A Hop Across the Night SkyA Hop Across the Night SkyTonight’s Missions TourTonight’s Missions Tour

M36M36

The youngest of three The youngest of three neighboring clusters in the neighboring clusters in the southern part of Auriga, southern part of Auriga, M36 is just 25 million M36 is just 25 million years old and has about years old and has about 60 known members. It 60 known members. It was discovered, with M37 was discovered, with M37 and M38, by the 17th and M38, by the 17th Century astronomer Century astronomer Giovanni Batista Giovanni Batista Hodierna. Hodierna.

M 38M 38

One of three neighboring One of three neighboring clusters in the southern clusters in the southern part of Auriga, M38 can be part of Auriga, M38 can be found 2.5 degrees NW of found 2.5 degrees NW of M36. It is about 220 M36. It is about 220 million years old and was million years old and was discovered, with M36 and discovered, with M36 and M37, by the 17th Century M37, by the 17th Century astronomer Giovanni astronomer Giovanni Batista Hodierna. Batista Hodierna.

IC 342/Caldwell 5IC 342/Caldwell 5

IC 342 is a type-Sc spiral IC 342 is a type-Sc spiral galaxy belonging to the galaxy belonging to the Maffei 1 Group, the Maffei 1 Group, the closest group of galaxies closest group of galaxies outside our Local Group. outside our Local Group. Were it not for the Were it not for the obscuring dust of our own obscuring dust of our own galaxy, IC 342 would galaxy, IC 342 would appear as the brightest appear as the brightest galaxy in the sky. galaxy in the sky.

M 35M 35

Located near Located near Gemini's feet, M35 is Gemini's feet, M35 is a 100-million-year-old a 100-million-year-old cluster of several cluster of several hundred member hundred member stars. The supernova stars. The supernova remnant, IC 443, can remnant, IC 443, can be seen in the bottom be seen in the bottom left corner of Dome left corner of Dome 1's wide-field view. 1's wide-field view.

NGC 2232NGC 2232

Open cluster with Open cluster with pale yellow stars. In pale yellow stars. In wide field view we wide field view we can sometimes see can sometimes see horizontal streaks due horizontal streaks due to geosynchronous to geosynchronous satellites. satellites.

NGC 2264/Cone NebulaNGC 2264/Cone Nebula

A complex of four A complex of four individual objects, NGC individual objects, NGC 2264 includes the Cone 2264 includes the Cone and FoxFur Nebulae, and and FoxFur Nebulae, and the Snowflake and the Snowflake and Christmas Tree Clusters. Christmas Tree Clusters. The Cone Nebula, The Cone Nebula, positioned near the positioned near the bottom edge of this bottom edge of this complex, looks exactly complex, looks exactly like its name. like its name.

Spitzer Image Of Cone NebSpitzer Image Of Cone Neb

NGC 2261 Hubbles Variable NGC 2261 Hubbles Variable NebulaNebula

R Mons, a massive Herbig R Mons, a massive Herbig Ae/Be star, has created Ae/Be star, has created this nebula from its own this nebula from its own accretion disk. Gas and accretion disk. Gas and dust are blown into a thin-dust are blown into a thin-walled parabolic shell that walled parabolic shell that is made visible by is made visible by escaping light. Rotating escaping light. Rotating dust casts shadows to dust casts shadows to effect a varying effect a varying brightness. brightness.

Hubble’s View of this nebulaHubble’s View of this nebula

M 93/Starfish ClusterM 93/Starfish Cluster

A smaller, younger cluster A smaller, younger cluster of about 80 member stars of about 80 member stars roughly 100 million years roughly 100 million years old, M93 has been noted old, M93 has been noted to look like a starfish, a to look like a starfish, a butterfly, and a triangle. butterfly, and a triangle. This cluster has a linear This cluster has a linear diameter of 20-25 light diameter of 20-25 light years and includes years and includes several blue giants. several blue giants.

M 46/Velvet ClusterM 46/Velvet Cluster

This 500 member cluster This 500 member cluster is about 300 million years is about 300 million years old. The planetary nebula old. The planetary nebula NGC 2438, most apparent NGC 2438, most apparent in the high-mag view, is in the high-mag view, is an unrelated, evolving star an unrelated, evolving star some 1500 light years some 1500 light years closer and several closer and several hundred million years hundred million years older. older.

M 47M 47

Though discovered by Though discovered by Giovanni Hodierna in the Giovanni Hodierna in the 17th Century, and re-17th Century, and re-discovered by both discovered by both Charles Messier and Charles Messier and William Herschel a William Herschel a century later, this cluster century later, this cluster was considered 'missing' was considered 'missing' until it was officially until it was officially identified by TF Morris in identified by TF Morris in 1959. 1959.

M 67/Ancient Open ClusterM 67/Ancient Open Cluster

About five-hundred About five-hundred stars reside within this stars reside within this 'ancient' cluster, 'ancient' cluster, including two-hundred including two-hundred white dwarfs and white dwarfs and more than one-more than one-hundred sun-like hundred sun-like stars. At four-billion-stars. At four-billion-years, M67 is nearly years, M67 is nearly as old as our Solar as old as our Solar System. System.

NGC 3521/Spider Web GalaxyNGC 3521/Spider Web Galaxy

SABbc spiral galaxy SABbc spiral galaxy has mottled disk dust has mottled disk dust lanes and red H-II lanes and red H-II star forming regions. star forming regions.

NGC 3521NGC 3521

Hubble’s “Tuning Fork”Hubble’s “Tuning Fork”