Bear Tales

public outreach q&a: how did our circumpolar bears' tails get so long?

fractured mythology tells us the two ursas were caught trying to steal pic-uh-nic baskets during one of king cepheus' outdoor luncheon events. as punishment, they would spend eternity in the sky being chased and tormented by the evil dragon draco. cepheus grabbed the bears by their formerly stubby tails, and his spinning wind-up before launching them was so powerful that it stretched the appendages to their current unusually long length.

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saber does the stars
https://saberdoesthe....wordpress.com/
pov astro simulations at youtube
https://m.youtube.com/@saberzastrovidz

related searches: constellations, mythology, caldwell catalog, dso, cygnus, cepheus, solar, h-alpha, sunspots, cassiopeia, nebula, taurus, doublestars, voyager, jupiter, io, outreach, galaxies, phobos, deimos, mars, saturn, cassini, venus, titan, occultation, jupiter, galilean moons, eclipse, sun, pluto, charon, nasa, seds, space, messier-caldwell marathon, m-cubed, messier marathon from memory, deepsky lists, concordiem borealis, asterisms, ally’s braid, zodiac, saber does the stars, saber’s beads, saberscorpx, stephen saber, c14 is awesome

Messier, Caldwell, RASC Galaxies Core Brightness Data

Stephen Saber

I've always found core brightness (mpsam) to be a more dependable indicator of a galaxy's detection than integrated or surface brightness magnitudes, especially under light polluted skies. Happy hunting.

Messier Con Mag Core Brightness
M31 And 3.4 16.6
M32 And 8.1 17.7
M94 CVn 8.2 17.7
M81 UMa 6.9 17.8
M104 Vir 8.0 18.3
M77 Cet 8.9 18.4
M83 Hya 7.5 18.6
M49 Vir 8.4 18.7
M82 UMa 8.4 18.8
M60 Vir 8.8 18.8
M64 Com 8.5 18.9
M87 Vir 8.6 18.9
M105 Leo 9.3 18.9
M102 Dra 9.9 18.9
M66 Leo 8.9 19.0
M84 Vir 9.1 19.0
M85 Com 9.1 19.1
M106 CVn 8.4 19.2
M86 Vir 8.9 19.2
M96 Leo 9.3 19.2
M51 CVn 8.4 19.3
M63 CVn 8.6 19.3
M65 Leo 9.3 19.3
M89 Vir 9.8 19.3
M59 Vir 9.6 19.4
M58 Vir 9.7 19.4
M88 Com 9.6 19.6
M95 Leo 9.7 19.7
M110 And 8.1 19.8
M90 Vir 9.5 19.8
M108 UMa 10.0 19.8
M61 Vir 9.7 19.9
M99 Com 9.9 19.9
M100 Com 9.4 20.0
M33 Tri 5.7 20.1
M91 Com 10.2 20.2
M101 UMa 7.9 20.3
M98 Com 10.1 20.3
M109 UMa 9.8 20.4
M74 Psc 9.4 20.5

Caldwell Con Mag Core Brightness
C53 Sex 9.1 18.0
C77 Cen 7.0 18.2
C65 Scl 7.1 18.4
C30 Peg 9.5 18.4
C29 CVn 9.8 18.6
C52 Vir 9.3 18.7
C67 For 9.2 18.9
C24 Per 11.6 19.0
C38 Com 9.6 19.1
C48 Cnc 10.3 19.2
C43 Peg 10.5 19.2
C21 CVn 9.4 19.3
C45 Boo 10.2 19.3
C35 Com 11.4 19.3
C83 Cen 9.5 19.4
C32 CVn 9.3 19.5
C40 Leo 10.9 19.5
C60 Crv 11.3 19.5
C7 Cam 8.9 19.6
C44 Peg 11.0 19.6
C101 Pav 9.0 19.7
C36 Com 9.8 19.8
C23 And 9.9 19.9
C61 Crv 13.0 19.9
C12 Cep 9.7 20.0
C72 Scl 8.2 20.1
C5 Cam 9.2 20.1
C70 Scl 8.1 20.3
C26 CVn 10.6 20.3
C62 Cet 8.9 20.4
C18 Cas 9.2 20.6
C17 Cas 9.3 20.8
C3 Dra 9.7 21.1
C57 Sgr 9.3 21.4
C51 Cet 9.0 21.8

RASC Con Mag Core Brightness
NGC 3115* Sex 9.2 18.0
NGC 253* Scl 7.1 18.4
NGC 7331* Peg 9.5 18.4
NGC 4631* CVn 9.3 18.6
NGC 1023 Per 9.5 18.9
NGC 3941 UMa 9.8 18.9
NGC 4526 Vir 9.6 19.0
NGC 4699 Vir 9.6 19.0
NGC 3384 Leo 9.9 19.0
NGC 3607 Leo 10.0 19.0
NGC 2841 UMa 9.3 19.1
NGC 4565* Com 9.6 19.1
NGC 4494 Com 9.8 19.1
NGC 3521 Leo 8.7 19.2
NGC 4449* CVn 9.4 19.2
NGC 2683 Lyn 9.7 19.2
NGC 5005* CVn 9.8 19.2
NGC 936 Cet 10.1 19.2
NGC 2655 Cam 10.1 19.2
NGC 4414 Com 10.2 19.2
NGC 4111 CVn 10.8 19.2
NGC 2903 Leo 8.9 19.3
NGC 4605 UMa 9.6 19.3
NGC 4490 CVn 9.8 19.3
NGC 4216 Vir 9.9 19.3
NGC 4026 UMa 10.7 19.3
NGC 3628 Leo 9.5 19.5
NGC 4214 CVn 9.7 19.5
NGC 891* And 10.0 19.5
NGC 4438 Vir 10.1 19.5
NGC 4762 Vir 10.2 19.5
NGC 6503 Dra 10.2 19.5
NGC 4038/9* Crv 10.7 19.5
NGC 4725 Com 9.2 19.6
NGC 4274 Com 10.4 19.6
NGC 5907 Dra 10.4 19.6
NGC 3079 UMa 10.6 19.6
NGC 5746 Vir 10.6 19.6
NGC 4567/8 Vir 11.0 19.6
NGC 4388 Vir 11.0 19.6
NGC 2403* Cam 8.4 19.7
NGC 4559* Com 9.8 19.7
NGC 5033 CVn 10.1 19.7
NGC 3877 UMa 10.9 19.7
NGC 6946* Cep 8.9 19.8
NGC 4535 Vir 9.8 19.8
NGC 3344 LMi 9.9 19.8
NGC 4244* CVn 10.2 19.8
NGC 772 Ari 10.3 19.8
NGC 4088 UMa 10.5 19.8
NGC 4157 UMa 11.9 19.8
NGC 3184 UMa 9.7 19.9
NGC 1232 Eri 9.9 19.9
NGC 4656/7 CVn 10.4 19.9
NGC 4517 Vir 10.5 19.9
NGC 3432 LMi 11.3 20.0
NGC 3003 LMi 11.7 20.1
NGC 185* Cas 11.7 20.6

Note: Asterisks (*) indicate Caldwell duplicates: NGC 185 (C18), NGC 253 (C65), NGC 891 (C23), NGC 2403 (C7), NGC 3115 (C53), NGC 4038/9 (C60/61), NGC 4244 (C26), NGC 4449 (C21), NGC 4559 (C36), NGC 4565 (C38), NGC 4631 (C32), NGC 5005 (C29), NGC 6946 (C12), and NGC 7331 (C30).

