DecemberTargets < Main

---+ December Targets

These are deep sky targets seen from Caltech 8-10PM Local in December.

|  *Object*  |  *Alternative Names*  |  *Type*  |  *Brightness*  |  *Surface Brightness*  |  *Size*  |  *Suggested Telescope/Eyepiece*  |  *Notes*  |  *Links for More Information*  |
|  Pleiades  |  M45, Subaru  |  open cluster  |  1.6  |  11.1  |  110'  |  >= 8" with 32mm+ eyepiece   |  100 Myr-old star cluster, 440 lyr away, containing ~500 members total.   |  [[http://astropixels.com/openclusters/M45-01.html][Astropixels]] [[http://messier.seds.org/m/m045.html][SEDS]] [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pleiades][Wikipedia]]  |
|  Orion Nebula  |  M42  |  emission nebula  |  4.0  |  13.1  |  85' x 60'  |  >= 8" with 32mm+ eyepiece   |  Bright emission nebula inside the nearest star-forming region. The four 1 Myr-old "Trapezium" stars at the heart are responsible for ionizing the surrounding gas and making it glow. 1.3 klyr away.   |  [[http://astropixels.com/diffusenebulae/M42-01.html][Astropixels]] [[http://messier.seds.org/m/m042.html][SEDS]] [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orion_Nebula][Wikipedia]]  |
|  Double Cluster  |  NGC869 + NGC884  Caldwell 14  |  Open Cluster  |  3.8  |  10.9  |  60'  |  >= 10"  |  Two bright, resolved star clusters side by side.  Need wide FOV.  Both are young clusters, 7 klyr away, ~14 Myr old, containing luminous B stars |  [[http://astropixels.com/openclusters/hkPer-B01.html][Astropixels]] [[http://messier.seds.org/xtra/ngc/n0869.html][SEDS]] [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_Cluster][Wikipedia]]  |
|  Owl Cluster  |  NGC457, Dragonfly Cluster, ET Cluster  |  Open Cluster  |  6.4  |  12.6  |  13'  |  >= 8"  |  10 klyr distant cluster shaped like a bird with wings, with two bright stars for eyes.  Brightest of "eyes" is foreground star, dimmer is a cluster member  |  [[http://freestarcharts.com/23-guides/caldwell/353-caldwell-13-c13-ngc-457-owl-cluster-open-cluster][Starchart]] [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NGC_457][Wikipedia]]  |
|  Andromeda Galaxy  |  M31  |  Spiral galaxy  |  3.4  |  13.4  |  178'x63'  |  >= 10"  |  Can only see core in telescope, appears as faint, white cloud.  2.5 Mlyr distant.  Similar in mass and luminosity to Milky Way.  Moving toward us at 70miles/s; Collision expected in 2.5 Gyr  |  [[http://astropixels.com/galaxies/M31-01.html][Astropixels]] [[http://messier.seds.org/m/m031.html][SEDS]] [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andromeda_Galaxy][Wikipedia]]  |
|  Christmas Tree Cluster  |  NGC2264, Cone Nebula  |  Open Cluster  |  3.9  |  8.25  |  20'  |  >= 8"  |  Young star cluster embedded in faint emission nebula; 2.6 klyr away, ~3 Myr old; brightest member is a binary O star  |  [[http://messier.seds.org/xtra/ngc/n2264.html][SEDS]] [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NGC_2264][Wikipedia]]   |
|  Almach  |  Gamma Andromedae  |  Double Star  |  2.3 and 5.1  |  -  |  10" apart  |  >= 6"  |  Often considered the most beautiful high color contrast double star visible.  350 lyrs away.  Redder and brighter star is a K giant, secondary star is itself an unresolved triple star system with A and B dwarfs.  |  [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamma_Andromedae][Wikipedia]]  |
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Topic revision: r1 - 2016-07-04 - OutreachAdmin