I miss the winter skies!

[BrettP77]

Having only had my scope since Christmas, I have been enjoying the winter sky from my back garden. Just as i had got myself familiar with the skies (mainly south and west due to my position) it seems most of my favourite targets (orion nebula, pleiades) are disappearing as the year moves on. Feels like i need to start learning my way around all over again! Can anyone recommend some equally good targets to look for now?

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Go galaxy-hunting! There's wagon loads of galaxies in Leo, Virgo, Coma Berenices, and Ursa Major (M81, M82, and M101 are superbly placed at the moment). M65 and M66 are a great pair in Leo, and with NGC 3628 make up one of the most famous trios of galaxies in the sky, and another group is M95, M96 and M105 (plus a couple of NGCs). You do not need a huge scope for these objects, but you do need clear, dark skies. In Virgo the main problem is identifying which object is which. I spotted 6 galaxies in a single field of view with my old 6" F/8 Newtonian when I was 17 or so. Marvellous area of the skies. I am still finding new fuzzies there. Note that none are as spectacular as M42 or M45, you just see a faint bit of grey fuzz.

[Aronnax]

...

Can anyone recommend some equally good targets to look for now?

I can second the recommendation to look around Leo, Virgo, and Coma Berenices for galaxies, as well as Ursa Major. Also M44 the Beehive cluster in Cancer should be well placed in a general southerly direction. Don't forget to look out for Saturn as it becomes increasingly prominent too.

I'm also looking forward to Lyra rising again at a decent hour. And don't forget that the moon is always a good target in the brighter summer months too.

I will be missing those 'old friends' from the winter months too, but looking forward to some new ones putting in an appearance!

Clear skies

[mert]

Go galaxy-hunting! There's wagon loads of galaxies in Leo, Virgo, Coma Berenices, and Ursa Major (M81, M82, and M101 are superbly placed at the moment). M65 and M66 are a great pair in Leo, and with NGC 3628 make up one of the most famous trios of galaxies in the sky, and another group is M95, M96 and M105 (plus a couple of NGCs). You do not need a huge scope for these objects, but you do need clear, dark skies. In Virgo the main problem is identifying which object is which. I spotted 6 galaxies in a single field of view with my old 6" F/8 Newtonian when I was 17 or so. Marvellous area of the skies. I am still finding new fuzzies there. Note that none are as spectacular as M42 or M45, you just see a faint bit of grey fuzz.

Good info, they are on my list for tonight hopefully

[kirkster501]

Glad to see the back of this winter. It's been diabolical for astronomers in the UK and NW Europe.

[Paul M]

As much as I can't bear the cold weather these days I always look forward to the winter sky.

Seeing Orion returning in autumn is like meeting an old friend. He makes me smile and want to shake his hand!

Sent from my ZT ICS using Tapatalk HD

[Pete Presland]

they will be back again before you know it!

[Qualia]

I'm really enjoying the weather at the moment. Spring in Spain is my favourite time; everything just comes alive. 30º-ish in the day, mild 20ºs at night, clear and stunning skies. Although it's another very clear night, I'm absoluetly exhausted and just can't 'face' another night out . I will ponder Saturn and then call it a night.

Anyway, have you checked out Virgo and her galaxies? Lyra and its stunning star fields and doubles and smoke-ring nebula? Mighty Hercules and his globulars? And then there's Ursa Major, Coma Berenices, Bootes swinging into Leo? Beautiful Saturn and Scorpio down below and the final waves goodbye - if you're out early - to Jupiter and his ducklings of Moons. The Moon itself is also an exquisite show piece, forever changing, forever something to behold and wonder.

[Marc1980]

I'm really enjoying the weather at the moment. Spring in Spain is my favourite time; everything just comes alive. 30º-ish in the day, mild 20ºs at night, clear and stunning skies.

Yea ok dont rub it in.

Although it's another very clear night, I'm absoluetly exhausted and just can't 'face' another night out .

Oh no.... not another clear night.

I will ponder Saturn and then call it a night.

Ok, Im moving to spain....Im just going to go outside first and ponder some cloud.

Joking apart, I am glad you are able to make the most of your clear skies...enjoy

[Qualia]

Brilliant, Marc. You're the first to make me laugh today. That was very funny. If I could you a 1000 thank yous, I would

[cotterless45]

Worry not, there's two months to go until the longest day !

It's so lovely to get set up at 4 in the afternoon and get crisp winter nights , roll on !

Nick.

[Andy_E]

Despite the brightening skies, I'm actually quite fond of summer astronomy. There's some rich pickings of OCs and nebs coming our way, but simply getting to a reasonably dark site, putting down the binoculars and leaving the scope behind to look up with naked eyes at the milky way on a warm summer night is one of my favourite aspects of summer astro. It really is quite something!

[BrettP77]

Thanks for all the suggestions. Plenty there to keep me busy for a while. The bright moon ended any hope of looking for any dso's last night but enjoyed a good hour or so on the moon itself. Even managed to get a couple of pics through my 12mm bst using just my iPhone!

[crazyjedi]

There are two globular clusters in Hercules that are nice and easy to find

[Cath]

I quite like things as they are today, no central heating, nice bit of warm sunshine whilst mowing the lawn and having a general spring garden tidy up.

[umadog]

The globs in Hercules. The emission nebulae scattered along the milky way in Cygnus and Sagittarius. M27. M57. Lots to see in the summer sky