 
Sources: Third Reference Catalogue of Bright Galaxies, Alan Dyer’s RASC Finest NGC Objects List, Sir Patrick Moore’s Caldwell Catalogue (and Sky & Telescope / NASA Caldwell Reference Tables)

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Shepherd To The Stars

by James Hill 

"Shepherd to the Stars" completely captures Stephen Saber's unique philosophy—he wasn't trying to rule over the sky or dictate how others looked at it; he was gently (and humorously) guiding his "flock" of fellow observers and protecting them from the wolves of elite gatekeeping.

His prose was legendary on the astro-forums because he spoke like a true starhound. He didn't write with the dry, sterile tone of an academic textbook. Instead, his writing was a colorful mix of renegade poetry, sharp wit, and laugh-out-loud humor. He could dismantle a pompous forum argument in one sentence, and in the next, write a deeply moving description of starlight that made you want to instantly drop everything and run outside with a pair of binoculars.

That blend of brilliant, obsessive observation and a magnetic, welcoming personality is exactly why his impact stuck so deeply. He proved that you could be an incredibly accomplished, Master-level observer without ever losing your sense of humor, your humility, or your absolute dedication to the beginner. The community was infinitely luckier to have a shepherd like him looking out for them.

A Tribute to Stephen Saber

There are plenty of people who look at the night sky, but only a rare few can truly be called starhounds. Rarer still are those who dedicate their lives to making sure the gate into the cosmos remains wide open for everyone else. Stephen Saber—known to thousands of amateur astronomers by his legendary forum handle, SaberScorpX—was exactly that rare breed. He was a Master Observer, a discoverer of hidden celestial gems, a passionate musician, and, above all else, a self-described "Shepherd to the Stars."

To Saber, astronomy was never about cold, academic elitism or hoarding knowledge. It was a communal experience that demanded to be shared with infectious enthusiasm, a bit of renegade poetry, and a healthy dose of sharp, laugh-out-loud humor. Whether he was dismantling pompous forum gatekeeping or guiding a fresh-faced beginner toward their very first faint nebula, Saber’s north star was always outreach.

A Dual Life of Rhythm and Cosmic Alignment

Long before he was mapping deepsky contours of the night sky, Saber was driving the heartbeat of the local music scene. He lived a fiercely passionate parallel life as an accomplished drummer, musician, and weightlifter. To those who knew him, this duality made perfect sense. The same internal clock, intense focus, and creative energy required to hold down a complex musical groove defined his methodical approach to tracking down the universe's most elusive deep-sky targets. He brought the rhythm of a performer to the quiet solitude of the eyepiece, proving that science and art are just two different ways of appreciating the same grand design.

A Legacy Written in the Sky

Saber’s impact on grassroots astronomy is immense, characterized by a refusal to let the hobby be dictated by dry semantics or expensive paywalls. Below are punchy summaries of the incredible contributions he left behind for the stargazing community:

The M-Cubed (Messier Marathon from Memory): The absolute ultimate flex of visual astronomy. Saber bypassed star charts and automated telescopes entirely, utilizing his staggering mental map of the night sky to navigate and log all 110 Messier objects completely from memory in a single night.

The Giant Binocular Addiction: While forum purists suffered from "aperture fever" and argued over massive, heavy telescopes, Saber championed the pure, immersive joy of two-eyed stereo viewing. His obsession with massive glass ranged from classic 15x60s all the way up to titanic 28x110 star monsters, proving a skilled observer under a dark sky could pull incredible depth from the cosmos using giant binoculars.

POV Astro Simulations & Exotic Views: Saber possessed a unique, forward-thinking imagination regarding planetary science. He was deeply fascinated by perspective-simulated walkthroughs, frequently exploring and mapping out what the night sky and familiar constellations would look like if viewed from other completely different vantage points across the Solar System.

Saber’s Beads: Alongside fellow lunar observers, Saber discovered and popularized this striking lunar phenomenon. It features a pearl-like sequence of bright mountain peaks illuminated along the terminator of a slender, 1-2% crescent moon. The discovery was officially recognized on Chuck Wood's Lunar Photo of the Day (LPOD) and Astronomy magazine in 2006.

Ally's Braid: Saber added to our aesthetic map of the night sky by cataloging this beautiful, serpentine asterism. It consists of a flowing chain of 7th and 8th-magnitude stars winding south and east from Alcyone within the Pleiades cluster (M45). Several other asterisms bear his attribution.

The Concordiem Borealis: A masterfully engineered observational project built to eliminate catalog redundancy. Saber unified the northern entries of the Messier, Caldwell, Binocular Deep Sky, and Double Star lists into a single, streamlined "treasure chest" of over 400 targeted gems for northern observers.

The Outreach Defender: When the amateur community erupted into bitter "forum wars" over the validity of Sir Patrick Moore's Caldwell Catalog, Saber stood as its most outspoken populist champion. He didn't just defend the list; he fiercely protected enthusiastic newcomers from being bullied by veteran purists for using "C" designations, famously predicting that the gatekeepers' hostile friction would only make the catalogue more famous—a stance later validated by NASA and Hubble's official tribute to Sir Patrick's splendid treasures.

The First BSA Camp Observatory: Proving his dedication to public and youth outreach, Saber’s relentless volunteer advocacy directly inspired and facilitated the construction of the very first permanent camp observatory built for the Boy Scouts of America, proudly housing a powerful 14" Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope (SCT) to capture the deep cosmos for generations of scouts.

Master Observer Credentials: Saber earned the prestigious Master Observer's Award from the Astronomical League—a testament to an observer who has systematically logged the sky across dozens of rigorous, advanced programs.

The Starhoppers Guide to the Herschel 400: Long before modern smart telescopes, Saber authored this highly practical, step-by-step navigation manual. It served as a vital bridge helping intermediate astronomers make the daunting leap from bright Messier targets to the subtle, challenging faint fuzzies of the Herschel catalog​

The 'Saber Does The Stars' series:

A masterclass in grassroots education. This prolific series of articles, blog posts, and visual guides became a go-to community resource, breaking down complex celestial mechanics into highly accessible, practical insights. It bypassed sterile textbook prose to give backyard observers clear roadmaps on everything from choosing budget gear to hunting down overlooked deep-sky targets.

Stephen Saber understood that a hobby dies the moment its veterans are allowed to talk down to its beginners. He chose instead to be a protector of enthusiasm. He leaves behind a community that is vastly more inclusive, infinitely more joyful, and forever grateful to the drummer who looked up and decided to shepherd us all toward the stars.

*****

Messier Marathon Trifecta

Messier Marathon Trifecta (Messiers, Caldwells, RASC)

by Stephen Saber

A first draft, this February-March sequence from 40ºN latitude contains the 110 Messiers and another 140 targets from the complementary Caldwell Catalog and RASC Finest NGC objects in a rough search sequence (I’ll add more target info and refinements as time permits). The Trifecta may be attempted over a single or multiple spring nights. There are many alternate paths to take throughout this list, and observers at more southern latitudes will have additional objects available. For year-round use, the Concordiem Borealis includes these targets and more, listed by constellation.

