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.
November ’26 – Ricks 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...
October ‘25 – Rick’s Picks
Transient Events That Can Give Us a Good Enough Reason to Get Outside and Do a Little Observing All month: Mercury and Mars share the evening sunset this month, but neither of them will be an easy catch. Mercury begins October at mag -0.5 with a 93% illuminated 5”...
September ’25 – Rick’s Picks
Transient Events That Can Give Us a Good Enough Reason To Get Outside and Do a Little Observing All month: the early evening sky is still bereft of planets this month, other than unimpressive mag +1.6 Mars, now just 4” across, and it too will disappear into the sunset...
August ’25 – Rick’s Picks
Transient Events That Can Give Us a Good Enough Reason to Get Outside and Do a Little Observing All month: Mars continues to have the evening sky to itself this month, but it doesn’t make much use of it, setting just after 10 pm (less than 2 hours after the Sun) as...