Spring is galaxy season, and one of the most popular targets for visual observers and astrophotographers alike is the Whirlpool Galaxy. It’s conveniently located about three and a half degrees from Alkaid, the star at the end of the handle of the Big Dipper. It forms a triangle with another star, 24 Canum Venaticorum. However, as with almost all galaxies, you’ll need dark skies and a telescope to get the most out of it.
Through a small scope, the galaxy appears as a faint patch, with some texture potentially being visible, while its tiny companion, NGC 5195, shows a starlike core. Larger telescopes (250mm, or 10 inches in aperture) are needed to clearly show its famous spiral arms, but even at higher magnifications the connecting bridge between the two may be difficult to spot.
Lyrid Meteor Shower
The Lyrids reach their maximum on the evening of the 21st but are best seen during the early hours of the 22nd. Fortunately, the Moon is a waning crescent this year, and its light won’t brighten the sky, allowing you to see up to 18 shooting stars every hour under ideal conditions.
Mizar & Alcor (Zeta Ursae Majoris)
An outstanding double star for beginners, look carefully with the naked eye at Mizar, the middle star in the handle of the Big Dipper, and you’ll see a tiny star beside it. This is Alcor, and while the pair make a pretty sight for binoculars, almost any telescope will show Mizar itself to be double.
Cor Caroli (Alpha Canum Venaticorum)
Like the Whirlpool Galaxy, Cor Caroli is located close to Alkaid in the Big Dipper, and like Mizar, it’s a relatively easy double for beginners. A low magnification of around 30x will show a brilliant white star with a fainter creamy-white companion.
M65, M66, and NGC 3628 – The Leo Triplet
The two brightest galaxies in this trio – M65 and M66 – are bright enough to be spotted with binoculars, but you’ll need a scope to see NGC 3628. A magnification of around 70x will show all three as elongated patches within the same field of view, but you’ll likely need a scope of 250mm in aperture to see any detail.