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The Realm of Galaxies is a huge highlight of the spring sky. Large numbers of galaxies can be found in the southern sky between the constellations Leo, Virgo and Coma Berenices. This large group of galaxies is known as the Coma/Virgo Supercluster. Galaxies, which are groups of particles of dust and gas, are where stars are born and where they will die. The force of gravity pulls dust and other particles together, forming galaxies. Gravity can also cause galaxies to group... Full story
The constellation Camelopardalis can be found in the northern sky this month all night, lying just above Cassiopeia. The Greek name means giraffe, which it got because of its long neck. It was named by the Dutch astronomer Petrus Plancius in 1642. The easiest way to find Camelopardalis is to find the Little Dipper, and from the cup along the handle to the North Star and continue that arc right into the giraffe. CS Camelopardalis is the second-brightest star within the... Full story
Lying in the lower, southern sky is the constellation Fornax, which means furnace in Latin. Fornax is composed of very faint stars, making it more difficult to spot. It rises in the south around 9 p.m. and sets around 2 a.m., sitting under the constellations Eridanus and Cetus. It was added to a list of already-existing constellations by the French astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille in the mid-18th century. The constellation of Fornax has many objects to view. The Fornax... Full story
The night sky over Sisters in November affords the opportunity to view some splendid sights, including planets, stars and a number of other interesting objects. Low in the southern sky, the constellation Sculptor can be seen just below Aquarius and Cetus. It is comprised of faint stars, the five brightest making a pentagon shape representing a sculptor in his studio. The reason there are no bright stars in this part of the sky is largely due to the fact that the south pole of... Full story