Wonders of the Sky
 by constellation

[featuring 190 links(for now...). Last updated 2005.07.26]



in this order: stars (bright, double and multiple, variable, peculiars), deep sky objects (most visible with small instruments)

Abbreviations:
B Bright Star
D Double or Multiple Star
Dsp Spectroscopical Double Star
V Variable Star
SC Open Star Cluster
GC Globular Star Cluster
Pl Planetary Nebula
G Galaxy
GG Galaxy Group or Cluster
BN Bright Nebula
DN Dark Nebula
RS Radio Source
SNR Supernova Remnant

An asterisk (*) in fourth column marks the most noteworthy objects.

Sites are indexed simply by progressive number, except for some important ones, as: SEDS, AAVSO, APOD (Astronomical Picture of the day), Wiki (Wikipedia), NOAO, RAS, Ka (Kaler). It means pages in Italian.

Andromeda
alpha B   Ka
beta B   Ka
gamma D K0 and A0; seen orange and green; B component is a tight double * 1  2 Ka
epsilon   Ka
lambda   Ka
nu   Ka
36 D tight  
NGC 752 SC    
M 31 G most massive component of Local Group * SEDS It 2
M 32 G    
M 110 G    
NGC 7662 Pl dia 30" mag. 9; minimum aperture 75 mm  


Antlia

alpha   Ka
zeta 1, zeta 2 D    
U V semiregular, mag. 5.7-6.8  
NGC 2997 G easy  
NGC 3132 Pl    


Apus

delta 1, delta 2 D sep. 103"  
NGC 6101 GC dia 3'; minimum aperture 20 cm  


Aquarius

alpha   Ka
beta   Ka
gamma   Ka
zeta D now close (1"); period uncertain, approx 500 y Ka
eta   Ka
lambda   Ka
R V peculiar, occasionally reaches 6 mag.; with a nebula  
M 2 GC    
M 72 GC    
M 73   4 stars, not a real group  
NGC 7009 Pl Saturn Nebula  
NGC 7293 Pl Helical Nebula  


Aquila

alpha B recently recognized as variable (delta Scuti class) Ka
beta   Ka
gamma   Ka
epsilon   Ka
gamma   Ka
eta V cepheid Ka
pi D Struve 2583  
sigma D eclipsing, beta Lyrae class  
chi D sep. 0.5", test for 20 cm instruments  
15 D    
23 D triple  
57 D    
Struve 2404 D mag. 6 and 7  
NGC 6709 SC    
NGC 6760 GC    
NGC 6814 G    


Ara

alpha   Ka
beta   Ka
gamma   Ka
R D eclipsing  
NGC 6193 SC    
NGC 6397 GC resolvable with 75 mm  


Aries

alpha B   Ka
beta Ka
gamma D discovered by Robert Hooke, 1664 Ka
lambda D easy  
pi D    
41 Ka
53   runaway star  
NGC 772 G minim. aperture 25 cm  


Auriga

alpha B,Dsp Capella Ka
beta     Ka
epsilon D unique eclipsing variable; next eclipse due 2009-11. * 1 2 3 4 5 Ka
zeta D eclipsing; period 2.66 y; eclipse lasts for 50 d Ka
eta Ka
theta D easy Ka
iota Ka
omega D    
RT V cepheid; mag. 5.0-5.8  
AE V runaway star Ka
M 36 SC    
M 37 SC    
M 38 SC    
NGC 1907 SC    


Bootes

alpha B Arcturus; is a Population II star * 1 Ka
beta   Ka
gamma   Ka
delta   Ka
epsilon D K0 and A2, orange and bluish, quite difficult Ka
zeta D   Ka
eta   Ka
theta   Ka
iota D tight  
kappa D    
theta   Ka
mu D   Ka
nu1, nu 2 D    
xi D sep. 6.9'', period 200 yr  
sigma   Ka
12 D   Ka
44 D sep. 4.7''-0.4'', period 200 yr  


Caelum 

alpha   Ka
gamma D    


Camelopardalis

alpha   Ka
beta D   Ka
Struve 1694 D    
NGC 1502 SC in it Struve 485 (multiple) and SZ Cam (V)  
NGC 2403 G in M81-M82 group? * SEDS It Supernova 2004dj 4