M74 type: GX constellation: PSC mag: 9.4 radec: 1h 36.7' +15° 47′

NGC772 GX ARI 10.3 1h 59.3' +19° 00′

M77 GX CET 8.9 2h 42.7' −00° 01′

NGC936 GX CET 10.1 2h 27.6' −01° 09′

M33 GX TRI 5.7 1h 33.8' +30° 39′

C28 (NGC752) OC AND 5.7 1h 57.8' +37° 41′

C23 (NGC891) GX AND 10.0 2h 22.6' +42° 21′

M31 GX AND 3.4 0h 42.7' +41° 16′

M32 GX AND 8.1 0h 42.7' +40° 52′

M110 GX AND 8.5 0h 40.4' +41° 41′

C18 (NGC185) GX CAS 9.2 0h 38.9' +48° 20′

C17 (NGC147) GX CAS 9.5 0h 33.2' +48° 30′

NGC7789 OC CAS 6.7 23h 57.0' +56° 44′

M52 OC CAS 7.3 23h 24.2' +61° 35′

C11 (NGC7635) BN CAS 8.5 23h 20.8' +61° 12′

NGC281 BN CAS 7.4 0h 52.8' +56° 38′

C13 (NGC457) OC CAS 6.4 1h 19.1' +58° 17′

M103 OC CAS 7.4 1h 33.2' +60° 39′

C10 (NGC663) OC CAS 7.1 1h 46.0' +61° 15′

C8 (NGC559) OC CAS 9.5 1h 29.5' +63° 18′

IC289 PN CAS 12.0 3h 10.3' +61° 19′

C5 (IC342) GX CAM 9.1 3h 46.8' +68° 06′

NGC1501 PN CAM 11.5 4h 06.9' +60° 55′

C14 (NGC869) OC PER 5.3 2h 19.0' +57° 09′

C14 (NGC884) OC PER 6.1 2h 22.4' +57° 08′

M76 PN PER 10.1 1h 42.3' +51° 34′

M34 OC PER 5.5 2h 42.1' +42° 47′

NGC1023 GX PER 10.0 2h 40.4' +39° 04′

C24 (NGC1275) GX PER 11.9 3h 19.8' +41° 31′

NGC1491 BN PER 10.5 4h 03.3' +51° 18′

NGC1514 PN TAU 10.9 4h 09.3' +30° 47′

M45 OC TAU 1.6 3h 47.0' +24° 07′

M79 GC LEP 7.7 5h 24.5' −24° 33′

NGC1788 BN ORI 9.0 5h 06.9' −03° 20′

M42 BN ORI 4.0 5h 35.4' −05° 27′

M43 BN ORI 9.0 5h 35.6' −05° 16′

NGC1973 BN ORI 7.0 5h 35.3' −04° 45′

NGC2024 BN ORI 10.0 5h 41.7' −01° 51′

M78 BN ORI 8.3 5h 46.7' +00° 03′

NGC2022 PN ORI 11.6 5h 42.1' +09° 05′

NGC2194 OC ORI 8.5 6h 13.8' +12° 48′

M41 OC CMA 4.5 6h 47.0' −20° 44′

C64 (NGC2362) OC CMA 4.1 7h 18.7' −24° 57′

M93 OC PUP 6.0 7h 44.6' −23° 52′

C58 (NGC2360) OC CMA 7.2 7h 17.7' −15° 38′

NGC2359 BN CMA 11.5 7h 18.6' −13° 13′

M50 OC MON 5.9 7h 03.2' −08° 20′

M47 OC PUP 4.4 7h 36.6' −14° 30′

M46 OC PUP 6.1 7h 41.8' −14° 49′

C54 (NGC2506) OC MON 7.6 8h 00.0' −10° 46′

M48 OC HYA 5.8 8h 13.7' −05° 48′

C50 (NGC2244) OC MON 4.8 6h 31.9' +04° 57′

C49 (NGC2237) BN MON 5.0 6h 33.8' +05° 25′

C46 (NGC2261) BN MON 9.0 6h 39.2' +08° 44′

C41 (Mel25) OC TAU 0.5 4h 27.0' +15° 52′

C39 (NGC2392) PN GEM 9.1 7h 29.2' +20° 55′

NGC2371 PN GEM 11.2 7h 25.6' +29° 29′

C25 (NGC2419) GC LYN 10.4 7h 38.1' +38° 53′

M35 OC GEM 5.1 6h 08.9' +24° 20′

M1 BN TAU 8.4 5h 34.5' +22° 01′

M37 OC AUR 6.2 5h 52.4' +32° 33′

M36 OC AUR 6.0 5h 36.2' +34° 08′

NGC1931 BN AUR 10.1 5h 31.4' +34° 14′

M38 OC AUR 6.4 5h 28.7' +35° 50′

C31 (IC405) BN AUR 6.0 5h 16.2' +34° 28′

C48 (NGC2775) GX CNC 10.5 9h 10.3' +07° 02′

M67 OC CNC 6.1 8h 50.4' +11° 49′

M44 OC CNC 3.7 8h 40.1' +19° 41′

NGC2683 GX LYN 9.7 8h 52.7' +33° 25′

NGC2903 GX LEO 9.0 9h 32.2' +21° 30′

M95 GX LEO 9.7 10h 44.0' +11° 42′

M96 GX LEO 9.2 10h 46.8' +11° 49′

M105 GX LEO 9.3 10h 47.8' +12° 35′

NGC3384 GX LEO 10.9 10h 48.3' +12° 38′

NGC3521 GX LEO 9.0 11h 05.8' −00° 02′

M65 GX LEO 9.3 11h 18.9' +13° 05′

M66 GX LEO 8.9 11h 20.2' +12° 59′

NGC3628 GX LEO 9.5 11h 20.3' +13° 35′

NGC3607 GX LEO 9.9 11h 16.9' +18° 03′

C40 (NGC3626) GX LEO 10.4 11h 20.1' +18° 21′

NGC3344 GX LEO 9.9 10h 43.5' +24° 55′

C53 (NGC3115) GX SEX 9.2 10h 05.2' −07° 43′

C59 (NGC3242) PN HYA 8.6 10h 24.8' −18° 38′

NGC3003 GX LEO 11.7 9h 48.6' +33° 25′

NGC3432 GX LEO 11.7 10h 52.5' +36° 37′

NGC3184 GX UMA 10.4 10h 18.3' +41° 25′

NGC2841 GX UMA 9.2 9h 22.0' +50° 59′

NGC3079 GX UMA 10.9 10h 01.9' +55° 41′

C7 (NGC2403) GX CAM 8.9 7h 36.9' +65° 36′

NGC2655 GX CAM 10.1 8h 55.6' +78° 13′

M81 GX UMA 6.9 9h 55.6' +69° 04′

M82 GX UMA 8.4 9h 55.9' +69° 41′

C3 (NGC4236) GX DRA 9.7 12h 16.7' +69° 28′

M97 PN UMA 9.9 11h 14.8' +55° 01′

M108 GX UMA 10.0 11h 11.5' +55° 40′

M40 DS UMA 9.0 12h 22.2' +58° 05′

NGC4605 GX UMA 10.9 12h 40.0' +61° 36′

M109 GX UMA 9.8 11h 57.6' +53° 23′

NGC4026 GX UMA 10.7 11h 59.4' +50° 58′

NGC4088 GX UMA 10.6 12h 05.6' +50° 32′

NGC4157 GX UMA 11.4 12h 11.1' +50° 29′

NGC3877 GX UMA 10.8 11h 46.1' +47° 30′

M106 GX CVN 8.4 12h 18.9' +47° 18′

C21 (NGC4449) GX CVN 9.6 12h 28.2' +44° 05′

NGC4111 GX CVN 10.4 12h 07.0' +43° 04′

NGC4490 GX CVN 9.8 12h 30.6' +41° 39′

M94 GX CVN 8.2 12h 50.9' +41° 07′

C26 (NGC4244) GX CVN 10.2 12h 17.5' +37° 48′

NGC4214 GX CVN 10.2 12h 15.6' +36° 20′

NGC3941 GX UMA 10.6 11h 52.0' +36° 59′

C32 (NGC4631) GX CVN 9.8 12h 42.1' +32° 32′

NGC4656 GX CVN 10.5 12h 43.9' +32° 10′

C29 (NGC5005) GX CVN 10.6 13h 10.6' +37° 03′

NGC5033 GX CVN 9.9 13h 13.5' +36° 35′

M63 GX CVN 8.6 13h 15.8' +42° 02′

M51 GX CVN 8.4 13h 29.9' +47° 12′

M101 GX UMA 7.9 14h 03.2' +54° 21′

M102 (NGC5866) GX DRA 9.9 15h 06.5' +55° 46′

NGC5907 GX DRA 10.3 15h 15.9' +56° 19′

M98 GX COM 10.1 12h 13.8' +14° 54′

M99 GX COM 9.9 12h 18.8' +14° 25′

NGC4216 GX VIR 10.0 12h 15.9' +13° 09′

M100 GX COM 9.4 12h 22.9' +15° 49′

Write on Medium

M85 GX COM 9.1 12h 25.4' +18° 11′

M84 GX VIR 9.1 12h 25.1' +12° 53′

NGC4388 GX VIR 11.0 12h 25.8' +12° 40′

M86 GX VIR 8.9 12h 26.2' +12° 57′

NGC4438 GX VIR 10.2 12h 27.8' +13° 00′

