Observing Calendars

June Observing Calendar   This month we will look at the two constellations Hercules and Lyra. Look due East low on the horizon. You will see a bright yellow-orange star, Arcturus. This is the key star in the constellation Bootes. Scan left, or North, and find the five stars forming a kite. This is Bootes, the Herdsman. Just below the kite is a half-circle of stars that look like a reversed letter "C". This is the constellation Corona Borealis, the Northern Crown . Scan further toward the horizon and a little North toward the tip of the kite and you come to an irregular square. This is the keystone of Hercules. The square is rather small as constellations go. Extend your arm with your hand lifted up and fingers together. The square will fit roughly within the four fingers of your hand. All of these stars just mentioned are only moderately bright stars, so look carefully. Hercules has two interesting globular clusters M13 and M92. M13 is a very popular object for small telescopes and binoculars as well. It can be a naked eye object on a clear night. It's a real beauty in apertures of 8" or more. To find M13, draw an imaginary line between the two top stars of the square. Starting from the left most star, scan slowly toward the other corner star. About a third of the way and slightly above the line, you should come to a "fuzzy star". This is M13. It will handle as much magnification as your telescope allows!