Cancer 

alpha   Ka
beta   Ka
zeta  D triple star * 1 2 3 4
iota D G8 and A3, golden and blue Ka
M 44 SC Praesepe (this name is very ancient; nothing to do with Christmas lore) * SEDS It
M67 SC visible in a binocular; best with 20-25 cm  
NGC 2775 G visible in a 20 cm telescope  


Canes Venatici
Near Supergalactic Equator, at high galactic latitude; rich in galaxies: 100 of them are visible in a 20 cm instrument.

alpha D   Ka
beta   Ka
Y V La Superba; semiregular, very red, mag. 5.0-6.4 Ka
M 3 GC    
M 51 G Whirlpool Galaxy * SEDS It APOD NOAO
M 63 G    
M 94 G    
M 106 G NGC 4258  


Canis Major

alpha B,D Sirius * 1 2 color Dogon Ka
beta B, V short period, small amplitude (0.03 mag) Ka
gamma Ka
delta B   Ka
epsilon B,D   Ka
eta   Ka
eta   Ka
eta   Ka
eta   Ka
M 41 SC    
NGC 2362 SC around tau CMa  


Canis Minor

alpha B,D Procyon; Ka
beta   Ka


Capricornus

alpha 1, alpha 2 D apparent double; alpha 1 is double by itself and alpha 2 is triple. Ka
beta D triple: A mag. 3.2 sep. AB 205" Ka
gamma Ka
delta Ka
zeta Ka
omicron D mag. 6.1 and 6.6 sep. 21.2"  
pi D mag. 5.3 and 8.9 sep. 3.2"  
tau D mag. 5.8 and 6.3 sep. 0.3"  
RT V semiregular; mag. 6.5-8.1  
M 30 GC    


Carina
in southern Milky Way

alpha B Canopus Ka
beta B   Ka
epsilon B   Ka
eta V unusual; in NGC 3372 bright nebula * 1 SEDS 2 APOD Ka
upsilon D    
l ("el", not "one")   Ka
NGC 3372 BN   1  2
IC 2602 SC scattered; includes theta Car  
NGC 2516 SC    
NGC 2808 GC bright  
NGC 3532 SC   * SEDS 2


Cassiopeia
in northern Milky Way

alpha Ka
beta V the nearest delta Sct star Ka
gamma V erratic * 1 2 3 Ka
delta   Ka
epsilon   Ka
eta D   Ka
iota D   Ka
kappa   Ka
mu   Ka
rho   Ka
rho   Ka
R V long period variable; mag 6.2-12  
RZ D eclipsing  
M 52 SC    
M 103 SC    
NGC 457 SC Herschel described it as luminous, large, pretty rich. Brighter stars of mag. 8: around phi Cas  
NGC 7789 SC very rich, stars mag 11 -...  
Cas A RS SN remnant * SEDS


Centaurus

alpha B,D triple system; Proxima is the nearest star * APOD 2 3 Wiki Ka
beta B   Ka
gamma   Ka
eta   Ka
theta   Ka
3 D    
R V long period variable; mag. 6-11  
NGC 3918 Pl    
omega GC NGC 5139 * SEDS APOD APOD
NGC 5128 G unusual; also a strong radio source (Cen A) * SEDS 2 3 4


Cepheus

alpha   Ka
beta D   Ka
delta V, D eponimous of the Cepheids * SEDS AAVSO Ka
mu V Garnet Star Ka
nu Ka
xi D    
omicron D    
VV D eclipsing, epsilon Aur type; per. 20 yr, next eclipse 2008  
OV V Ka
NGC 188 SC faint  


Cetus 

alpha, 93 D wide pair, not physically connected Ka
beta   Ka
gamma D mag. 3.5 and 7.3 sep. 2.7"; white and yellow Ka
zeta   Ka
kappa   Ka
omicron V Mira * AAVSO 2 Ka
tau   nearby star Ka
M 77 G a Seyfert galaxy  
NGC 247 G Large (18'), but dim. Member of the Sculptor Group  


Chamaeleon

alpha, theta D wide; color contrast (white and orange) Ka
delta D mag. 6 and 6; sep. 0.6"; difficult  
NGC 3195 Pl min. aperture 10 cm  


Circinus

alpha D mag. 3.2 and 8.6 sep. 15.7"  


Columba

alpha     Ka
mu   runaway star (with 53 Arietis and AE Aurigae) Ka


Coma Berenices
at Nothtern Galactic Pole, and on Supergalactic Equator; many galaxies, 30 of them visible in a 20 cm telescope.