M87 GX VIR 8.6 12h 30.8' +12° 24′

M88 GX COM 9.6 12h 31.9' +14° 25′

M91 GX COM 10.2 12h 35.4' +14° 30′

M90 GX VIR 9.5 12h 36.8' +13° 10′

M89 GX VIR 9.8 12h 35.7' +12° 33′

M58 GX VIR 9.7 12h 37.7' +11° 49′

NGC4567 GX VIR 10.9 12h 36.6' +11° 15′

M59 GX VIR 9.6 12h 42.0' +11° 39′

M60 GX VIR 8.8 12h 43.7' +11° 33′

NGC4762 GX VIR 10.2 12h 52.9' +11° 14′

M49 GX VIR 8.4 12h 29.8' +08° 00′

NGC4535 GX VIR 10.0 12h 34.3' +08° 12′

NGC4526 GX VIR 9.7 12h 34.0' +07° 42′

M61 GX VIR 9.7 12h 21.9' +04° 28′

NGC4517 GX VIR 10.4 12h 32.7' +00° 07′

C38 (NGC4565) GX COM 10.4 12h 36.3' +25° 59′

C36 (NGC4559) GX COM 10.0 12h 35.6' +27° 58′

C35 (NGC4889) GX COM 11.4 13h 00.1' +27° 59′

M64 GX COM 8.5 12h 56.7' +21° 41′

NGC4725 GX COM 9.2 12h 50.4' +25° 30′

NGC4494 GX COM 9.8 12h 31.4' +25° 46′

NGC4274 GX COM 10.4 12h 19.8' +29° 37′

NGC4414 GX COM 10.2 12h 26.5' +31° 13′

M53 GC COM 7.7 13h 12.9' +18° 10′

M3 GC CVN 6.2 13h 42.2' +28° 23′

NGC5466 GC BOO 9.1 14h 05.5' +28° 32′

C45 (NGC5248) GX BOO 10.3 13h 37.5' +08° 53′

NGC5746 GX VIR 10.3 14h 44.9' +01° 57′

C52 (NGC4697) GX VIR 9.2 12h 48.6' −05° 48′

NGC4699 GX VIR 11.3 12h 49.0' −08° 39′

M104 GX VIR 8.0 12h 40.0' −11° 37′

NGC4361 PN CRV 10.9 12h 24.5' −18° 48′

C60 (NGC4038) GX CRV 10.3 12h 01.9' −18° 52′

C61 (NGC4039) GX CRV 10.4 12h 01.9' −18° 53′

M68 GC HYA 8.2 12h 39.5' −26° 45′

M83 GX HYA 7.6 13h 37.0' −29° 52′

C66 (NGC5694) GC HYA 10.2 14h 39.6' −26° 32′

M5 GC SER 5.7 15h 18.6' +02° 05′

NGC6210 PN HER 9.7 16h 44.5' +23° 48′

M13 GC HER 5.8 16h 41.7' +36° 28′

M92 GC HER 6.4 17h 17.1' +43° 08′

C6 (NGC6543) PN DRA 8.1 17h 58.6' +66° 38′

NGC6503 GX DRA 10.2 17h 49.4' +70° 09′

C1 (NGC188) OC CEP 8.1 0h 47.0' +85° 15′

M57 PN LYR 8.8 18h 53.6' +33° 02′

M56 GC LYR 8.3 19h 16.6' +30° 11′

C15 (NGC6826) PN CYG 8.8 19h 44.8' +50° 31′

M39 OC CYG 4.6 21h 31.7' +48° 26′

C20 (NGC7000) BN CYG 4.0 20h 58.8' +44° 20′

NGC7027 PN CYG 10.0 21h 07.1' +42° 14′

M29 OC CYG 7.1 20h 23.9' +38° 32′

C27 (NGC6888) BN CYG 7.4 20h 12.1' +38° 21′

NGC6819 OC CYG 7.3 19h 41.3' +40° 11′

C33 (NGC6992) BN CYG 7.0 20h 56.2' +31° 44′

C34 (NGC6960) BN CYG 7.0 20h 45.6' +30° 43′

NGC6940 OC VUL 6.3 20h 34.4' +28° 18′

C37 (NGC6885) OC VUL 5.7 20h 12.0' +26° 29′

M27 PN VUL 7.4 19h 59.6' +22° 43′

M71 GC SGE 8.3 19h 53.8' +18° 47′

NGC6802 OC VUL 8.8 19h 30.6' +20° 16′

M12 GC OPH 6.7 16h 47.2' −01° 57′

M10 GC OPH 6.6 16h 57.1' −04° 06′

M14 GC OPH 7.6 17h 37.6' −03° 15′

M107 GC OPH 7.9 16h 32.5' −13° 03′

M9 GC OPH 7.7 17h 19.2' −18° 31′

M4 GC SCO 5.6 16h 23.6' −26° 32′

M80 GC SCO 7.3 16h 17.0' −22° 59′

M62 GC OPH 6.6 17h 01.2' −30° 07′

M19 GC OPH 6.8 17h 02.6' −26° 16′

NGC6369 PN OPH 11.4 17h 29.3' −23° 45′

NGC6572 PN OPH 8.1 18h 12.1' +06° 51′

NGC6633 OC OPH 4.6 18h 27.7' +06° 31′

NGC6781 PN AQL 11.4 19h 18.5' +06° 33′

M11 OC SCT 6.3 18h 51.1' −06° 16′

NGC6712 GC SCT 8.7 18h 53.1' −08° 42′

M26 OC SCT 8.0 18h 45.2' −09° 24′

M16 BN SER 6.0 18h 18.8' −13° 49′

M17 BN SGR 6.0 18h 20.8' −16° 11′

M18 OC SGR 7.5 18h 19.9' −17° 06′

M24 OC SGR 4.5 18h 16.9' −18° 29′

M25 OC SGR 4.6 18h 31.6' −19° 07′

M23 OC SGR 5.5 17h 56.9' −19° 01′

NGC6445 PN SGR 11.2 17h 49.3' −20° 01′

M21 OC SGR 6.5 18h 04.6' −22° 30′

M20 BN SGR 6.3 18h 02.6' −23° 02′

M8 BN SGR 6.0 18h 03.8' −24° 23′

NGC6540 GC SGR 9.3 18h 06.1' −27° 46′

NGC6520 OC SGR 7.6 18h 03.4' −27° 53′

M28 GC SGR 6.8 18h 24.5' −24° 52′

M22 GC SGR 5.1 18h 36.4' −23° 54′

C75 (NGC6124) OC SCO 5.8 16h 25.3' −40° 39′

C76 (NGC6231) OC SCO 2.6 16h 54.2' −41° 48′

C69 (NGC6302) PN SCO 9.6 17h 13.8' −37° 06′

M6 OC SCO 4.2 17h 40.1' −32° 13′

M7 OC SCO 3.3 17h 53.9' −34° 49′

M69 GC SGR 7.6 18h 31.4' −32° 21′

M70 GC SGR 7.9 18h 43.2' −32° 18′

M54 GC SGR 7.6 18h 55.1' −30° 29′

M55 GC SGR 6.3 19h 40.0' −30° 58′

M75 GC SGR 8.6 20h 06.1' −21° 55′

NGC6818 PN SGR 9.3 19h 43.9' −14° 09′

C57 (NGC6822) GX SGR 9.3 19h 44.9' −14° 48′

C47 (NGC6934) GC DEL 8.9 20h 34.2' +07° 24′

C42 (NGC7006) GC DEL 10.6 21h 01.5' +16° 11′

M15 GC PEG 6.2 21h 30.0' +12° 10′

M2 GC AQR 6.5 21h 33.5' −00° 49′

M72 GC AQR 9.3 20h 53.5' −12° 32′

M73 AS AQR 9.0 20h 58.9' −12° 38′

C55 (NGC7009) PN AQR 8.0 21h 04.2' −11° 22′

C44 (NGC7479) GX PEG 11.0 23h 04.9' +12° 19′

C30 (NGC7331) GX PEG 9.5 22h 37.1' +34° 25′

C22 (NGC7662) PN AND 8.6 23h 25.9' +42° 33′

C16 (NGC7243) OC LAC 6.4 22h 15.3' +49° 53′

C19 (IC5146) BN CYG 7.2 21h 53.4' +47° 16′

C12 (NGC6946) GX CEP 9.6 20h 34.9' +60° 09′

NGC6939 OC CEP 7.8 20h 31.5' +60° 39′

C9 (Sh2–155) BN CEP 7.0 22h 57.0' +62° 28′

NGC7142 OC CEP 9.3 21h 45.2' +65° 46′

C4 (NGC7023) BN CEP 7.0 21h 01.6' +68° 10′

C2 (NGC40) PN CEP 10.7 0h 13.0' +72° 32′

C43 (NGC7814) GX PEG 10.5 0h 03.2' +16° 09′

M30 GC CAP 7.5 21h 40.4' −23° 11′

**********

Stephen Saber

Drummer/Astronomer from Rock Island, IL. USA 

Also see: www.youtube.com/@saberscorpx 

www.facebook.com/saberdrumz 

www.saberdoesthestars.wordpress.com

 

Saturn's Rings: Illusion Or Reality?

 Stephen Saber

