are Polaris and Kochab. We have just found the Polar one in the sky, and Kokhab is visible if you look to the left of the Polar one in the direction of the handle of the Big Dipper bucket. The brilliance of Kokhab is comparable to the brilliance of Polaris, and the remaining stars of the Ursa Minor bucket, the brilliance of which is much weaker, stretch from Kokhab to Polaris and are clearly visible through binoculars under urban illumination.
Now let's draw a mental line from Mizar with Alkor through the North Star further at about the same distance. Here, quite high in the sky, there is a constellation that looks like the Latin letter “W”. This is Cassiopeia, the main stars of which just form a figure similar to the letter “W”. In brilliance, they are similar to the brilliance of the stars of the Big Dipper bucket.
Below Cassiopeia we find the constellation Perseus. This is where most of the August meteors fly out - the Perseid. The radiant of this meteor shower is located at the point in the sky indicated by the number "1" on our map. Under the number "4" is the star Alcor, which is a variable star and changes its brightness every 2 days 20 hours and 49 minutes. At maximum brightness, Alcor is almost as bright as the stars of Cassiopeia or the main star of the constellation Perseus - Mirfak. But at minimum, Alcor dims in brightness by more than one magnitude.
A bright yellow star is visible low in the northern part of the sky. This is the Chapel (α Aurigae). Its brightness significantly exceeds the brightness of all the stars discussed above.
... Looking at the starry sky through binoculars, moving from the constellation Cassiopeia to the constellation Perseus, pay attention to the very beautiful double open star cluster χ h (Chi Ash) Perseus (indicated by the number "2" on the map). Believe me, even with the simplest binoculars, it looks amazing! People with sharp eyesight can observe this star cluster on dark nights with the naked eye in the form of a small foggy speck.
And to the right of Perseus and Cassiopeia, a chain of the brightest stars of the constellation Andromeda stretches almost parallel to the horizon. If you draw a mental line from the star Kaph through the star Shedar (both in the constellation Cassiopeia - see map), then you will see the star Alamak (γ Andromeda). To the right of Alamka, look for the same bright star Mirach, above which three faint stars in the form of the Latin letter “V” are visible. And just above these three stars in binoculars, a bright foggy spot is clearly visible. This is the famous Andromeda Nebula (galaxy M31). People with sharp eyesight can also observe it with the naked eye.
More about the mentioned constellations:
View of the southern part of the sky
Now let's look at the southern part of the sky, in which bright blue-white Vega (α Lyrae) shines high in the sky. It is hard not to notice it, as its brilliance on August evenings surpasses the brilliance of all other stars in this part of the sky. To the left and above Vega, almost overhead, we will find a somewhat inferior to it in brilliance bright star- Deneb (α Cygnus). And now let's look below Vega and Deneb, where, about halfway from the zenith to the horizon, another bright star shines - Altair (α Eagle). In the sky, these three bright stars form a figure that looks like a huge triangle. It is called so - the summer-autumn triangle, since it is visible above the horizon in the evenings in summer and autumn.
Below Vega, a group of four stars is visible, forming a parallelogram-like figure in the sky. This is easy to verify by looking at this part of the sky through binoculars. This is the main part of the small constellation Lyra.
And to the right of Lyra, the stars of the constellation Hercules are visible. Try to find them in the sky and mentally connect them as on our map (see map 2). If you look through binoculars at the area of the sky marked with the number "1", then you will notice here a small, bright, foggy speck of a round shape. This is the globular star cluster M13, located in the constellation Hercules. Now find the point in the sky, marked with the number "7". This is the apex - a point on the celestial sphere, towards which our Sun rushes in space along with all its planets, including the Earth.
Above Vega, look for a small group of stars forming a trapezoid shape. This is part of the constellation Draco, which originates between the buckets of Ursa Major and Ursa Minor, then, as it were, goes around Ursa Minor on the left (from the east) and falls to Vega. The head of the Dragon is indicated by two rather bright stars - Etamin and Rostaban and two weaker ones. Moreover, the weakest star, indicated on our map by the number "2", is visible through binoculars in the form of two closely spaced stars of the same brightness.
To the right of Hercules, find the semicircle of the constellation Northern Crown (number "3"). The brightest star in this constellation is Gemma. And below the Northern Crown, pay attention to the stars of the constellation Serpens (here, on the old maps of the starry sky, her head was drawn). Below the Unuk star, binoculars can distinguish another bright globular star cluster - M5. Below Hercules, almost to the very horizon, there is a large constellation of Ophiuchus, from which the stars of the “tail” of the Serpent stretch towards the Eagle. If you look at the point marked with the number "5", then with binoculars we can distinguish a hazy speck of the open star cluster M11 (Wild Ducks). To the left of the Eagle we find a beautiful asterism of the small constellation Dolphin (number "6").
View of the western sky
In the western part of the sky, look for a bright star twinkling with a slightly orange light. In terms of brilliance, this star competes with both Vega, shining high in the southern part of the sky, and Capella, visible low in the northern side of the sky. In front of us is Arcturus (α Bootes), to which the handle of the Big Dipper bucket seems to point (see map No. 3).
The remaining stars of the constellation Bootes are located above Arcturus and form a figure in the sky that looks like a large parachute. To the left and above Arcturus we find the small constellation of the Northern Crown, which was mentioned a little earlier. To the left of Arcturus in the southwestern - western part of the sky, the stars of the head of the Serpent are visible. We have also already mentioned the bright globular star cluster M5 (number "2" on the map), visible through binoculars.
Below the handle of the Big Dipper bucket, look for the small constellation Canis Hounds. And with the onset of darkness, when the fading dark blue colors of the evening dawn will still be visible in the northwest, under the Hounds of the Dogs at a low altitude above the horizon with binoculars, look for the bright and beautiful open star cluster Melott 111, which is part of the constellation Coma Berenices (number "1").
View of the eastern sky
In the eastern part of the sky rises a large square of Pegasus, formed by the stars Alferatz, Sheat, Markab and Algenib (see map 4). To the right of Markab stretched a chain of stars, ending with the star Enif and completing the main asterism of the constellation Pegasus. Together with the square of Pegasus, all these stars form a figure that looks like a giant bucket, much larger than the Big Dipper. And to the left of the star Alferatz stretched a chain of stars already well known to us in the constellation Andromeda with a bright galaxy M31 (number "1" on the map), clearly visible through binoculars.
Deep dark September nights and still relatively warm weather offer a chance to admire the sky in comfort. This is a favorable season for lovers of observations of distant nebulae, especially bright objects such as planetary nebulae." Ring" And " Dumbbell", galaxy Andromeda Nebulae. In September it rises in full glory open cluster Pleiades and here is the time globular cluster M13 ends. Most notable constellations: Summer Triangle from the stars of the constellations Cygnus, Lyra and Eagle over the southwestern horizon, a huge Pegasus Square above the south, near the zenith are Cassiopeia and Cepheus. Bucket Ursa Major floats during the night low above the northern horizon. Milky Way stretches in an arc across the zenith from east to west in the middle of the night. The length of day and night is equalized this month, and the Sun will cross the celestial equator on September 22-23 and move from the northern hemisphere of the celestial sphere to the southern one.
