Canes Venatici - Downloadable article
If you're on the prowl for bright, nearby galaxies, you won't go wrong exploring the territory guarded by the Hunting Dogs.
By
Tom Polakis —
Published:
March 3, 2009This downloadable article is from an Astronomy magazine 45-article series called "Celestial Portraits." The collection highlights all 88 constellations in the sky and explains how to observe each constellation's deep-sky targets. The articles feature star charts, stunning pictures, and constellation mythology. We've put together 11 digital packages. Each one contains four Celestial Portraits articles for you to purchase and download.
"Canes Venatici" is one of four articles included in Celestial Portraits Package 8.
To most backyard observers, spring evenings conjure warm thoughts of galaxy hunting. Understandably, most of that focus centers on the constellations Virgo and Coma Berenices, home to the nearest large galaxy cluster. Point a telescope at random in this area and you're likely to see multiple galaxies swimming in the field of view.
Although not as famous as its southern neighbors, the nondescript constellation Canes Venatici the Hunting Dogs holds its own as a haven for galaxies. Sandwiched between Coma Berenices and the bright stars of the Big Dipper in Ursa Major, Canes Venatici lies nearly 90° from the plane of our galaxy. That makes it predictably star poor and galaxy rich. The best news: Many of these galaxies appear large and bright because they dwell in the nearby reaches of the Local Supercluster. To read the complete article, purchase and download Celestial Portraits Package 8. |
Deep-sky objects in Canes Venatici
NGC 4111, NGC 4143, NGC 4244, M106 (NGC 4258), NGC 4449, NGC 4490, Upgren 1, M94 (NGC 4736), Alpha (α) Canum Venaticorum, NGC 4861, IC 4182, NGC 5005, NGC 5033, M63 (NGC 5055), M51 (NGC 5194), M3 (NGC 5272), NGC 5350 |
Package 8 contains the following Celestial Portraits articles
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