Striking colours

[ian_j_kirk]

I had a nice observing session last night in which I saw the Garnet star in Cephus, and the Blue Snowball in Andromeda. Both amazingly pretty objects to look at, and ones that don't get mentioned too often. After going to bed I got to thinking about the warm orange glow of the Garnet star and the lovely blue colour of the snowball, and remembered being told about the carbon star that is near Vega that glows a lovely red colour. Having not yet seen it, this will absolutely be a target for me in my next session, but am wondering, what other colours have people seen in the sky that made them sit and think wow, that is something different to your every day feint grey fuzzy? Clear Skies, Ian

[Pig]

There is a nice double in Cygnus, Albireo and its twin, Orange & Blue. They do look stunning next to each other ( Cygni A & B )

[Qualia]

A few colourful picks which can be seen more or less this month could include:

Vega and its starfield is simply spectacular. I love viewing her through the dob. There's a real joy with difraction spikes, like brilliant arcs of gorgeous blazing blue light.

61 Cygni is a mellow double, yellow like wheat in a summer field.

NGC 6231 is a gorgeous casket of precious sparklers, there are blue-sapphire gems, a warm amber giant and a hundred opel-pearls cascading through the heavens.

M 7 is a spectacular open cluster some 1,000 light years away and about 25 light years across.

Gamma Andromedae is a pretty double which reminds me of Albireo:

Happy Hunting

[Pig]

Qualia.

I will also look for these two, they are very similar to Albireo

[Qualia]

Any luck, Pig? The Delos will really show off the pair's brilliance

[stevepeverall]

+1 For The Garnet Star and Albireo

The orange of Betelgeuse and the blue/ white of Rigel also stand out in my mind