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Boötes

The Kite

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kite constellation,bootes constellation

The Kite is a large northern asterism that dominates the constellation Boötes. Also known as the Ice Cream Cone, it is formed by the constellation’s… Read More »The Kite

Comet Catalina

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comet catalina

Comet Catalina (C/2013 US10) is a comet from the Oort Cloud currently making its first and only visit to the inner solar system. The comet was first discovered on October 31, 2013 by the Catalina Sky Survey using a 27-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope. At the time of discovery, it had an apparent magnitude of 19. Since September 2015, it has been around magnitude 6.
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Quadrantids

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Quadrans Muralis constellation

The Quadrantids are an annual meteor shower occurring in the first week of January. Quadrantid meteors can be seen from January 1 to 6 and… Read More »Quadrantids

Arcturus

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alpha bootis,orange giant

Arcturus, Alpha Boötis, is the brightest star in Boötes constellation and the fourth brightest star in the sky. With an apparent magnitude of -0.04, Arcturus… Read More »Arcturus

Highlights of the Night Sky in June

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Messier 13,m13,globular cluster,great globular cluster

Here are some of the highlights of the June sky:

  • 9:30 PM – southern sky – Mars and Saturn rise over the horizon
  • 9:30 PM western sky – Jupiter appears above the horizon, sinks lower toward the end of the month
  • 5 AM eastern sky – Venus appearing above the horizon before sunrise; on June 24, it rises together with the crescent Moon just before dawn
  • 10 PM southern sky – Boötes, the Herdsman, recognizable for its familiar Kite asterism, with Arcturus, the fourth brightest star in the sky, and the binary star Izar, Epsilon Boötis
  • 10 PM – southeastern sky – Corona Borealis, the Northern Crown, visible to the left of Boötes constellation
  • 10 PM eastern sky – Hercules constellation high in the sky, with the prominent Keystone asterism, the Hercules Cluster (Messier 13), and another globular cluster, Messier 92
  • 10 PM northeastern sky – Draco constellation with the double star Nu Draconis

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