The Northern Hemisphere

It’s galaxies and globulars galore as we head into the cooler months

As we leave autumn and roll towards winter, the ever-darkening skies offer an impressive array of targets for those armed with binoculars, telescopes or even the unaided eye. This month the Sun has set by 18:00 and doesn’t rise again until around 07:00 the following morning, giving astronomers a generous amount of time to explore the night sky.

Firm favourites Aquarius (the Water Bearer), Cepheus (the King) and Pegasus (the Winged Horse) bring the Great Pegasus Cluster (Messier 15) and spiral galaxies NGC 7331, NGC 7217 and NGC 7479 into view alongside the stunning Helix Nebula (NGC 7293), the Saturn Nebula (NGC 7009) and a gaggle of globular clusters.