Sangamon Astronomical Society

10/17/2026

NGC 457, Caldwell 13, Owl, ET Cluster

A good open star cluster for people new to observing.

A bright open cluster that Messier missed.

Navigate to NGC 457 (Caldwell 13):
Locate the two easternmost primary stars of Cassiopeia, Delta and Epsilon.
Continue the line formed by Epsilon and Delta to the southwest for half that length.
Aim the finderscope to that location.

M103 lies in the northeast edge of the finder field. Other open clusters are nearby.

Easily visible in steadily held
10 x 50 binoculars!

Published Characteristics for Caldwell 13:
Integrated magnitude: 6.4
(excluding 4.9 magnitude Phi Cas)
Size: 13 minutes
Surface brightness: little meaning due to Phi Cas
Distance: 7900 light-years

10/17/2026

https://phys.org/news/2026-10-green-pink-purple-astronomers-reveal.html

University of Warwick astronomers have shown that white dwarf stars can glow in a range of colors, including the first star ever found that would appear green to the human eye.

09/27/2026

The Moon rises in the east very close to the moment of sunset. As twilight deepens, look for Saturn 6° under it. Saturn remains under the Moon as they climb higher together all evening. In the early morning hours of Sunday, Saturn will be to the Moon's lower left.
https://buff.ly/cHlLuS9

09/03/2026

Friday Night Star Parties are free and open to the public. Walk-ups are welcome, and no registration is required. More details at the link ⬇️

08/29/2026

Observing Project:
Retrograde Motion of Saturn

Over the next six months, observe ringed Saturn using binoculars,
then plot its changing position among the background stars.

Saturn can be found southeast of the Great Square, fours stars of nearly the same brightness as those of the Big Dipper. In early evenings in September and early October, the Great Square – and Saturn – rise higher at the same time each evening in the east. In November, and December, Saturn climbs to its highest in the south, while in January and February, it drops closer to the western horizon.

During this period, the planet first will move westward (i.e., retrograde) until mid December, then eastward (i.e., prograde). This area is bounded by the faint stars 96 and 44 Piscium, and 20 and 14 Ceti. During most of this time, Saturn lies in Cetus – not a zodiacal constellation – and not in Pisces.

Activity
1. Find Saturn in binoculars. Plot it and the brighter background stars. Include 14 Ceti (5.93 mag.), 20 Ceti (4.75 mag.), 44 Piscium (5.75 mag.), and 96 Piscium (5.71 mag.).
2. Every 10 – 14 days plot Saturn again, judging its location from those four background stars.
3. Continue through February.
4. Saturn will stop moving westward on Dec 11.
5. On about March 1, the planet will be near the same spot in the sky as it was on Sep 1.

Why do this activity? This planetary dance can only be explained if both Earth and Saturn orbit our sun following slightly elliptical paths. Our view from Earth clearly shows this to those people who take the time to look carefully enough.

08/04/2026

Mark your calendars, the Perseid Meteor Shower peaks next Wednesday night (Aug. 12th-13th).

Weather permitting the Perseids should produce up to a few dozen meteors per hour with no moonlight creating an optimal viewing experience. The meteor shower tends to peak between 11 pm and sunrise.

Posted 4:50 pm 8/3/26

08/01/2026

The August Perseid Meteor shower peaks on August 12-13 and no moon to interfere with viewing. Perseus rises after 11pm and keeps getting higher into the early hours of the 13th. Go out to a dark sky area in the country away from City lights and take some folding chairs, bug spray, blanket and friends and set up looking up towards the east. The Perseids can be as many as 50-100 per hour.
The Comet 10P/Swift-Tuttle cause the meteor shower. The comet has a period of 133 years with its last appearance happened in December of 1992

08/01/2026

In early August:
Mercury sits low above the eastern horizon 40 minutes before sunrise. Venus shines brilliantly in the west shortly after sunset. Mars rises before 3 am. Jupiter hides behind the sun. Saturn climbs above the eastern horizon before 11 pm.

07/29/2026

Are the major stars of this compact constellation gravitationally associated?

Delphinus in 3D

Easily visible in the early evening from mid July through mid November.

The stars Beta, Gamma, and Kappa Delphini are much closer to our sun than the others. And they are relatively close to each other, too – being some 6 to 12 light-years apart.

The two-dimensional celestial dome is deceiving in regard to the true spacing of stars in three-dimensional space!

07/19/2026