The overview does not show the current positions of the planets in the constellations. Read more about the movements of the planets in the monthly materials "".
View of the sky in September around local midnight
View for the middle latitudes of Russia
The article will help you navigate the star maps:
"How to use the star map"
We remind you: true midnight in Bratsk comes around 1 am local time!
why so, we read in the material: Games with time. When does noon come in Bratsk? ,
and after October 26, 2014 we read in the material: Clocks in the Irkutsk region will be transferred once and for all
IN ZENITH:
Constellations sparkle Cassiopeia And Cepheus. The drawing of the constellation Cassiopeia appears as the letter M, and the stars of Cepheus form a "house".
September night sky at zenith (overhead) around midnight at mid-latitudes
(direction to the northern horizon - bottom edge of the image):
OVER THE NORTHERN HORIZON...
The seven stars of the Bucket pass Big Dipper. On the left of polar star (+1,97m) going down The Dragon, and on the right is an area empty of bright drawings of constellations. ladle Ursa Minor now descends to the left of Kinosur(Polar Star).
The night sky in SEPTEMBER from the northern horizon in the middle latitudes of Russia,
around local midnight:
OVER THE EASTERN HORIZON:
The main constellations of the eastern horizon in August are Perseus with a winking variable star Algol, constellation Charioteer with the brightest Chapel(+0.08m). constellation horns Taurus crowned orange Aldebaran(+0.85m), and just above the most beautiful compact scattering of stars, the cluster bucket sparkles Pleiades. The constellations rise in the morning Orion And Gemini.
The night sky in SEPTEMBER from the eastern horizon in the middle latitudes of Russia,
around local midnight:
ABOVE THE SOUTHERN HORIZON:
Floats near the zenith Andromeda, whose most notable object is the bright galaxy Andromeda's nebula (M31), visible through ordinary binoculars as an oval blurred spot. On the right stands out Big Square constellation Pegasus. Even lower is the constellation Pisces. Floats along the southeastern horizon eridanus And Whale. Constellation Capricorn comes in the southwest.
The night sky in SEPTEMBER from the southern horizon in the middle latitudes of Russia,
around local midnight:
OVER THE WESTERN HORIZON:
Constellations pass swan, Lyra And Eagle, whose three bright stars form summer triangle : Deneb(+1,25m), Vega(+0.03m), Altair(+0.75m). In the northwest comes Hercules, North Crown And Bootes. In Hercules, even through a simple spyglass, a gigantic globular cluster of stars M13 .
The night sky in SEPTEMBER from the western horizon in the middle latitudes of Russia,
around local midnight:
Star maps are taken from the program Stellarium 0.11
THE MOST EASILY ACCESSIBLE OBJECTS IN THE SEPTEMBER SKY:
The Pleiades open star cluster (the old Russian name is Stozhary) and its position in the constellation.
Magnificent scattering of stars Pleiades (M45), similar to a small bucket, is easily visible with a simple glance in the constellation Taurus (in September it rises around midnight). The nine brightest stars in the cluster are named after the seven sisters of the Pleiades. ancient Greek mythology: Alcyone, Keleno, Maya, Merope, Steropa, Taygeta and Electra, as well as their parents - Atlanta and Pleione. Long exposures reveal luminous blue nebulae that envelop the stars. The Pleiades star cluster is about 12 light-years across and contains about 1,000 stars. The age of the Pleiades is estimated at 100 million years, and the distance to them is approximately 440 light years. It was previously believed that the dust that forms the nebula is the remnants of the substance from which the stars of the cluster were formed. However, in 100 million years this matter would have been dispersed by the pressure of stellar radiation. Apparently, the Pleiades are just now moving through a region of space saturated with cosmic dust.
Andromeda Nebula and its position in the constellation
This is a favorable period for observations of one of our nearest galactic neighbors Andromeda Nebulae (M31). It is easily distinguishable even with binoculars as a large elongated foggy spot above the star ν Andromeda. This beautiful spiral galaxy is located at a distance of 252 million light years from Earth. Its length is 260 thousand light years, which is 2.6 times greater than that of the Milky Way. In the firmament of the Earth, it occupies an area of 3.2 ° × 1.0 °. The magnitude is +3.4m.
Giant globular cluster M13 and position in the constellation Hercules
M13 considered one of the brightest globular star clusters in the northern sky, which is easily distinguishable with an ordinary telescope. Through binoculars, it is easily located along the western side of the trapezium formed by the stars ε, ζ, η, π Hercules, between η and ζ. The cluster looks like a bright diffuse spot between a pair of stars of the seventh magnitude. With a telescope, you can see hundreds of thousands of stars in this magnificent cluster, the distance to which is 25 thousand light years. The cluster's stars crowd into a region 160 light-years across. The apparent dimensions in the earth's sky are 23 arc minutes, the magnitude is +5.8m. In 1974, a short message was sent towards the cluster from the Arecibo radio telescope. (Ring Nebula) - one of the most famous examples of planetary nebulae and one of the most popular objects of amateur astronomical observations. The ejection of the expanding shell from the central star occurred approximately 5500 years ago. The nebula is quite bright (+8.8m) and can be found between γ and β Lyrae with powerful binoculars. In an amateur telescope, the M57 looks like a ring of smoke. The nebula is located at a distance of 2.3 thousand light years from Earth, with a diameter occupied by it in space of 1.5 light years. The central star that illuminates the nebula is very dim - only +15m - and inaccessible to amateur instruments. The visible angular dimensions of the "ringlet" in the earth's sky are 2.5 "× 2".
Nebula "Dumbbell" M27 and position in the constellation Vulpecula
Nebula "Dumbbell" (Dumbbell Nebula) is another very popular object for amateur observations. This planetary nebula is located in the constellation Vulpecula at a distance of 1.25 thousand light-years from Earth. The Dumbbell Nebula is estimated to be between 3,000 and 4,000 years old. The strange dumbbell shape of the nebula can already be caught in a telescope with an aperture of 80 mm or more. In shape, it looks like a core of an eaten apple. To search for it, you need to focus on the "tip" of the constellation Arrows. The "dumbbell" is 3° above γ Sge in the direction of Cygnus. The apparent brightness is +7.4m magnitude, and the diameter is 8.0 "× 5.7" arc minutes in the earth's sky.
Clear skies and exciting observations!
