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Posts by
Larry Sessions
Spica, the bright beacon of Virgo, is 2 stars
Spica is a scorching-hot pair of stars, whirling very closely around one another. One of them may go supernova someday. It's the brightest star in Virgo.
May 9, 2025
Acrux is the brightest star in the Southern Cross
Acrux, also called Alpha Crucis, is the brightest star in the constellation Crux, the Southern Cross. And it is not 1, but 2 stars.
May 6, 2025
M41 is a faint star cluster near bright Sirius
Sirius is easy to find. It's the sky's brightest star. If you have binoculars and a dark location, look near it for the open star cluster M41.
January 23, 2025
Alpheratz belongs to Andromeda, but is part of the Great Square
Alpheratz appears to our eyes as a single star but it is actually a close binary star system. Many stargazers use it to locate the Andromeda galaxy.
October 9, 2024
Why can’t I find the Big Dipper in September?
On northern autumn evenings, the famous Big Dipper lies low on - or even below - the northern horizon. You can use it to find Polaris, the North Star.
September 15, 2024
Mimosa, 2nd-brightest star in Crux, the Southern Cross
To see Mimosa, you need to be in the Southern Hemisphere, where it is a prominent star, or at the latitude of New Orleans, Hawaii, Cairo or New Delhi.
May 12, 2024
Beta Centauri is one of the Southern Pointer Stars
Beta Centauri isn’t as famous as Alpha Centauri, but together, these brilliant Southern Hemisphere stars have inspired legends and guided mariners.
April 4, 2024
Bright Procyon: The Little Dog Star in Canis Minor
The Dog Star, Sirius, is easy to spot because it's the sky's brightest star. Procyon - the other Dog Star - is near its brighter brother on the sky's dome.
January 10, 2024
Achernar is the End of the River of Eridanus constellation
Achernar is the 9th brightest star and flattest star known. It marks the end of Eridanus the River. Here's why much of Earth never sees it ... and how you can.
November 22, 2023
Explore the Lagoon nebula, M8, in Sagittarius
The Lagoon nebula, or Messier 8, is a large emission nebula in the constellation Sagittarius that observers can explore with binoculars.
August 10, 2023
