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The Beehive cluster: A swarm of 1,000 stars
The Beehive cluster is an open star cluster that lies near the center of the constellation Cancer the Crab. It goes by many names, including Praesepe and M44.
March 15, 2023
Meet the Crab Nebula, remnant of an exploding star
The Crab Nebula, the scattered fragments of a supernova, or exploding star, was observed by earthly skywatchers in the year 1054.
January 15, 2023
The Orion Nebula is a starry nursery
You can see the Orion Nebula as a fuzzy spot in the sky using just your eyes. It's really a vast cloud in space where new stars are forming. Learn more.
December 16, 2022
Double Cluster in Perseus on October evenings
The Double Cluster in Perseus is a breathtaking pair of star clusters, easy to see in October. Here's how to find it in your sky.
October 25, 2022
See Messier 20, the Trifid Nebula
If you have an extremely dark sky, you can see the Trifid Nebula on as a fuzzy patch in the Milky Way. Binoculars show more and a telescope even more detail.
August 17, 2022
M6 and M7 in the Scorpion’s Tail
M6 and M7 are star clusters near Scorpius’ stinger. But you’ll need a dark sky to see these faint but stunning stellar aggregations.
July 2, 2022
What are Messier objects?
What are Messier objects? They're a list of 110 star clusters, nebulae and galaxies, compiled by comet-hunter Charles Messier in the 1700s.
June 30, 2022
Meet M13, the Great Cluster in Hercules
Many stargazers call it the finest globular cluster in the northern half of the heavens. It's M13, also known as the Great Cluster in Hercules.
April 20, 2022
The Local Group is our galactic neighborhood
What is the Local Group? It's a collection of the nearest galaxies in space. Read more about these neighbors to our home Milky Way galaxy.
December 8, 2021
The Magellanic Clouds, our galactic neighbors
The Large and Small Magellanic Clouds are two of the closest galaxies to the Milky Way. They can be seen without optical aid from southern skies.
December 8, 2021