Reigns in the sky Orion immediately attracting the admiring glances of observers. Above and to the left of Orion, a pair of stars Castor and Pollux from the constellation Gemini, below them - the star Procyon from Small Dog, below and to the left of Orion, the brightest star of the entire sky, Sirius, from the constellation Big Dog . On the right, Orion swings at Taurus with bright Aldebaran that crowns Hyades(cluster of stars, similar to the horns of a bull). In December, the Earth passes through a swarm of meteor particles, giving rise to the Geminid meteor shower in the sky: its activity is about 120 meteors per hour on the date of maximum. The Milky Way stretches from northwest to south around midnight, and Big Dipper is located above the northeastern part of the horizon, rising to the zenith in the morning.
The overview does not show the current positions of the planets in the constellations. Read more about the movements of the planets in the monthly materials "".
View of the sky in December in the middle latitudes of Russia around midnight
The article will help you navigate the star maps:
"How to use the star map"
We remind you: true midnight in Bratsk comes around 1 am local time!
why so, we read in the material: Games with time. When does noon come in Bratsk? ,
and after October 26, 2014 we read in the material: Clocks in the Irkutsk region will be transferred once and for all
THE PATH OF THE CIRCOPOLAR CONSTELLATIONS
Ladle Ursa Major begins its journey in the evening under Ursa Minor, balancing on the handle of the Bucket, turns around during the night polar star counterclockwise by about 120 degrees, at the same time, rising higher and higher above the northeast, by morning it completely overturns the Bucket, climbing to the very zenith above polar star.
Starry sky in December from the northern horizon in the middle latitudes of Russia:
In the evening around 21:00
The same turn is made by other circumpolar constellations. Cassiopeia, the lines of the figure of which are similar to the letter "M" or "W", in the evening sky shines high at the zenith, by morning it occupies a place to the left and below from Polar. The Dragon with an easily distinguishable trapezoid Encircles the head in the evening Ursa Minor below at the northern horizon, by morning, located to the right of Ursa Minor above the northeast horizon. "House" Cepheus, located between Cassiopeia And dragon makes the same cycle around Polar on the left, in the morning "falls" to the northern horizon.
FROM THE EVENING...
In the evening, constellations sparkle high above the southeastern horizon. Charioteer bright star Chapel And Perseus, and below the bright winter constellations begin their ascent: Taurus, Gemini, Orion and Canis Minor. The constellations of the Summer Triangle lean to the west: Swan, Eagle and Lyra. High above the southwest is the Square Pegasus with a "handle" of stars Andromedae. Under Andromeda two bright stars visible Aries, and floats along the horizon Whale. south of Pegasus constellations lie Aquarius And Pisces.
The evening sky in December at the middle latitude of Russia (56 N):
from the eastern horizon around 21:00:
from the southern horizon around 21:00:
from the western horizon around 21:00:
This is a favorable period for observations of one of our nearest galactic neighbors Andromeda Nebulae (M31). It is easily distinguishable even with binoculars as a large elongated foggy spot above the star ν Andromeda. This beautiful spiral galaxy is located at a distance of 252 million light years from Earth. Its length is 260 thousand light years, which is 2.6 times greater than that of the Milky Way. In the firmament of the Earth, it occupies an area of 3.2 ° × 1.0 °. The magnitude is +3.4m.
Andromeda Nebula and its position in the constellation
The magnificent scattering of Pleiades stars (M45), similar to a small bucket, is easily visible with a simple glance in the constellation Taurus (in September it rises around midnight). The nine brightest stars of the cluster got their names in honor of the seven sisters of the Pleiades of ancient Greek mythology: Alcyone, Keleno, Maya, Merope, Sterope, Taygeta and Electra, as well as their parents - Atlanta and Pleione. Long exposures reveal luminous blue nebulae that envelop the stars. The Pleiades star cluster is about 12 light-years across and contains about 1,000 stars. The age of the Pleiades is estimated at 100 million years, and the distance to them is approximately 440 light years. It was previously believed that the dust that forms the nebula is the remnants of the substance from which the stars of the cluster were formed. However, in 100 million years this matter would have been dispersed by the pressure of stellar radiation. Apparently, the Pleiades are just now moving through a region of space saturated with cosmic dust.
The open star cluster of the Pleiades (the old Russian name is Stozhary) and its position in the constellation.
AT NIGHT...
Be sure to look at the three stars just below Orion's Belt. The average of them in binoculars is resolved to an irregularly shaped blurry spot called Great Nebula of Orion M42, where the development of very young stars is currently taking place, is a kind of cosmic nursery. This is the most attractive object in the northern sky for astronomy lovers.
Orion constellation over Loch Eske in Ireland
In average amateur telescopes, the nebula appears in the form of a bat - with a bright center and rapidly decreasing brightness of the "wings". At the center of the nebula is a trapezoid of four young stars. It was here that the Hubble telescope noticed the protoplanetary disk. The distance to the Orion Nebula is about 1350 light years and is 33 light years across. A sort of "comma" adjoins the northern part of M42 - a small emission nebula, which received the designation M43.
The Great Nebula of Orion and its position in the constellation
Since time immemorial, people have gazed with reverence at the night sky, strewn with myriads of shining stars. Probably, even the primitive "astronomers", trying to understand what they see, found out: almost all stars consist of some unchanging groups that can shift in the sky and even disappear beyond the horizon, but after a while they return to their places. These groups began to give their own names: the names of animals, mythical creatures, legendary heroes and even household items. Different cultures formed different naming systems - scientists Ancient China, for example, they called clusters of stars after the names of imperial palaces or premises attached to them. However, the familiar names of the 48 constellations visible in the night sky of the Northern Hemisphere are mainly due to the ancient cultures of Europe and the Middle East. Another 40 groups of stars have been identified since the beginning of the 16th century - however, almost all of them are visible only in the Southern Hemisphere, so the ancient Greeks and Romans, as well as the Arabs, did not know anything about them.
So for today on the celestial sphere of the world, a total of 88 constellations have been identified and officially recognized by the International Astronomical Union.
Constellations of the Northern Subpolar Region
Just like the Moon, the constellations move across the night sky in the direction from east to west - this is due to the fact that the Earth rotates around its axis from west to east. Constellations located in the 40-degree zone from the North Pole of the world belong to the so-called Northern Subpolar Region; they all remain visible at any time of the year, never hiding behind the horizon. The five main circumpolar constellations include Cassiopeia, Cepheus, Ursa Major, Ursa Minor and dragon. The latter is a broken chain of stars stretching across a vast region of the sky: the tail of the Dragon is located between the North Star and Ursa Major, the body goes around Ursa Minor and Cepheus, and the head is directed towards the constellation Hercules.
Summer star triangle of the Northern Hemisphere
A starry star appearing in the sky of the Northern Hemisphere on warm summer nights triangle(that's what they call it) summer) make up the three brightest bodies in the constellations Lyra, swan And Eagle: Vega, Deneb And Altair.
