Astronomy

4. CELESTIAL LINEUP
Comet Catalina (C/2013 US10) stood
between spiral galaxy M101 and the
double star Mizar and Alcor (Zeta [ζ]
and 80 Ursae Majoris) in the bend
of the Big Dipper’s handle. (4-inch
Takahashi FSQ-106ED refractor at f/5,
SBIG STL-11000M CCD camera, LRGB
image with exposures of 8, 1, 1, and 1
minutes, respectively, taken January
17, 2016, from Mayhill, New Mexico) •
José J. Chambó
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5. ALASKAN AURORAE
This display of northern lights was
so bright that it cast shadows and
changed the color of the snow. The
brightest point is Venus. The Pleiades
(M45) also is visible. (Canon 6D, 24mm
lens, ISO 3200, 6-second exposure,
taken March 19, 2015) • John Chumack
6. THE SCULPTOR GALAXY
NGC 253 is a spiral galaxy in the constellation
Sculptor. English astronomer
Caroline Herschel found it in 1783
during a search for comets. It lies some
11.4 million light-years away. (10-inch
RC Optical Systems Ritchey-Chrétien
reflector, SBIG STL-11000 CCD camera,
HαLRGB image with exposures of 150,
120, 67, 67, and 67 minutes, respectively)
• Terry Robison
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7. OVERLOOKED CLUSTER
Messier 93 is a magnitude 6.2 open
cluster in the constellation Puppis.
It lies some 3,600 light-years away.
(3.6-inch Astro-Tech AT90EDT refractor
at f/6.7, SBIG ST-8300M CCD camera,
LRGB image with exposures of 120, 40,
40, and 40 minutes, respectively)
• Dan Crowson
8. BALL OF ENERGY
VBRC2 is a planetary nebula about
3,900 light-years away in the southern
constellation Vela the Sails. (20-inch
PlaneWave corrected Dall-Kirkham
reflector at f/6.8, SBIG STX-16803 CCD
camera, 8.5 hours of Hα exposures
stacked with 4.5 hours of OIII and 2
hours of RGB) • Don Goldman
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