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January 28: Boötes’ brightest cluster, NGC 5466
Although the Moon is growing brighter, there’s still plenty to see in the evening sky. Astronomy contributor Phil Harrington calls the shape formed by the bright stars Betelgeuse, Sirius, and Procyon the Winter Triangle. Largely framing the constellation Monoceros, this asterism holds within it several deep-sky delights, including M50, an open cluster that sits to the upper left of the bright star Sirius in the early-evening sky. To find it, first center your binoculars or telescope on Sirius, then skim northeast. M50 sits about 9.4° northeast of Sirius, in southern Monoceros the Unicorn.
Spanning about 16’, M50’s brightest star shines around 8th magnitude and stands out among its fainter suns, which form a hazy glow at lower magnifications. Together, the cluster’s stars shine with a combined magnitude of about 6. Astronomers believe this cluster is about 3,200 light-years away and about 78 million years old.
Sunrise: 7:11 A.M.
Sunset: 5:16 P.M.
Moonrise: 1:29 P.M.
Moonset: 4:39 A.M.
Moon Phase: Waxing gibbous (90%)
*Times for sunrise, sunset, moonrise, and moonset are given in local time from 40° N 90° W. The Moon’s illumination is given at 10 P.M. local time from the same location.