Winter Star Triangle of the Northern Hemisphere
In winter, in the midnight sky appears winter triangle, which is composed by the brightest stars of Orion ( Betelgeuse), Big Dog ( Sirius) and Little Dog ( Procyon).
Other "carriers" of bright stars include constellations lion And Virgin They are best seen in the spring. Other constellations that are not included in the circumpolar region are sometimes almost completely hidden for us beyond the horizon, but at the same time become partially visible south of the equator. Among them are the constellations of Orion, Taurus, Canis Major, Gemini.
constellations of the northern hemisphere
- Andromeda
- Twins
- Big Dipper
- Auriga
- Bootes
- Veronica's hair
- Hercules
- Hounds Dogs
- Dolphin
- The Dragon
- Giraffe
- Cassiopeia
- Swan
- Chanterelle
- Ursa Minor
- Small Horse
- Small Lion
- Small Dog
- Pegasus
- Perseus
- Northern Crown
- Arrow
- Taurus
- Triangle
- Cepheus
- Lizard
Description of interesting constellations of the Northern Hemisphere
Andromeda
Andromeda is a constellation in the northern hemisphere, consisting of three bright stars arranged in a line. Star Alamak - a triple system consisting of the main star yellow color with a magnitude of 2m and two of its satellites - bluish stars. Star Alferatz (another name for Alfaret, in Arabic "Sirrah al-Faras", translated as "the navel of a horse"). Both stars are navigational stars by which sailors navigate the sea. The third star Mirach, located between them.
Big Dipper
Ursa Major is a constellation in the northern hemisphere. Of course, Ursa Major is the oldest constellation in the sky. According to Yu.A. Karpenko, one hundred thousand years ago, in the Middle Paleolithic, Neanderthals had already identified this group of stars. Average modern man will not yield to the Neanderthal in this: almost everyone can find the seven-star Big Dipper in the night sky. However, the Big Dipper is only a small, albeit the most memorable part of the constellation: the third largest in area and including approximately 125 stars visible to the naked eye. Seven stars form the most famous figure in the sky. This is a bucket, which, with its two extreme stars Dubhe and Merak, gives direction to the North Star. The brightest star is Alioth, and the most famous binary system is Mizar - "horse" and Alcor - "rider". It is believed that one who distinguishes between these two stars has sharp eyesight.
Auriga
Charioteer is a constellation in the northern hemisphere, located in the circumpolar region of the sky. The brightest star is the yellow double Capella, which means “goat” or “goat star” in Latin. Capella is the sixth brightest star in the sky, its luminosity is 170 times greater than the sun, the distance to this giant is 13 parsecs. The star is a system of six stars, which, unfortunately, cannot be seen separately even with good binoculars.
Bootes
Bootes is one of the most beautiful constellations in the northern hemisphere of the sky. It attracts attention with its characteristic pattern, similar to an air-filled parachute, where the parachutist is Arcturus, the third brightest star in the sky. The name of the star comes from "arktos" - guardian and "ursus" - bear ("guardian of the bear" following the constellation Ursa Major in the sky).
Veronica's hair
Hair of Veronica is a constellation in the northern hemisphere of the sky, containing about 60 stars visible to the naked eye. The brightest, Hair of Veronica, has a magnitude of 4.3". Looking at it, you can see what the Sun looks like from a distance of 27 light years, since this star is very similar in its characteristics to our star.
Hercules
Hercules is one of the largest constellations in the northern hemisphere. On a clear and moonless night in the constellation Hercules, about 140 stars can be distinguished with the naked eye, the brightest of them are stars of the third magnitude. If you mentally connect them with lines, you get a characteristic geometric figure of the constellation Hercules - two large trapeziums with a common base, located one on top of the other.
hounds dogs
Hounds Dogs is a small constellation in the northern hemisphere of the sky, in which you can distinguish about thirty stars visible to the naked eye. The brightest star of the Hounds of the Dogs was named by the English astronomer Edmund Halley in honor of King Charles II, whose name is associated with the restoration of royal power in England in the 17th century. This is a beautiful double star: one of its components is golden yellow (3.2), the other is purple (5.7), located at a distance of 20 arc seconds from the first. A pair is best observed with binoculars or a small telescope.
The Dragon
Draco is a circumpolar constellation in the northern hemisphere of the sky, one of the largest in area. It contains more than two hundred stars that can be seen with the naked eye, of which 80 stars are brighter than 6m. Thuban or "Serpent" (alpha Draconis, 3.7) was the northern pole star from 3700 to 1500 BC. e. The brightest star is Etamin (Gamma Draco, 2.2). In Arabic, al-Ras al-Tinnin means "Dragon's head". Another very interesting star - Kuma (Dragon Nude) - is an optical double, its components are clearly visible through binoculars.
Cassiopeia
Cassiopeia is a non-setting constellation in the northern hemisphere of the sky. It contains about 90 stars brighter than 6, visible to the naked eye. The brightest are Rukbah, Rukba, Navi, Shedar and Kaf. They form the “W” figure, being navigational, by which sailors determine their location in the sea. An unusual variable star is Navi. It looks like a bursting new star, changing its brightness from 1.6 to 3. Cassiopeia's variable rho changes brightness from 4 to 6.2 and then it becomes invisible to the naked eye. This star is a supergiant, 40 times heavier and about 500,000 times more luminous than the Sun.
Swan
Cygnus is a constellation in the northern hemisphere of the sky. Bright stars form a characteristic cross-shaped pattern - the "Northern Cross", stretched along the Milky Way. The ancient peoples saw a flying bird in the constellation; Babylonians "forest bird", Arabs - "chicken". Deneb "chicken tail" is a very bright star, a blue supergiant with a luminosity 67,000 times that of the sun. This is the top left corner of the Summer Triangle. Albireo (beta Cygnus "chicken's beak") is a beautiful binary system, easily distinguishable in a small telescope.
Ursa Minor
Ursa Minor is a circumpolar constellation located in the northern hemisphere. It contains almost forty stars that can be seen with the naked eye. At present, the North Pole of the World is located in Ursa Minor at a distance of less than 1 ° from the North Star. Ursa Minor consists of seven stars, better known as the "Little Dipper". The most extreme star in the "handle" of the Bucket is the North Star (alpha Ursa Minor with magnitude 2.0). The next brightest star is Kokhab (beta Ursa Minor with magnitude 2.1. In the period from about 2000 BC to 500 AD, Kokhab was a polar star, translated from Arabic Kokhab-zl-Shemali - “Star of the North”.
Small Horse
The Little Horse is the smallest constellation in terms of area in the northern hemisphere of the sky. It contains no more than ten stars visible to the naked eye on a clear night. These faint stars do not form any characteristic geometric figure, which could attract the attention of the observer. The star (alpha) of the Little Horse has its own name - Kitalfa or in Arabic al Kitah al Faras, which means “part of the horse”. Its brightness is 3.9 magnitude. The brightness of the remaining stars does not exceed 4.5; they don't have their own names.
