Messier 5: Ancient Stars and Millisecond Pulsars
The old star cluster in Serpens contains rapidly rotating neutron-star remnants. Optical images and patient radio measurements reveal different parts of a much longer stellar story.
5 min readStar clusters
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Beehive Cluster (M44): Its Stars and Hidden Planets
The Beehive’s broad patch resolves into individual stars through binoculars. Precise measurements add another layer: planets revealed by the motion of their host stars.
5 min readMessier 35: Two Star Clusters at Different Distances
M35 is a young group of stars in Gemini. Its compact-looking neighbour, NGC 2158, adds a second story to the same view: greater distance and a much older population.
5 min readMessier 3: Changing Starlight Helps Measure Distance
The hazy cluster in Canes Venatici contains a large population of stars that change brightness. Measurements across their cycles make those variations useful for studying stellar behaviour and the cluster’s distance.
5 min readMessier 15: An Old Cluster With a Dying Star’s Cloud
The dense cluster in Pegasus contains a rare planetary nebula. Its gas, central remnant and old stellar environment offer complementary clues to one star’s evolution.
5 min readMessier 13: An Ancient Cluster With Varied Stars
A hazy patch becomes a crowded ball of stars under closer observation. Measurements of individual giants reveal that this ancient stellar group contains more chemical variety than its smooth outline suggests.
5 min readHyades: A Nearby Star Cluster Slowly Spreading Out
The broad V in Taurus is the bright part of a physical stellar group. Former members extend much farther through the galaxy, leaving clues to the cluster’s history and the gravitational forces around it.
5 min readAuriga’s Star Clusters: M36, M37 and M38
Three open clusters brighten the winter sky around Auriga. Their different appearances and stellar populations make them useful places to notice how stars change over time.
5 min readWhat Is a Deep-Sky Object, Really?
A grey smudge at the eyepiece and a glowing nebula in a photo can be the same object. The gap between them comes down to how light behaves, not what you're doing wrong.
5 min readOrion Nebula: A Nearby Nursery for Massive Stars
A fuzzy patch in Orion’s Sword is the nearest region where massive stars are forming. Binoculars reveal a glowing cloud; a telescope shows the bright stars shaping it.
6 min readHow to Find the Pleiades on Your First Stargazing Night
No telescope required for step one — just Orion, a clear night and a plan for what comes next.
6 min read