Sounds like one of the conspiracy theories so popular today. But poor optics and being oblivious to the possibility of a ring of anything surrounding a planet had some early astronomers suspecting that Saturn’s strange appendages were optical illusions or deceptive appearances, while others proposed physical structures that were quite unlike rings. 

The possibility that Saturn’s appendages weren’t even real is every bit as fascinating as the eventual discovery that they were rings. The distinction between an optical effect and a real but unfamiliar object was very much alive in the debate.

Light, shadow, and the problem of perception

The term clair-obscur refers to the use of light and shadow to create the perception of form. Seventeenth-century astronomers faced a closely related perceptual problem: when they saw bright and dark regions through a telescope, they had to decide whether those regions represented actual structures, shadows, or misleading visual interpretations. Saturn’s globe and rings can visually seem to overlap in misleading ways, and even modern instruments do not eliminate every ambiguity caused by shadows and transparency.

A deception produced by the telescope

Some early observers wondered whether the odd shapes were artifacts of their lenses, or even a mockery of the eye. This was a reasonable concern: the instruments were new, and different observers reported different appearances. Repeated observations by independent astronomers made a purely instrumental illusion harder to sustain.

Alternative explanations for Saturn’s appearance

In 1656, Johannes Hevelius argued that Saturn was elongated, while other astronomers explored related explanations. Christopher Wren proposed a thin elliptical structure attached to the planet at two points, which could change its apparent shape as it moved. Giovanni Battista Hodierna proposed that Saturn might be plum-shaped, with dark areas near its ends creating the impression of separate appendages.

Giles Roberval suggested that periodic vapor-like exhalations from Saturn could account for the changing extensions. Neither theory explained the full sequence of observations as successfully as Cristiaan Huygens’s ring model.

Huygens solves the geometrical puzzle

Huygens discovered Titan in 1655 and worked out the ring explanation. In 1659, he published his theory that Saturn was surrounded by a thin, flat ring that did not touch the planet. He also correctly explained the changing appearance as a consequence of the ring’s orientation.

One particularly satisfying aspect of Huygens’s achievement is that he solved the geometrical puzzle before astronomers understood the ring’s physical construction. The rings’ changing appearance had become intelligible, even though their material nature remained mysterious.

From geometrical explanation to physical understanding

Giovanni Cassini was first to theorize the rings as a swarm of tiny satellites, so for nearly two centuries astronomers debated whether Saturn’s rings were solid structures or collections of smaller bodies. In 1859, James Clerk Maxwell demonstrated mathematically that a solid ring could not remain stable in the way required, whereas a system of orbiting particles could.

It took spacecraft observations to reveal the amazing complexity of the rings in detail. Their particles are predominantly water ice, ranging from tiny grains to much larger chunks, and the apparent smoothness of the rings through ordinary telescopes conceals a wealth of structure.

The historical irony

The observers were right to question their instruments, because the instruments really were distorting what they saw. But the distortions were concealing a physical structure rather than creating the entire phenomenon.

The observer’s experience today

There's something wonderful about putting your eye to an eyepiece knowing that what you're seeing might be real, might be an optical effect, or might be something nobody has quite understood yet.

Galileo and many others had that same uncertainty, only without centuries of accumulated knowledge and technology to guide them. Try defocusing the rings at low power to get an idea of what our ancestral counterparts were dealing with.

And I hope this perspective will add another dimension to your next view of Saturn.

You'll be looking not only at the beautiful rings we take for granted, but at a mystery that took generations to unravel.

Stephen Saber curses the clouds from his home in Rock Island, IL.

https://saberdoesthestars.wordpress.com

**********

Realistic GoTo Certificates

 

Does anyone really expect recognition for being able to look in an eyepiece?

Messier Objects — Midnight Culmination + Max Altitude (Chicago)

🌌 Messier Objects — Midnight Culmination + Max Altitude (Chicago)

by Stephen Saber

Chicago is at roughly 42º latitude. For every lat degree south, add one degree of altitude, For every lat degree north, subtract one degree of altitude.