Orion
Orion is a bright equatorial constellation in the northern hemisphere with a characteristic pattern. The star Betelgeuse (Alpha Orion), which means “armpit” in Arabic, is a red supergiant, an irregular variable whose brightness varies from 0.2 to 1.2. The distance to the star is 520 light years, and the luminosity is 14,000 times that of the sun. This is one of the largest among known to astronomers stars: if placed in the place of the Sun, it will reach the orbit of Jupiter. The volume of Betelgeuse is 160 million times larger than the sun.
Pegasus
Pegasus is a large equatorial constellation located southwest of Andromeda. It contains more than one and a half hundred stars visible to the naked eye. The brightest of them are Enif, which has a magnitude of 2.5 and Markab (alpha Pegasus) with magnitude 2.6. The rather bright star Sheat (beta Pegasus) is a semi-correct star, the brightness of which varies randomly from 2.4 to 2.8. Translated from the Arabic name of the brightest stars, the constellations mean: Markab - "saddle" or "carriage", Sheat - "shoulder", Algenib - "horse's navel", Enif - "nose".
Perseus
Perseus is a constellation in the northern hemisphere of the sky with a characteristic pattern that looks like an open compass. The brightest star of Perseus is Mirfak, which means “elbow” in Arabic. This huge giant, located at a distance of 590 light years, has a magnitude of 1.8, 62 times the size of the Sun and 5000 times brighter.
Arrow
Arrow is a small and very beautiful constellation in the northern hemisphere. Contains about thirty stars visible to the naked eye. There are no bright stars in it and only one star - and Arrows, has its own name - Sham. In the constellation is the variable FG Arrows, which gave its name to an independent type of variable stars. It has changed in 100 years its temperature from 50,000 to 4,600°K and the chemical composition of the atmosphere. The FG Arrows star is ejecting huge clouds of carbon dust as its shell expands.
Triangle
Triangulum is a beautiful but small constellation in the northern hemisphere. It contains about twenty stars with a brightness greater than magnitude 6. When viewed with the naked eye, the constellation takes on the shape of a right-angled triangle located under Andromeda. The top of the Triangle is the star Metalakh (alpha), translated from Arabic - “top of the triangle”. The brightest star is beta with magnitude 3.
Cepheus
Cepheus is a constellation in the northern hemisphere of the sky, with a characteristic pattern resembling an irregular pentagon. The southern part of Cepheus enters the Milky Way. There are about one hundred and fifty stars in the constellation, visible to the naked eye. The constellation has no bright stars, the brightest is Alderamin (alpha Cephei) with magnitude 2.4 magnitude. The star Delta Cephei is a double star with a magnitude of 3.7 to 4.5 with a period of 5.4 days, it was discovered by the English amateur astronomer John Goodryke in 1784.
Lizard
The Lizard is a small constellation in the Milky Way. Its faint stars do not form any characteristic geometric figure. On a clear night, about thirty stars can be found in it with the naked eye. Only one of them has a magnitude of 3.8, so the entire constellation can only be seen on a moonless night under very good observation conditions.
Learning to find Ursa Minor, Cassiopeia and Dragon
So, let's start our acquaintance with the starry sky. Today we will get acquainted with the four constellations of the Northern sky: Ursa Major, Ursa Minor (with the famous North Star), Draco and Cassiopeia. All these constellations, due to their proximity to the North Pole of the World in the European territory of the former USSR, are non-setting. Those. they can be found in the starry sky on any day and at any time. The first steps should begin with the Big Dipper known to everyone. Did you find it in the sky? If not, then to search for it, remember that on summer evenings the “ladle” is located in the northwest, in autumn - in the north, in winter - in the northeast, in spring - directly overhead. Now pay attention to the two extreme stars of this "bucket".
If you mentally draw a straight line through these two stars, then the first star, the brightness of which is comparable to the brightness of the stars of the “bucket” of the Big Dipper, will be the Polar Star, belonging to the constellation Ursa Minor. Try to find the rest of the stars in this constellation. If you observe in urban conditions, then it will be difficult to make out the stars of the "small bucket" (namely, this is how the constellation Ursa Minor is unofficially called): they are not as bright as the stars of the "big bucket", i.e. Big Dipper. To do this, it is better to have binoculars on hand. When you see the constellation Ursa Minor, you can try to find the constellation Cassiopeia. I don’t know about you, but for me it was initially associated with another “bucket”. Rather, it is even a "coffee pot". So, look at the second from the end star of the “bucket handle” of Ursa Major. This is the star next to which an asterisk is barely visible to the naked eye. The bright star is called Mizar, and the one next to it is Alkor (here is the lineup of iconic Soviet telescopes for astronomy lovers, produced by the Novosibirsk Instrument-Making Plant (NPZ)). They say that if translated from Arabic, then Mizar is a horse, and Alcor is a rider. Being familiar with Arabic I can't confirm this, but let's trust the books.
So, Mizar is found. Now draw a mental line from Mizar through the North Star and then about the same distance. And you will surely see pretty bright constellation in the form of the Latin letter W. This is Cassiopeia. Still, something like a "coffee pot", isn't it?
Learning to find Perseus, Andromeda and Charioteer
To find the Auriga and the Pleiades in August, it is recommended to look at the sky around midnight, in September - about 23 hours, in October - after 22 hours. To begin our walk through the starry sky today, locate the North Star and then the constellation Cassiopeia. On these August evenings, it is visible from the evening high above the northeastern part of the sky.
Stretch your hand forward, spreading the thumb and forefinger of this hand to the maximum possible angle. This angle will be approximately 18°. Now point your index finger at Cassiopeia, and lower your thumb perpendicularly down. There you will see the stars belonging to the constellation Perseus. Compare the observed stars with a fragment of a star map and remember the location of the constellation Perseus.
After that, pay attention to the long chain of stars stretching from Perseus towards the south point. This is the constellation Andromeda. If you draw a mental line from the North Star through Cassiopeia, then this line will also point to the central part of Andromeda. Using a star chart, find this constellation. Now pay attention to the central bright star of the constellation. The star has its own name - Mirach. Above it, you can find three dim stars that form a triangle, and together with Alferatz, a figure resembling a slingshot. Between the upper stars of this "slingshot" on moonless nights outside the city, you can see a faint misty speck. This is the famous Andromeda Nebula - a gigantic galaxy visible to the naked eye from Earth. Within the city, you can use small binoculars or a telescope to search for it.
While searching for Perseus, you probably noticed a bright yellow star to the left and below Perseus. This is Capella - the main star of the constellation Auriga. The constellation Auriga itself is visible under the constellation Perseus, but for a more effective search for it, it is necessary to conduct observations after midnight, although part of the constellation is visible already in the evening (in central Russia, Capella is a non-setting star).
