Art Russell's Monthly Messier Star-Hops; January #1

Monthly Messier Star-Hops; January #1
By Art Russell

I really enjoy observing at this time of the year. The nights are finally relatively dry. The temperatures are comfortable (well, maybe a little too comfortable even for my tastes = COLD). But most of all, the winter observation offers some of the best some of the best there is to see. This month we’ll start off in the constellation Taurus to visit M45, the Pleiades, the Hyades star cluster, and of course, M1, the Crab Nebula. From there we move to the constellation Orion and the Great Orion Nebula which includes M43 and M42. Orion also contains another bright nebula worth noting, M78. Finally, to the south of Orion we’ll find the constellation Lepus and the globular cluster M79.

Star-hop #1; 45, "The Pleiades"
Star-hop #2, " The Hyades"
Star-hop #3; M1, NGC 1952, "The Crab Nebula"
Star-hop #4; M43, NGC 1982 and M42, NGC 1976, "The Great Orion Nebula"
Star-hop #5; M78, NGC 2068
Star-hop #6; M79, NGC 1904

Star-hop #1; 45, "The Pleiades." Here we go! Half-way up from the south-eastern horizon and almost overhead as darkness falls you’ll find a small, bright open cluster of stars which many observe as resembling a smaller, more compact big dipper.You may be able to find this cluster even under Atlanta’s light polluted stars.This is M45, the Pleiades. Also known as the Seven Sisters to western and middle eastern astronomers, it was known to the Japanese as Subaru (be sure to check out the logo-badge on the next Subaru automobile you see and you’ll recognize its pattern). Probably the best way to see M45 is with a set of binoculars. A telescope may have too much power and look straight through the cluster! Grab a lawn chair and your binoculars, sit back and relax!

Star-hop #2, " The Hyades." Our second star hop for the month is to the Hyades star cluster. The Hyades star cluster is located a little more than 13 1/2 degrees south-east of M45 and is easily seen as a distinct V-shaped group of stars visible to the naked eye. Although less prominent than M45, the Hyades cluster is an attractive cluster in smaller telescopes and binoculars. The Hyades cluster is one of the closest clusters to us at only about 130 light years away. Moreover, it is also a part of the larger Taurus Moving Cluster which is comprised of most of the stars in the constellation Taurus and is moving towards the star Betelgeuse, Alpha Orionis in the constellation Orion. As you look at the Hyades cluster you’ll notice a distinct bright yellow star on the left or north-east point of the cluster. This is the star Aldebaran, Alpha Tauri.

Star-hop #3; M1, NGC 1952, "The Crab Nebula." Starting in the heart of the Hyades cluster and moving to the north-east past Aldebaran, we come to the star Zeta Tauri. M1, the Crab Nebula is located a little more than a degree to the north-west of Zeta Tauri. M1 is the brightest known supernova remnant in the sky and bears looking at time and time again. At a distance of about 6300 light years it must have been quite a sight when the light of its exploding star was first seen on 4-5 July, 1054 A.D. This nebula is visible in smaller scopes and I’ve looked at it many times.

Star-hop #4; M43, NGC 1982 and M42, NGC 1976, "The Great Orion Nebula." Our next star-hop takes us out of the constellation Taurus and into the heart of the constellation Orion and to the Great Orion Nebula which includes M43, NGC 1982, and M42, NGC 1976. Starting at M1, we head due south in a straight line to the first bright star we see, Lambda Orionis, which marks the head of the mythological figure, Orion, the hunter. Lambda Orionis is worth a look in its own right since it is a double star and a great target for small telescopes. What colors do the stars look to you? However, we don’t want to stop here. Rather, we want to continue past Lambda Orionis and at a distance just short of that which we traveled from M1 to Lambda Orionis, we’ll find the “Belt of Orion” consisting of three stars, Zeta Epsilon, and Delta Orionis. Zeta Orionis is an interesting star because just south of it is the “Horsehead Nebula.” The Horsehead is really beyond the scope of this series of star-hops, but once you’ve seen it, you’ll always be able to get back to it. Continuing with the line we started at M1, through Lambda Orionis and through the center of Orion’s Belt, we come to what many have taken to be “the sword of Orion;” apparently three “smoky” stars. Guess again; you’ve arrived at the Great Orion Nebula which includes not only M43 and M42, but other star clusters and nebula as well. First in line from the belt is the star cluster NGC 1981, then prominent as a smoky star to the naked eye is NGC 1977, a bright nebula with embedded stars. Next, and most importantly, is Great Orion Nebula itself which consists predominantly of the larger nebula M42 and M43, the detached nebula just to the north which some have compared to the shape of a coma. Within M42, you’ll find the famous multiple star, Theta Orionis, the “Trapezium.” If Orion is up, you can bet that I’ll be looking at it. Check out the great article by Alister Ling in the December, 1995, issue of Astronomy Magazine for more details on the Great Orion Nebula. This is one object of which you will never get tired.

Orion Nebula at 125X

Star-hop #5; M78, NGC 2068. Lets return to the Belt of Orion and to its bottom most star (at least until before midnight!), Zeta Orionis. About 1 degree south-west of Zeta Orionis is the star Sigma .Starting at Sigma Orionis, extend a line back through Zeta Orionis for a distance about 4 times that between Zeta and Sigma Orionis. At this point you’ll find another bright nebula, M78. M78 won’t show much detail in smaller scopes, but might appear as a set of automobile headlights.

Star-hop #6; M79, NGC 1904. Our final star-hop takes us to the constellation Lepus and the globular cluster M79. To start, lets return again to the Belt of Orion. This time we begin with the middle star, Epsilon Orionis. From Epsilon Orionis extend a line south through the center of the Great Orion Nebula for a distance equal to about 4 times that from Epsilon Orionis to the Great Orion Nebula. At that point you’ll find the 2.6 magnitude star Alpha Leporis, Arneb. From Alpha Leporis, extend a line south past the star Beta Leporis, Nihal, for a distance equal to that between Alpha and Beta Leporis. At this point you’ll find M79. At magnitude 8.4, M79 is not one of the brighter globular clusters.