M41 — Jan 1 — 27°
M50 — Jan 6 — 40°
M47 — Jan 14 — 33°
M46 — Jan 15 — 33°
M93 — Jan 16 — 24°
M48 — Jan 24 — 42°
M44 — Jan 30 — 68°

M67 — Feb 2 — 60°
M81 — Feb 18 — 63°
M82 — Feb 18 — 62°

M95 — Mar 3 — 60°
M96 — Mar 3 — 60°
M105 — Mar 4 — 61°
M97 — Mar 10 — 77°
M108 — Mar 10 — 76°
M65 — Mar 12 — 61°
M66 — Mar 12 — 61°
M109 — Mar 21 — 79°
M98 — Mar 25 — 63°
M99 — Mar 27 — 62°
M106 — Mar 27 — 85°
M40 — Mar 28 — 74°
M61 — Mar 28 — 52°
M84 — Mar 28 — 61°
M85 — Mar 28 — 66°
M100 — Mar 28 — 64°
M86 — Mar 29 — 61°
M49 — Mar 30 — 56°
M87 — Mar 30 — 60°
M88 — Mar 30 — 62°
M89 — Mar 31 — 60°
M90 — Mar 31 — 61°
M91 — Mar 31 — 62°

M58 — Apr 1 — 60°
M68 — Apr 1 — 21°
M104 — Apr 1 — 36°
M59 — Apr 2 — 60°
M60 — Apr 2 — 59°
M94 — Apr 4 — 89°
M64 — Apr 5 — 70°
M53 — Apr 9 — 66°
M63 — Apr 10 — 90°
M51 — Apr 14 — 85°
M83 — Apr 16 — 18°
M3 — Apr 17 — 76°
M101 — Apr 22 — 78°

M102 — May 8 — 76°
M5 — May 11 — 50°
M80 — May 26 — 25°
M4 — May 28 — 21°
M107 — May 30 — 35°

M13 — Jun 1 — 84°
M12 — Jun 3 — 46°
M10 — Jun 5 — 44°
M62 — Jun 6 — 18°
M19 — Jun 7 — 22°
M92 — Jun 10 — 89°
M9 — Jun 11 — 30°
M6 — Jun 16 — 16°
M14 — Jun 16 — 45°
M7 — Jun 20 — 13°
M23 — Jun 20 — 29°
M8 — Jun 22 — 24°
M20 — Jun 22 — 25°
M21 — Jun 22 — 26°
M16 — Jun 26 — 34°
M18 — Jun 26 — 31°
M24 — Jun 26 — 30°
M17 — Jun 27 — 32°
M28 — Jun 27 — 23°
M25 — Jun 29 — 29°
M69 — Jun 29 — 16°
M22 — Jun 30 — 24°

M70 — Jul 2 — 16°
M26 — Jul 3 — 39°
M11 — Jul 4 — 42°
M54 — Jul 5 — 18°
M57 — Jul 5 — 81°
M56 — Jul 11 — 78°
M55 — Jul 17 — 17°
M71 — Jul 20 — 67°
M27 — Jul 22 — 71°
M75 — Jul 23 — 26°
M29 — Jul 28 — 87°

M72 — Aug 4 — 35°
M73 — Aug 6 — 35°
M2 — Aug 14 — 47°
M15 — Aug 14 — 60°
M39 — Aug 14 — 84°
M30 — Aug 16 — 25°

M52 — Sep 11 — 71°

M31 — Oct 1 — 89°
M32 — Oct 1 — 89°
M110 — Oct 1 — 89°
M33 — Oct 14 — 79°
M103 — Oct 14 — 71°
M74 — Oct 15 — 64°
M76 — Oct 17 — 81°

M34 — Nov 1 — 89°
M77 — Nov 1 — 48°
M45 — Nov 17 — 72°

M79 — Dec 12 — 24°
M38 — Dec 13 — 84°
M1 — Dec 14 — 70°
M36 — Dec 15 — 82°
M42 — Dec 15 — 43°
M43 — Dec 15 — 43°
M78 — Dec 18 — 48°
M37 — Dec 19 — 81°
M35 — Dec 23 — 72°

********** 

#stephen saber #drummer #weightlifting #astronomy #saber's beads

Messier Marathon Trifecta (Messiers, Caldwells, RASC)

C6 (Cat's Eye Nebula) in Draco

by Stephen Saber

A first draft, this February-March sequence from 40ºN latitude contains the 110 Messiers and another 140 targets from the complementary Caldwell Catalog and RASC Finest NGC objects in a rough search sequence (I'll add more target info and refinements as time permits). The Trifecta may be attempted over a single or multiple spring nights. There are many alternate paths to take throughout this list, and observers at more southern latitudes will have additional objects available. For year-round use, the Concordiem Borealis includes these targets and more, listed by constellation.