If you follow the chain of stars of the constellation Perseus, as shown on the map, you will notice that the chain first goes vertically down (4 stars) and then turns to the right (3 stars). If you continue the mental line further to the right from these three stars, then you will find a silvery cloud, upon closer examination, for a person with normal vision, it will break up into 6-7 stars in the form of a miniature "ladle". This is the Pleiades open star cluster.
Learning to find Lyra and Cepheus
Let's start with Vega, especially in August - September, the star is clearly visible high above the horizon in the southwestern, and then in its western part. Residents of the middle lane can observe this star all year round, because. it is non-setting in the middle latitudes.
When you got acquainted with the constellation Draco, you probably paid attention to the four stars in the form of a trapezoid, forming the "head" of the Draco in its western part. And for sure you noticed a bright white star not far from the "head" of the Dragon. This is Vega. In order to verify this, draw a mental line from the extreme star of the “dipper” of the Big Dipper (the star is called Dubge) through the “head” of the Dragon. Vega will lie just on the continuation of this straight line. Now examine carefully the vicinity of Vega and you will see several faint stars forming a figure resembling a parallelogram. This is the constellation Lyra. Running a little ahead, we note that Vega is one of the vertices of the so-called summer-autumn triangle, the other vertices of which are the bright stars Altair (the main star of the Aquila constellation) and Deneb (the main star of the Cygnus constellation). Deneb is located near Vega and it's signed on our map, so try to find it yourself. If it does not work out, then do not despair - in the next task we will learn to look for both the Swan and the Eagle.
Now move your gaze to the near-zenith region of the sky, if, of course, you are observing in the late summer or autumn evening. If you are outside of a big city, you will probably be able to see a strip of the Milky Way stretching from south to northeast. So, between the Dragon and Cassiopeia, you can easily find a constellation that resembles a house with a roof, which, as it were, “floats” along the Milky Way. This is the constellation Cepheus. If you are observing in a big city and the Milky Way is not visible, then Cassiopeia and the Dragon should also be your guide. The constellation Cepheus is located just between the "kink" of the Dragon and Cassiopeia. The "roof of the house" is not strictly directed to the North Star.
If you are completely new to astronomy and are just about to start exploring the starry sky, then the best time for this is definitely winter. In no other season will you see so many bright stars in the evening sky! And the drawings that they form, for the most part, are easy to remember.
By the way, thanks to the many bright stars, the winter sky in the evenings can be studied even in big cities where street lighting is strong. Well, the best time to get acquainted is January, the middle of winter.
What constellations can be seen in the sky in January? Correct answer - depending on when. The January night is so long that during its course the constellations of all seasons float through the sky, even those that are usually considered summer! The evening sky in January is completely different from the morning sky, so it makes sense to make a description separately for the evening, night and morning sky.
Evening starry sky in January
So, mid-January, it got dark just a couple of hours ago. At this time, far to the west, where the dawn had recently blazed above the horizon, you can see three bright stars forming a large triangle in the sky. This is one of the most famous star patterns in the sky, known as.
January evening sky, looking west. Here at this time the Great Summer Triangle tends to the horizon. Drawing: Stellarium
It is formed by the stars, and Altair, who simultaneously lead the constellations of Lyra, Cygnus and Eagle. The summer triangle, combining the stars of different constellations, is not a constellation, but an asterism. A lot of bright and memorable ones are scattered across the sky, some of which consist of stars of several constellations, and some are the most noticeable part of one constellation. (For example, the Big Dipper consists of the stars of only one constellation - Ursa Major. But this vast constellation is not limited to just a bucket!)
At the same time, in the south, the autumn constellations, Pisces and Whale, culminate (reach the greatest height above the horizon). Autumn star patterns are not bright, but still quite noticeable. The easiest to find among them Great Pegasus Square, another asterism formed by four stars of the 2nd star. quantities. Three of them belong to the constellation Pegasus. The fourth star, which forms the upper left corner of the square, is the constellation Andromeda.
Pegasus and Andromeda culminate in January in the south in the early evening. Here and below, the view of the sky is shown for the latitude of Moscow and St. Petersburg. Drawing: Stellarium
The brightest stars of Andromeda form an upwardly curved chain of three stars, giving the square a distant resemblance to the Big Dipper bucket. In this constellation is the famous Andromeda Nebula - a large spiral galaxy and the most distant object in the Universe, visible to the naked eye.
The same constellations commonly referred to as winter constellations rise in the east on an early January evening. Among them are the constellations of Taurus, Auriga and Orion. The latter, of course, is the main constellation of the winter sky.
The winter constellations of Orion, Taurus, Auriga and Gemini rise in the east on January evenings. Drawing: Stellarium
January starry sky at night
The winter constellations take their place in the south by midnight. Immediately seven stars brighter than the second magnitude are located in a relatively small area of the sky! Almost at the zenith, yellow Chapel, under it - orange Aldebaran, to the left and below it - Betelgeuse And Rigel, the main stars of Orion. Even lower, low above the horizon, it floats, shimmering with all the colors of the rainbow. Finally, on the left, almost in the southeast, a yellowish Procyon(α Small Dog) and Pollux from the constellation Gemini.
A picture of the January starry sky at midnight. In the center of the winter constellations is Orion. Drawing: Stellarium
The main character in the picture of the winter constellations is, of course, the legendary hunter Orion. Its seven brightest stars form a figure that is instantly memorable: three bright bluish-white stars, zeta, epsilon and delta form ; above it are the reddish Betelgeuse and the hot star Bellatrix (they mark the shoulders of the hunter), and below it are the bright white star Rigel and the star Saif; they point to his feet. Under the belt of Orion, on dark and transparent nights, the eye notices a small foggy spot (on ancient maps, a hunter's sword was drawn in this place). This is the famous Orion Nebula, a gigantic cloud of interstellar gas, a place where stars are being born right now.
Orion constellation and surroundings. The image artificially enhances the glow of emission nebulae and dark interstellar dust. Photo: Adrien Mauduit
In the sky, Orion is surrounded by several animals. To the right and above the hunter is the constellation Taurus. The bull is furious and appears to be charging at Orion; Aldebaran marks the red eye of Taurus. The impressive horns are formed by the stars β and ζ Taurus, but they are not afraid of the hunter: Orion swung a club at the bull. The torso of Taurus is marked by a small graceful Pleiades scoop.
Under the feet of Orion is a small constellation of the Hare, and to the left of it, low above the horizon, is the constellation Canis Major. The main star of this particular constellation is the brightest in the entire night sky of the Earth. We are talking, of course, about Sirius. Orion's other loyal dog, Canis Minor, is marked by a bright Procyon. Between Sirius and Procyon is the fabulous Unicorn, a vast but completely nondescript constellation.