24 D    
Coma Star Cluster SC    
M 53 GC    
M 64 G    
M 85 G    
M 88 G    
M 98 G    
M 99 G    
M 100 G    
Coma Galaxy Cluster GG Abell 1656: 1000 galaxies, some of them barely visible in a 35 cm instrument * 1 2 SEDS 4 5 6 7 8 9 APOD


Corona Australis

alpha   Ka
beta D   Ka
gamma D    
kappa D    
lambda D    
h 5014 D two stars mag. 5.7, sep. 1.8" in 1943, now very tight; period 190 y  
NGC 6541 GC    
NGC 6726, 6727 and 6729 BN with stars and dark patches  


Corona Borealis

eta D tight; per. 41.6 y  
zeta D    
nu 1, nu 2 D    
R V normally mag. 6, at times fades at 12 or 13 * AAVSO SEDS RAS 4
T V cataclismic variable or recurrent nova * 1


Corvus

delta D   Ka
NGC 4038, 4039 G Antennae; colliding pair; min. aperture 15 cm * SEDS 2 3 APOD 5 6


Crater

alpha   Ka


Crux

alpha B   Ka
beta B   Ka
mu D   Ka
kappa, NGC 4755 SC Jewel Box * SEDS APOD 3 4
Coal Sack DN   * 1 SEDS 3 4


Cygnus

alpha B Deneb Ka
beta D Albireo * 1 2 Ka
omicron 1, 30 D a small group; omicron 1 itself is an eclipsing binary *Ka
chi V one of the most famous long period variables Ka
61 D triple; nearby star; first stellar distance to be measured (Bessel 1838) * Wiki 2 3 Ka
P V peculiar * SEDS Ka 3 4 P Cygni profile
M 29 SC    
M 39 SC very loose  
NGC 6826 Pl    
NGC 6992 BN Cygnus Loop. Sn remnant; visible in a binocular 50mm; best in a 15X80.  
NGC 7000 BN North America  
Cygnus A RS Radio Galaxy  
Cygnus X-1   X-ray source; Black hole candidate * Wiki


Delphinus

gamma D   Ka
Struve 2725 D    


Dorado

beta V   Ka
LMC G   * SEDS 2 APOD APOD
NGC 2070 BN Tarantula Nebula; in LMC  


Draco

alpha B mostly historical importance Ka
nu D   Ka
xi D    
omicron D    
16, 17 D    
39 D triple  
40, 41 D    
NGC 6543 Pl at North Ecliptic Pole  


Equuleus

gamma D    
epsilon D triple. AB period 101 y  


Eridanus

alpha B Achernar Ka
epsilon   nearby star  
theta D   Ka
omicron 2 D   Ka
p D easy; 21 ly distant, per. 480 y. Near Achernar  
32 D    
NGC 1535 Pl bright  


Fornax

alpha D   Ka
Fornax System G dwarf galaxy; invisible in itself, contains some GC, visible in a 25 am aperture  
Fornax Galaxy Cluster GG 18 bright galaxies, some geographically belonging to Eridanus. Brightest member is NGC 1365 * 1 2


Gemini

alpha B, D Castor; multiple, six stars in all. * 1 Ka
beta B Pollux Ka
epsilon D   Ka
zeta V cepheid Ka
eta V, D Propus. Semiregular Ka
38 D    
M 35 SC    
NGC 2392 Pl Eskimo Nebula  


Grus

delta D   Ka
mu D    


Hercules

alpha D, V   Ka
kappa D    
rho D    
95 D    
M 13 GC   * SEDS 2 APOD APOD
M 92 GC    


Horologium

R V    
TW V    


Hydra

alpha B Alphard Ka
epsilon D   Ka
R V log period variable. Period steadily decreasing. Mag. 5-9 * It SEDS VSNET AAVSO
U V Very red. Carbon star. Mag. 4.7-6.2  
V V Carbon star. Mag. 6.5-12  
27 D    
54 D    
I D    
M 48 SC    
NGC 3242 Pl very bright  
M 68 GC    
M 83 G    


