Draco

October Constellations & Folklore

October 2011 : By Francine Jackson

Once again, the sign of the new season is beginning to make its way higher and higher in the sky. As October begins, the Great Square, symbol of fall, is getting easier to find in the southeast.

September Constellations & Folklore

September 2011 : By Francine Jackson

At this time of year, even though the season of summer ends this month and fall begins, the sky takes a little longer to shift to its next season. The Summer Triangle is still in a beautiful observing position, not really giving the fall constellations a chance to come to full view. So, while we’re waiting, it might be good to turn back to the north and see what is happening there.

The Circumpolar Constellations

June 2011 : By Francine Jackson

We normally spend a lot of time enjoying the seasonal constellations, the ones that our ancestors depended on as indicators of changes here on Earth, but we often forget that there is a set of star patterns that are always there, waiting for us when we turn around to the north. These are the circumpolar constellations, the ones that, although their positions do change with time, they seem to travel in a circle centered at the sky’s north pole, and are always visible from our northern latitudes.

A Better Galaxy Guide: Early Spring

April 2009 : By Craig Cortis

We all know about the wealth of galaxies that populate the sky beginning around this time of year, but if you’re not an experienced deep-sky observer, where do you begin?

A Selection of Double Stars in Draco

July 2008 : By Glenn Chaple

A hazy summer evening may prevent you from observing nebulae and galaxies, but it could afford ideal seeing conditions for high power targets like double stars.

Some Bright Summer Double Stars

June 2005 : By Glenn Chaple

In this modern era of the huge galaxy-gulping Dobsonian reflector, double stars have become the neglected children of the cosmos. That’s too bad, because few heavenly objects have the visual appeal of double stars.