From the October 2010 issue

Stephen James O’Meara’s Secret Sky: Two great double clusters

December 2010: Perseus offers not one but two dazzling displays for observers who seek them out.
By | Published: October 20, 2010 | Last updated on May 18, 2023

Go outside on a crisp, clear mid-December night around 9 and face north. If you’re under a dark sky, the Milky Way will form a long frosty trellis arching over the North Star from east to west. Despite the Milky Way’s prominent position, it doesn’t “punch” the eye like the summer Milky Way — it’s more of a visual caress.