The constellation Eridanus, symbolizing the celestial river, is located to the right of Orion - under the constellation Taurus. In mid-latitudes, this vast and southward-elongated constellation is only partially visible above the horizon. The last winter constellation, Auriga, is located almost at the zenith at night. In addition to Capella, it includes three more relatively bright stars, forming an irregular quadrangle. A compact triangle of 3rd magnitude stars just below Capella is also part of the Auriga. These three stars, together with Capella, form the ancient asterism Goat with Kids.
Milky Way in the constellation Taurus. Photo: Peter I. Papics
Note that the Milky Way passes through the constellations Auriga, Gemini, Taurus, Orion, Unicorn and Canis Major. However, here it is far from being as bright as in the constellations Cygnus or Sagittarius. The reason is that in winter we look in the direction opposite to the center of the Galaxy, on its outskirts, where the concentration of stars falls. In order to catch its faint glow, you have to find a dark sky.
Now let's look to the east. After a bright view of the southern part of the sky, the eastern sky looks frankly empty. The constellations of Lynx, Cancer and Lesser Leo can hardly be distinguished in the city sky. The only noticeable constellation, though only rising above the horizon, is zodiac constellation Lion, shaped like a huge trapezoid. In the northeast, the Ursa Major Bucket leans upward; It is located 30° above the horizon.
Sky in January at midnight. East direction. Drawing: Stellarium
The northern part of the sky looks more interesting thanks to Vega and Deneb, two bright stars summer sky, which were visible in the west in the evening. At the latitude of Moscow and St. Petersburg, these stars never go beyond the horizon, and therefore are observed during the entire dark time of the day - at night in the northwest and north, and in the morning in the northeast and east.
January sky at midnight. North direction. Drawing: Stellarium
As always, due north is the North Star. Its height in the sky depends on the latitude of the place of observation. For example, in Moscow, the North Star is at an altitude of 56 ° above the horizon, and in St. Petersburg already at an altitude of 60 °. Actually, it is by the height of the North Star that it is easiest to determine the latitude of the area. Why? Because its position in the sky does not change significantly either during the day or even during the year.
Starry sky in January morning
The picture of the morning sky is not at all like the midnight sky. In 7 hours, the celestial sphere makes almost a third of a revolution, and the stars that shone at midnight in the south, before dawn, either already went beyond the horizon, or are visible far in the northwest. Among such constellations, visible "to the last", are the constellations of the Auriga and Gemini.
The western and southern parts of the sky were occupied by dim spring and even part summer constellations. A more or less distinct pattern can be traced only in the constellations Leo, Virgo and Bootes. As we have already said, the figure of Leo is based on a trapezoid of four stars. The main stars of Virgo form an irregular quadrilateral, with the brightest star of the constellation - Spica - located in its lower left corner. Finally, the constellation Bootes vaguely resembles a parachute. The skydiver is the orange Arcturus, the brightest star in the northern hemisphere of the sky.
Dawn sky in January. In 2018, the drawings of the constellations distort the planets - very bright Jupiter and, similar to a star of the 2nd magnitude, Mars. Drawing: Stellarium
The eastern part of the sky is occupied by the already familiar Great Summer Triangle - three bright stars are quite high when the morning dawn begins to flare up under them.
What to see in the sky in January: stars, clusters and nebulae
And what else, besides drawings of constellations, should you pay attention to? Of course, on interesting stars, clusters, nebulae and galaxies.
The starry sky of January is rich in interesting objects. Some of them can be seen even with the naked eye, but with binoculars, the list of attractions expands significantly. Below we briefly list only those that can be seen on January evenings with minimal optical equipment. To search for nebulae, galaxies, and star clusters, use a good star atlas or planetarium program (such as the free Stellarium program).
Objects for observation with the naked eye
- Algol- perhaps the most famous variable star. Located in the constellation Perseus, it belongs to the class of eclipsing variable stars. Gloss varies from 2.1m to 3.4m. A light object for observation with the naked eye.
- Aldebaran is the brightest star in the constellation Taurus. It is located next to Jupiter. In the early evening it rises in the east, at night it is visible in the south at an altitude of about 50 ° above the horizon. It has a distinct reddish hue.
- Altair- the brightest star in the constellation Eagle (brilliance 0.76 m). After sunset, it is visible in the west at an altitude of about 30 ° above the horizon. Part of the summer triangle.
- Betelgeuse- α Orionis, a red supergiant. One of the largest stars known to scientists, the diameter is 1000 times the diameter of the Sun. Incorrect variable - brightness varies within almost 1 m . Distance approximately 500 St. years.
- Great Nebula of Orion (M42)- a bright and beautiful nebula, visible even to the naked eye. The telescope will give an amazing view. Distance about 1500 St. years.
The famous Orion Nebula. The picture was taken by the Hubble telescope. Photo: NASA/ESA/M. Robberto (STScI/ESA) et al./APOD
- Vega- the brightest star of the constellation Lyra (brilliance 0.03 m). In the evening it is visible in the west at an altitude of about 40 ° above the horizon. Part of the Great Summer Triangle.
- Hyades is a large open cluster in the constellation Taurus. In the sky surrounds the star Aldebaran. The shape resembles the Latin letter V. The distance is about 150 light years from Earth.
- Deneb- the brightest star in the constellation Cygnus (magnitude 1.25 m). Visible in the evenings in the west at an altitude of more than 60 ° above the horizon, at night - in the north-west at an altitude of about 20 °. Part of the Great Summer Triangle
- Chapel- bright yellow star, α Aurigae. Gloss 0.08 m . In the evenings it is located in the east at an altitude of about 45 ° above the horizon, at night - almost at the zenith in the south, in the morning - in the western part of the sky at an altitude of about 50 ° above the horizon. Distance 42 St. of the year.
- Castor- α Gemini, the second brightest in the constellation after Pollux. Consists of 6(!) stars connected to each other by gravity. The telescope shows three stars. Distance 52 St. of the year.
- Pleiades is an open cluster in the constellation Taurus. Also known as the Seven Sisters, Stozhary, Volosozhary. It rises after sunset in the east, at night it is visible in the south at an altitude of more than 50 ° above the horizon, in the morning - low above the west. It looks like a small bucket to the naked eye, binoculars show dozens of stars. The distance to Earth is about 400 sv. years.
- Pollux- β Gemini and the brightest star in the constellation. Together with Castor, this star symbolizes the mythical twins born from the almighty Zeus and the beautiful Leda. orange star. Distance 34 St. of the year.
- polar Star- a star that marks the North Pole of the celestial sphere (magnitude 2.0 m). Visible at any time of the year and day from anywhere in the northern hemisphere of the Earth. The height above the horizon is determined by the latitude of the place of observation and practically does not change during the day. The perpendicular, lowered from the North Star to the horizon, points to the North Pole of the Earth.