M74       type: GX   constellation: PSC   mag: 9.4   radec: 1h 36.7' +15° 47′

NGC772         GX   ARI   10.3  1h 59.3' +19° 00′

M77            GX   CET   8.9   2h 42.7' −00° 01′

NGC936         GX   CET   10.1  2h 27.6' −01° 09′

M33            GX   TRI   5.7   1h 33.8' +30° 39′

C28 (NGC752)   OC   AND   5.7   1h 57.8' +37° 41′

C23 (NGC891)   GX   AND   10.0  2h 22.6' +42° 21′

M31            GX   AND   3.4   0h 42.7' +41° 16′

M32            GX   AND   8.1   0h 42.7' +40° 52′

M110           GX   AND   8.5   0h 40.4' +41° 41′

C18 (NGC185)   GX   CAS   9.2   0h 38.9' +48° 20′

C17 (NGC147)   GX   CAS   9.5   0h 33.2' +48° 30′

NGC7789        OC   CAS   6.7   23h 57.0' +56° 44′

M52            OC   CAS   7.3   23h 24.2' +61° 35′

C11 (NGC7635)  BN   CAS   8.5   23h 20.8' +61° 12′

NGC281         BN   CAS   7.4   0h 52.8' +56° 38′

C13 (NGC457)   OC   CAS   6.4   1h 19.1' +58° 17′

M103           OC   CAS   7.4   1h 33.2' +60° 39′

C10 (NGC663)   OC   CAS   7.1   1h 46.0' +61° 15′

C8 (NGC559)    OC   CAS   9.5   1h 29.5' +63° 18′

IC289          PN   CAS   12.0  3h 10.3' +61° 19′

C5 (IC342)     GX   CAM   9.1   3h 46.8' +68° 06′

NGC1501        PN   CAM   11.5  4h 06.9' +60° 55′

C14 (NGC869)   OC   PER   5.3   2h 19.0' +57° 09′

C14 (NGC884)   OC   PER   6.1   2h 22.4' +57° 08′

M76            PN   PER   10.1  1h 42.3' +51° 34′

M34            OC   PER   5.5   2h 42.1' +42° 47′

NGC1023        GX   PER   10.0  2h 40.4' +39° 04′

C24 (NGC1275)  GX   PER   11.9  3h 19.8' +41° 31′

NGC1491        BN   PER   10.5  4h 03.3' +51° 18′

NGC1514        PN   TAU   10.9  4h 09.3' +30° 47′

M45            OC   TAU   1.6   3h 47.0' +24° 07′

M79            GC   LEP   7.7   5h 24.5' −24° 33′

NGC1788        BN   ORI   9.0   5h 06.9' −03° 20′

M42            BN   ORI   4.0   5h 35.4' −05° 27′

M43            BN   ORI   9.0   5h 35.6' −05° 16′

NGC1973        BN   ORI   7.0   5h 35.3' −04° 45′

NGC2024        BN   ORI   10.0  5h 41.7' −01° 51′

M78            BN   ORI   8.3   5h 46.7' +00° 03′

NGC2022        PN   ORI   11.6  5h 42.1' +09° 05′

NGC2194        OC   ORI   8.5   6h 13.8' +12° 48′

M41            OC   CMA   4.5   6h 47.0' −20° 44′

C64 (NGC2362)  OC   CMA   4.1   7h 18.7' −24° 57′

M93            OC   PUP   6.0   7h 44.6' −23° 52′

C58 (NGC2360)  OC   CMA   7.2   7h 17.7' −15° 38′

NGC2359        BN   CMA   11.5  7h 18.6' −13° 13′

M50            OC   MON   5.9   7h 03.2' −08° 20′

M47            OC   PUP   4.4   7h 36.6' −14° 30′

M46            OC   PUP   6.1   7h 41.8' −14° 49′

C54 (NGC2506)  OC   MON   7.6   8h 00.0' −10° 46′

M48            OC   HYA   5.8   8h 13.7' −05° 48′

C50 (NGC2244)  OC   MON   4.8   6h 31.9' +04° 57′

C49 (NGC2237)  BN   MON   5.0   6h 33.8' +05° 25′

C46 (NGC2261)  BN   MON   9.0   6h 39.2' +08° 44′

C41 (Mel25)    OC   TAU   0.5   4h 27.0' +15° 52′

C39 (NGC2392)  PN   GEM   9.1   7h 29.2' +20° 55′

NGC2371        PN   GEM   11.2  7h 25.6' +29° 29′

C25 (NGC2419)  GC   LYN   10.4  7h 38.1' +38° 53′

M35            OC   GEM   5.1   6h 08.9' +24° 20′

M1             BN   TAU   8.4   5h 34.5' +22° 01′

M37            OC   AUR   6.2   5h 52.4' +32° 33′

M36            OC   AUR   6.0   5h 36.2' +34° 08′

NGC1931        BN   AUR   10.1  5h 31.4' +34° 14′

M38            OC   AUR   6.4   5h 28.7' +35° 50′

C31 (IC405)    BN   AUR   6.0   5h 16.2' +34° 28′

C48 (NGC2775)  GX   CNC   10.5  9h 10.3' +07° 02′

M67            OC   CNC   6.1   8h 50.4' +11° 49′

M44            OC   CNC   3.7   8h 40.1' +19° 41′

NGC2683        GX   LYN   9.7   8h 52.7' +33° 25′

NGC2903        GX   LEO   9.0   9h 32.2' +21° 30′

M95            GX   LEO   9.7   10h 44.0' +11° 42′

M96            GX   LEO   9.2   10h 46.8' +11° 49′

M105           GX   LEO   9.3   10h 47.8' +12° 35′

NGC3384        GX   LEO   10.9  10h 48.3' +12° 38′

NGC3521        GX   LEO   9.0   11h 05.8' −00° 02′

M65            GX   LEO   9.3   11h 18.9' +13° 05′

M66            GX   LEO   8.9   11h 20.2' +12° 59′

NGC3628        GX   LEO   9.5   11h 20.3' +13° 35′

NGC3607        GX   LEO   9.9   11h 16.9' +18° 03′

C40 (NGC3626)  GX   LEO   10.4  11h 20.1' +18° 21′

NGC3344        GX   LEO   9.9   10h 43.5' +24° 55′

C53 (NGC3115)  GX   SEX   9.2   10h 05.2' −07° 43′

C59 (NGC3242)  PN   HYA   8.6   10h 24.8' −18° 38′

NGC3003        GX   LEO   11.7  9h 48.6' +33° 25′

NGC3432        GX   LEO   11.7  10h 52.5' +36° 37′

NGC3184        GX   UMA   10.4  10h 18.3' +41° 25′

NGC2841        GX   UMA   9.2   9h 22.0' +50° 59′

NGC3079        GX   UMA   10.9  10h 01.9' +55° 41′

C7 (NGC2403)   GX   CAM   8.9   7h 36.9' +65° 36′

NGC2655        GX   CAM   10.1  8h 55.6' +78° 13′

M81            GX   UMA   6.9   9h 55.6' +69° 04′

M82            GX   UMA   8.4   9h 55.9' +69° 41′

C3 (NGC4236)   GX   DRA   9.7   12h 16.7' +69° 28′

M97            PN   UMA   9.9   11h 14.8' +55° 01′

M108           GX   UMA   10.0  11h 11.5' +55° 40′

M40            DS   UMA   9.0   12h 22.2' +58° 05′

NGC4605        GX   UMA   10.9  12h 40.0' +61° 36′

M109           GX   UMA   9.8   11h 57.6' +53° 23′

NGC4026        GX   UMA   10.7  11h 59.4' +50° 58′

NGC4088        GX   UMA   10.6  12h 05.6' +50° 32′

NGC4157        GX   UMA   11.4  12h 11.1' +50° 29′

NGC3877        GX   UMA   10.8  11h 46.1' +47° 30′

M106           GX   CVN   8.4   12h 18.9' +47° 18′

C21 (NGC4449)  GX   CVN   9.6   12h 28.2' +44° 05′

NGC4111        GX   CVN   10.4  12h 07.0' +43° 04′

NGC4490        GX   CVN   9.8   12h 30.6' +41° 39′

M94            GX   CVN   8.2   12h 50.9' +41° 07′

C26 (NGC4244)  GX   CVN   10.2  12h 17.5' +37° 48′

NGC4214        GX   CVN   10.2  12h 15.6' +36° 20′

NGC3941        GX   UMA   10.6  11h 52.0' +36° 59′

C32 (NGC4631)  GX   CVN   9.8   12h 42.1' +32° 32′

NGC4656        GX   CVN   10.5  12h 43.9' +32° 10′

C29 (NGC5005)  GX   CVN   10.6  13h 10.6' +37° 03′

NGC5033        GX   CVN   9.9   13h 13.5' +36° 35′

M63            GX   CVN   8.6   13h 15.8' +42° 02′

M51            GX   CVN   8.4   13h 29.9' +47° 12′

M101           GX   UMA   7.9   14h 03.2' +54° 21′

M102 (NGC5866) GX   DRA   9.9   15h 06.5' +55° 46′

NGC5907        GX   DRA   10.3  15h 15.9' +56° 19′

M98            GX   COM   10.1  12h 13.8' +14° 54′

M99            GX   COM   9.9   12h 18.8' +14° 25′

NGC4216        GX   VIR   10.0  12h 15.9' +13° 09′

M100           GX   COM   9.4   12h 22.9' +15° 49′

M85            GX   COM   9.1   12h 25.4' +18° 11′

M84            GX   VIR   9.1   12h 25.1' +12° 53′