Hydrus

pi D    


Indus 

epsilon   nearby star  
theta D    


Lacerta

BL G quasar, prototype of BL-Lac objects, mag. 14-17 * It


Leo

alpha B, D Regulus Ka
gamma D   Ka
zeta D   Ka
tau D    
R V    
Wolf 359   nearby star  
M 65 G    
M 66 G    
M 95 G    
M 96 G    


Leo Minor

46 Praecipua Ka


Lepus

gamma D    
R V very strog colour: Hind's ''Crimson Star''; long period variable, mag 5.5-11.3; per. 432 d  
NGC 2017 SC    
M 79 GC resolution begins in a 20 cm telescope; fully resolved in a 30 cm one  


Libra

alpha D   Ka
delta V    
iota D multiple  
mu D    
NGC 5897 GC    


Lupus

epsilon D    
eta D    
kappa D    
mu D    
xi D    
pi D    
NGC 5822 SC    


Lynx

5 D    
12 D    
19 D    
38 D    
41 D    
NGC 4219 GC Extragalactic Wanderer; luminous (mag. 11)  


Lyra 

alpha B Vega Ka
beta D eclipsing double of peculiar class * SEDS 2 Ka
delta1, delta 2 D in the open cluster Stephenson 1 1 Ka
epsilon D quadruple * 1 Ka
zeta D   Ka
RR V eponimous of an important class of pulsating stars * 1 An archive of galactic RR Lyrae
M 56 GC    
M 57 Pl Ring Nebula  


Mensa

alpha Ka


Microscopium

alpha D    


Monoceros

beta D triple Ka
delta D    
epsilon D    
S V in NGC 2264  Ka
M 50 SC    
NGC 2232 SC    
Rosette Nebula BN NGC 2237, 38, 39, 46, sometimes referred to as NGC 2244 * APOD 2 3 SEDS
NGC 2244 SC in Rosette Nebula * APOD
NGC 2261 BN Hubble Variable Nebula; around the variable R Mon  
NGC 2264 SC Christmas Tree Cluster; near it is the dark Conus Nebula * SEDS 2 3


Musca

beta D    
theta D    
NGC 5182   peculiar nebula; classification uncertain.  


Norma

gamma 1, gamma 2 D    
epsilon D    
iota 1 D    
NGC 6087 SC    


Octans

lambda D    
sigma   South Polar Star  


Ophiuchus

rho D in IC 4604 nebula Ka
tau D    
36 D    
70 D    
Barnard's Star   nearby star * 1 SEDS 3 Wiki 5 6
IC 4665 SC    
NGC 6633 SC    
M 9 GC    
M 10 GC    
M 12 GC    
M 14 GC    
M 19 GC    


Orion

alpha B, V Betelgeuse * 1 SEDS Ka
beta B, D Rigel * 1 Ka
delta D   Ka
zeta D   Ka
eta D   Ka
theta 1 D Trapezium; in M 42 * 1 2 Ka
theta 2 D in M 42  
iota D   Ka
lambda D   Ka
sigma D multiple Ka
NGC 1981 SC    
M 42 BN   * SEDS It 3 4 5 6 7 8
M 43 BN    
M 78 BN    
Horsehead, B 33 DN difficult to the eye; try in a 15 cm instrument f/5 or more, 50x min. * Google Images APOD APOD SEDS NOAO 4


Pavo

alpha B   Ka
kappa V class W Virginis  
xi D    
NGC 6752 SC    


Pegasus

beta V   Ka
epsilon D   Ka
1 D    
M 15 GC    
Stephan's Quintet GG   * 1 APOD APOD 4 5 6


Perseus

alpha B in a star cluster Ka
beta D Algol; eclipsing * Ka
epsilon D   Ka
zeta D in the OB association Perseus II Ka
eta D    
rho V semiregular Ka
h + chi (NGC 869 and NGC 884) SC Double Cluster * SEDS 2 3 4 5 6
M 34 SC    
M 76 SC    
NGC 1275 G, RS at the core of Perseus Galaxy Cluster  


Phoenix 

beta D mag. 4.0 and 4.2, sep. 1.4"  
zeta V, D   Ka


Pictor

beta    with protoplanetary disk Ka
Kapteyn Star   nearby, high proper motion  


Pisces

alpha D   Ka
zeta D    
rho D    
psi 1 D    
TX V    
M 74 G    


Piscis Austrinus

alpha B Fomalhaut Ka
beta D    
gamma D    


Puppis

xi D   Ka
k D    
L 2 V semiregular  
V D eclipsing  
M 46 SC    
M 47 SC    
NGC 2451 SC    