- Orion's belt. Formed by three hot white stars - ζ, ε and δ Orionis.
- Rigel is a blue supergiant and the brightest star in the constellation Orion. Distance about 850 St. years. Luminosity - 120,000 luminosities of the Sun.
- Sirius is the brightest star in the night sky. Rise around 10 pm in the southeast. In the south it is visible at about 2 o'clock in the morning. Due to its low position above the horizon, it often shimmers with all the colors of the rainbow.
- Sheat- or β Pegasus, an incorrect variable, the brightness varies from 2.1 m to 3.0 m. Red giant of spectral class M2.
- Jupiter- largest planet solar system. In the evening it is visible in the east, at night - high in the sky in the south, in the morning - in the west. A very bright, flicker-free yellow object. Through binoculars, 4 largest satellites are visible, and through a telescope with an aperture of 60 mm or more - cloud belts on the planet's disk.
- β Lira- an eclipsing variable star, the lower right star in the parallelogram of the constellation Lyra. Changes gloss from 3.3 m to 4.3 m with a period of 12.94 days. An optical companion is visible through binoculars - a bluish star 7.2 m.
- δ Cephei- the prototype of variable stars Cepheid. The brightness varies from 3.6 m to 4.5 m with a period of 5.366 days. Visible in the evening high in the sky in the west, at night - at an altitude of 40 ° above the northwestern horizon.
- ε Charioteer- one of the most amazing stars in the sky. Double; the moon is surrounded by a massive dust disk that outshines the bright component every 27 years.
- ζ Gemini- one of the most famous variable stars. Cepheid. Changes gloss within 3.8-4.4 m with a period of 10 days.
- ζ Charioteer- eclipsing variable star, period 2.66 years. Consists of an orange bright giant and a hot blue-white star. Distance about 800 St. years
- η Gemini or Pass. Located at the foot of Castor. Semiregular and eclipsing variable. Changes gloss within 3.1-3.6 m.
- η Cassiopeia- a beautiful double star, visible at its zenith in the evenings. Consists of two stars similar to the Sun. Distance 19 St. years. The distance between the components is 12″.
Objects for observation with binoculars and a small telescope
- 51 Pegasus- star 5.5 m, visible near the right edge of Pegasus Square. 51 Pegasi - a yellow star similar to the Sun; the first normal star in which astronomers found a planet (in 1995). Distance - 50 St. years.
- 61 Swans- a beautiful double star at 8 ° from Deneb. Consists of two orange stars 5.2 m and 6.0 m. The first star for which the distance was reliably measured (11.4 light years - in 1838).
- h&χ Perseus is a double cluster in the constellation Perseus. It is visible to the naked eye as an elongated hazy speck halfway between the star Mirfak (α Perseus) and the constellation Cassiopeia. Visible throughout the night high above the horizon. An excellent object for binoculars and small telescopes.
- Collider 69 is the open cluster Lambda Orionis. Located in the hunter's head between the stars Betelgeuse and Bellatrix
- R Lyres is a semiregular variable. Changes in brightness from 4.0 m to 5.0 m with a period of 46 days. It is located near Vega, visible after sunset high in the sky in the west, at night it is in the northwest low above the horizon.
- Albireo- a beautiful double star, one of the components of which is orange, and the other is bluish-green. It is separated even in small binoculars. Albireo represents the head of the Swan or the base of the Northern Cross, at the opposite end of which is Deneb. Visible in the evening in the west at an altitude of about 40 ° above the horizon, it sets below the horizon around midnight.
Open cluster M35 in the constellation Gemini. Next to it is the more distant and fainter cluster NGC 2158. Photo: New Forest Observatory
- M27- the planetary nebula "Dumbbell" in the constellation Vulpecula (see photo above). One of the brightest planetary nebulae in the sky. It is clearly visible even with small binoculars above the constellation Arrows. In January, it is visible in the evenings in the west. Distance about 1000 sv. years.
- M2 is a globular cluster in the constellation Aquarius. It can be seen in the evenings in the south and southwest. Through binoculars, it appears as a hazy spot of a spherical shape with blurry edges.
- M13- one of the most beautiful globular clusters in the sky. It is located in the constellation Hercules between the stars η and ζ. It is perfectly distinguishable already in 30-mm binoculars, and in a telescope with an aperture of more than 80 mm, it breaks into stars along the edges. In January, the cluster rises in the second half of the night in the northeast and is observed until sunrise.
- M15- a bright globular cluster in the constellation Pegasus (magnitude 6.4 m). In the evening it is visible in the south at an altitude of about 45 ° above the horizon, at night twice as low in the west. The landmark is the star Epsilon Pegasus.
- M31- Andromeda's nebula. The famous spiral galaxy, the most distant object visible to the naked eye. The distance is about 2.5 million light years.
- M33 is a spiral galaxy in the constellation Triangulum. Requires good atmospheric conditions, binoculars with an aperture of more than 50 mm and the absence of urban illumination.
- M35- a beautiful open cluster in the constellation Gemini. It is located at the foot of Castor, not far from the Star Pass (this Gemini). Distance 2800 St. years.
- M36 is an open cluster in the constellation Auriga. It is located near the clusters M37 and M38, almost halfway between the stars β Taurus and Capella. Distance - 4100 St. years.
- M37- a very beautiful open cluster in the constellation Auriga. Located in the middle of the Milky Way. Discovered in 1764 by Charles Messier. Distance - 4400 St. years.
- M38- Another open cluster in the constellation Auriga. Distance - 4300 St. years.
- M39- a beautiful open cluster in the constellation Cygnus. Located near Deneb. Contains about 30 stars. Under good conditions it is visible to the naked eye.
- M92 is another globular cluster in the constellation Hercules. Gloss 6.5 m . It is located almost 9 ° above M13, therefore it is possible to observe the cluster throughout the night very low above the horizon in the northern part of the sky.
- Melotte 20- open cluster α Perseus. A beautiful object to observe with binoculars. Surrounds the bright star Mirfak. Distance about 600 St. years.
- Mira Whale- a remarkable long-term variable, changes brightness in a huge range - from 2.0 m to 10.1 m with a period of 331 days. In the evenings it is visible in the southeast and in the south.
- nursery- a beautiful open cluster in the constellation Cancer. It can be seen with the naked eye as a misty star, and with binoculars it shatters into dozens of stars. Rise after 9 pm in the east.
- ε Lyra- a wide pair of white stars next to Vega. The distance between the stars is 3′.5. People with exceptionally sharp eyesight separate the couple with the naked eye. Telescopes show that each of the two stars is also a binary.
- μ Cephei- Pomegranate star. Irregular variable, one of the reddest stars. Change in brightness from 3.4 m to 5.1 m with overlapping cycles of 90, 730 and 4500 days.