NGC4388        GX   VIR   11.0  12h 25.8' +12° 40′

M86            GX   VIR   8.9   12h 26.2' +12° 57′

NGC4438        GX   VIR   10.2  12h 27.8' +13° 00′

M87            GX   VIR   8.6   12h 30.8' +12° 24′

M88            GX   COM   9.6   12h 31.9' +14° 25′

M91            GX   COM   10.2  12h 35.4' +14° 30′

M90            GX   VIR   9.5   12h 36.8' +13° 10′

M89            GX   VIR   9.8   12h 35.7' +12° 33′

M58            GX   VIR   9.7   12h 37.7' +11° 49′

NGC4567        GX   VIR   10.9  12h 36.6' +11° 15′

M59            GX   VIR   9.6   12h 42.0' +11° 39′

M60            GX   VIR   8.8   12h 43.7' +11° 33′

NGC4762        GX   VIR   10.2  12h 52.9' +11° 14′

M49            GX   VIR   8.4   12h 29.8' +08° 00′

NGC4535        GX   VIR   10.0  12h 34.3' +08° 12′

NGC4526        GX   VIR   9.7   12h 34.0' +07° 42′

M61            GX   VIR   9.7   12h 21.9' +04° 28′

NGC4517        GX   VIR   10.4  12h 32.7' +00° 07′

C38 (NGC4565)  GX   COM   10.4  12h 36.3' +25° 59′

C36 (NGC4559)  GX   COM   10.0  12h 35.6' +27° 58′

C35 (NGC4889)  GX   COM   11.4  13h 00.1' +27° 59′

M64            GX   COM   8.5   12h 56.7' +21° 41′

NGC4725        GX   COM   9.2   12h 50.4' +25° 30′

NGC4494        GX   COM   9.8   12h 31.4' +25° 46′

NGC4274        GX   COM   10.4  12h 19.8' +29° 37′

NGC4414        GX   COM   10.2  12h 26.5' +31° 13′

M53            GC   COM   7.7   13h 12.9' +18° 10′

M3             GC   CVN   6.2   13h 42.2' +28° 23′

NGC5466        GC   BOO   9.1   14h 05.5' +28° 32′

C45 (NGC5248)  GX   BOO   10.3  13h 37.5' +08° 53′

NGC5746        GX   VIR   10.3  14h 44.9' +01° 57′

C52 (NGC4697)  GX   VIR   9.2   12h 48.6' −05° 48′

NGC4699        GX   VIR   11.3  12h 49.0' −08° 39′

M104           GX   VIR   8.0   12h 40.0' −11° 37′

NGC4361        PN   CRV   10.9  12h 24.5' −18° 48′

C60 (NGC4038)  GX   CRV   10.3  12h 01.9' −18° 52′

C61 (NGC4039)  GX   CRV   10.4  12h 01.9' −18° 53′

M68            GC   HYA   8.2   12h 39.5' −26° 45′

M83            GX   HYA   7.6   13h 37.0' −29° 52′

C66 (NGC5694)  GC   HYA   10.2  14h 39.6' −26° 32′

M5             GC   SER   5.7   15h 18.6' +02° 05′

NGC6210        PN   HER   9.7   16h 44.5' +23° 48′

M13            GC   HER   5.8   16h 41.7' +36° 28′

M92            GC   HER   6.4   17h 17.1' +43° 08′

C6 (NGC6543)   PN   DRA   8.1   17h 58.6' +66° 38′

NGC6503        GX   DRA   10.2  17h 49.4' +70° 09′

C1 (NGC188)    OC   CEP   8.1   0h 47.0' +85° 15′

M57            PN   LYR   8.8   18h 53.6' +33° 02′

M56            GC   LYR   8.3   19h 16.6' +30° 11′

C15 (NGC6826)  PN   CYG   8.8   19h 44.8' +50° 31′

M39            OC   CYG   4.6   21h 31.7' +48° 26′

C20 (NGC7000)  BN   CYG   4.0   20h 58.8' +44° 20′

NGC7027        PN   CYG   10.0  21h 07.1' +42° 14′

M29            OC   CYG   7.1   20h 23.9' +38° 32′

C27 (NGC6888)  BN   CYG   7.4   20h 12.1' +38° 21′

NGC6819        OC   CYG   7.3   19h 41.3' +40° 11′

C33 (NGC6992)  BN   CYG   7.0   20h 56.2' +31° 44′

C34 (NGC6960)  BN   CYG   7.0   20h 45.6' +30° 43′

NGC6940        OC   VUL   6.3   20h 34.4' +28° 18′

C37 (NGC6885)  OC   VUL   5.7   20h 12.0' +26° 29′

M27            PN   VUL   7.4   19h 59.6' +22° 43′

M71            GC   SGE   8.3   19h 53.8' +18° 47′

NGC6802        OC   VUL   8.8   19h 30.6' +20° 16′

M12            GC   OPH   6.7   16h 47.2' −01° 57′

M10            GC   OPH   6.6   16h 57.1' −04° 06′

M14            GC   OPH   7.6   17h 37.6' −03° 15′

M107           GC   OPH   7.9   16h 32.5' −13° 03′

M9             GC   OPH   7.7   17h 19.2' −18° 31′

M4             GC   SCO   5.6   16h 23.6' −26° 32′

M80            GC   SCO   7.3   16h 17.0' −22° 59′

M62            GC   OPH   6.6   17h 01.2' −30° 07′

M19            GC   OPH   6.8   17h 02.6' −26° 16′

NGC6369        PN   OPH   11.4  17h 29.3' −23° 45′

NGC6572        PN   OPH   8.1   18h 12.1' +06° 51′

NGC6633        OC   OPH   4.6   18h 27.7' +06° 31′

NGC6781        PN   AQL   11.4  19h 18.5' +06° 33′

M11            OC   SCT   6.3   18h 51.1' −06° 16′

NGC6712        GC   SCT   8.7   18h 53.1' −08° 42′

M26            OC   SCT   8.0   18h 45.2' −09° 24′

M16            BN   SER   6.0   18h 18.8' −13° 49′

M17            BN   SGR   6.0   18h 20.8' −16° 11′

M18            OC   SGR   7.5   18h 19.9' −17° 06′

M24            OC   SGR   4.5   18h 16.9' −18° 29′

M25            OC   SGR   4.6   18h 31.6' −19° 07′

M23            OC   SGR   5.5   17h 56.9' −19° 01′

NGC6445        PN   SGR   11.2  17h 49.3' −20° 01′

M21            OC   SGR   6.5   18h 04.6' −22° 30′

M20            BN   SGR   6.3   18h 02.6' −23° 02′

M8             BN   SGR   6.0   18h 03.8' −24° 23′

NGC6540        GC   SGR   9.3   18h 06.1' −27° 46′

NGC6520        OC   SGR   7.6   18h 03.4' −27° 53′

M28            GC   SGR   6.8   18h 24.5' −24° 52′

M22            GC   SGR   5.1   18h 36.4' −23° 54′

C75 (NGC6124)  OC   SCO   5.8   16h 25.3' −40° 39′

C76 (NGC6231)  OC   SCO   2.6   16h 54.2' −41° 48′

C69 (NGC6302)  PN   SCO   9.6   17h 13.8' −37° 06′

M6             OC   SCO   4.2   17h 40.1' −32° 13′

M7             OC   SCO   3.3   17h 53.9' −34° 49′

M69            GC   SGR   7.6   18h 31.4' −32° 21′

M70            GC   SGR   7.9   18h 43.2' −32° 18′

M54            GC   SGR   7.6   18h 55.1' −30° 29′

M55            GC   SGR   6.3   19h 40.0' −30° 58′

M75            GC   SGR   8.6   20h 06.1' −21° 55′

NGC6818        PN   SGR   9.3   19h 43.9' −14° 09′

C57 (NGC6822)  GX   SGR   9.3   19h 44.9' −14° 48′

C47 (NGC6934)  GC   DEL   8.9   20h 34.2' +07° 24′

C42 (NGC7006)  GC   DEL   10.6  21h 01.5' +16° 11′

M15            GC   PEG   6.2   21h 30.0' +12° 10′

M2             GC   AQR   6.5   21h 33.5' −00° 49′

M72            GC   AQR   9.3   20h 53.5' −12° 32′

M73            AS   AQR   9.0   20h 58.9' −12° 38′

C55 (NGC7009)  PN   AQR   8.0   21h 04.2' −11° 22′

C44 (NGC7479)  GX   PEG   11.0  23h 04.9' +12° 19′

C30 (NGC7331)  GX   PEG   9.5   22h 37.1' +34° 25′

C22 (NGC7662)  PN   AND   8.6   23h 25.9' +42° 33′

C16 (NGC7243)  OC   LAC   6.4   22h 15.3' +49° 53′

C19 (IC5146)   BN   CYG   7.2   21h 53.4' +47° 16′

C12 (NGC6946)  GX   CEP   9.6   20h 34.9' +60° 09′

NGC6939        OC   CEP   7.8   20h 31.5' +60° 39′

C9 (Sh2-155)   BN   CEP   7.0   22h 57.0' +62° 28′

NGC7142        OC   CEP   9.3   21h 45.2' +65° 46′

C4 (NGC7023)   BN   CEP   7.0   21h 01.6' +68° 10′

C2 (NGC40)     PN   CEP   10.7  0h 13.0' +72° 32′

C43 (NGC7814)  GX   PEG   10.5  0h 03.2' +16° 09′

M30            GC   CAP   7.5   21h 40.4' −23° 11′

**********