Pyxis

T V  recurrent nova, roughly an outburst every 20 years; last one in 1967  


Reticulum

zeta D    


Sagitta

zeta D    
WZ V recurrent nova  
FG V unusual; a very slow nova? * 1
M 71 GC    


Sagittarius

beta 1, beta 2 D   Ka
upsilon D eclipsing; beta Lyrae type  
W V    
X V    
M 8 BN Lagoon Nebula; in it the stellar cluster NGC 6530  
M 17 BN Omega Nebula  
M 18 SC    
M 20 BM Trifid Nebula  
M 21 SC    
M 22 GC    
M 23 SC    
M 24 SC star cloud  
M 25 SC    
M 28 GC    
M 54 GC    
M 55 GC    
M 69 GC    
M 70 GC    
M 75 GC    
NGC 6530 SC    
NGC 6822 G    
Sgr A RS at the center of Milky Way * 1 2 APOD APOD 5 Chandra
Pipe Nebula DN its shape resembles rather a boomerang than a pipe; prominent in wide field long exposure Milky Way photos * APOD 2 It It 5 6 7 8


Scorpius

alpha B, V, D Antares Ka
beta D   Ka
zeta 1, zeta 2 D   Ka
mu 1, mu 2 D mu 1 is double on itself Ka
nu D   Ka
xi D    
omega 1, omega 2 D    
M 4 GC    
M 6 SC    
M 7 SC    
M 62 GC    
M 80 GC in it appeared the nova 1860 (T Sco)  
NGC 6231 SC    


Sculptor
at Southern Galactic Pole

epsilon D    
kappa 1 D    
R V    
NGC 55 G    
NGC 253 G visible in a binocular * SEDS APOD APOD 3 4 5 6


Scutum

delta V   * Ka AAVSO
R V   Ka
M 11 SC    
M 26 SC    


Serpens Caput


beta D    
delta D   Ka
theta D   Ka
M 5 GC    


Serpens Cauda

nu D    
tau 1 SC    
M 16 SC near gamma Scuti; in Aquila Nebula  


Sextans

17, 18 D    
NGC 3115 G    


Taurus

alpha B Aldebaran Ka
lambda V   Ka
theta 1, theta 2 D    
kappa D    
sigma 1, sigma 2 D    
phi D    
chi D    
T V   * AAVSO
Hyades SC Melotte 25 * SEDS 2 Distances 4
M 45 SC Pleiades * 1 SEDS SEDS 4
M 1 SNR Crab Nebula, NGC 1952 * SEDS Google Images APOD APOD 5 6 7 8


Telescopium

delta 1, delta 2 D    


Triangulum

iota D    
M 33 G   * SEDS It 3 4 APOD APOD


Triangulum Australe

iota D    
R V cepheid  
S V cepheid  
Herschel 4809 D    
NGC 6025 SC    


Tucana

beta D multiple  
delta D    
kappa D    
47 GC    
NGC 362 GC    
SMC G   * SEDS 2 APOD 4


Ursa Major

zeta, 80 D Mizar (double in itself) and Alcor Ka Ka
xi D    
Ursa Major Group SC    
M 81 G    
M 82 G   * SEDS SEDS APOD NOAO
M 97 Pl Owl Nebula  
M 101 G    


Ursa Minor

alpha B, V, D Polaris * Wiki Ka
gamma D   Ka


Vela

gamma D   Ka
delta D   Ka
IC 2391 SC    
NGC 2547 SC    


Virgo

alpha B Spica Ka
gamma D Porrima Ka
epsilon B Vindemiatrix Ka
theta D    
tau D    
Virgo Galaxy Cluster GG   * 1 2 3 4
M 49 G    
M 58 G    
M 59 G    
M 60 G    
M 61 G    
M 84 G    
M 86 G    
M 87 G   * APOD APOD 3 HH SEDS
M 89 G    
M 90 G    
M 104 G Sombrero Galaxy *
3C 273 RS the most luminous quasar * SEDS Database of (almost) all the observations Wiki 3 Movies


Volans

gamma D   Ka
epsilon D    


Vulpecula

alpha D   Ka
M 27 Pl Dumbell Nebula