The Winter season brings some of the brightest stars in view. And with those stars, some bright deep sky objects. The season brings a chance to observe M42, M44, and M45, as well as the Winter Milky Way through Cassiopeia. However, the same old objects every year may get a little boring. Is there anything else to see beyond the Double Cluster? There is – if you know where to look.
January’s fundamentals meeting featured a tour of objects that are off the beaten path and may refresh your observing list for the season. To find out what awaits your observing as NAA member Rick Gering shares his knowledge of observing.
February ’26 Rick’s Picks
Transient Events That Can Give Us a Good Enough Reason to Get Outside and Do a Little Observing All month: the planets have abandoned the morning sky. In the evening, Jupiter continues to dominate the scene like a playground bully, overpowering Uranus (who...
January ’26 Rick’s Picks
Transient Events That Can Give Us a Good Enough Reason to Get Outside and Do a Little Observing All month: nearly half the planets are on vacation this month, hidden from sight in the Sun’s glare. Mercury might still be a viable (but difficult) target New...
December ’25 – Rick’s Picks
Transient Events That Can Give Us a Good Enough Reasonto Get Outside and Do a Little Observing All month: the sunrise sky becomes a less lively place this month, as Venus ends its long morning apparition and joins Mars in the solar glare as they both head...
November ’25 – Rick’s Picks
Transient Events That Can Give Us a Good Enough Reason to Get Outside and Do a Little Observing November 2025 All month: the solar system favors the evening this month. Mercury sets at least 30 minutes after the Sun from Nov 1-14, on its way to inferior conjunction on...