DEEP-SKY OBJECTS

Aries is a faint constellation left of Taurus in the northern evening sky. Find mag. +2.6 Sheratan (Beta (`) Arietis) and look 1.6° south to locate brilliant double star Gamma Arietis (RA 1h 53.5m, dec. +19° 17’). A small scope reveals two mag. +4.5 white stars separated by 7.4 arcseconds.

Look 5.3° southwest and you will reach face-on spiral galaxy M74 in Pisces (RA 1h 36.7m, dec. +15° 47’; pictured). At mag +9.1, it is a great object to image but challenging to see through all but the largest amateur telescopes. Visually it reveals a bright, compact core, with an almost star-like nucleus, surrounded by a faint halo around 8 arcminutes in diameter. Often compared to an unresolved globular, averted vision reveals hints of the two prominent spiral arms, showing as bright and dark patches.