Frosty Drew Nature Center & Observatory: Glenn Chaple's Columns

NGC 7009 - The Saturn Nebula

Glenn Chaple — Mon, 30 Nov 2015 10:07:27 EST

An entry in my astronomy logbook dated October 6, 1977 reads, “I finally notched a real stinker!” No, it wasn’t one of the skunks that occasionally stroll across my back yard while I’m outside observing. My notes continue, “After numerous att

Messier 2 – Globular Cluster in Aquarius

Glenn Chaple — Tue, 6 Oct 2015 12:19:41 EDT

October can be a depressing month for the globular cluster aficionado. Sagittarius, Scorpius, and Ophiuchus and their treasure trove of globular clusters have ridden off to the west, leaving us with the barren-looking skies of autumn.

But all is

Messier 3 - Globular Cluster in Canes Venatici

Glenn Chaple — Tue, 30 Jun 2015 08:59:40 EDT

As May gives way to June, backyard astronomers begin to anticipate the arrival of summer’s globular clusters, and with good reason. The globular-laden constellations Ophiuchus, Scorpius, and Sagittarius are beginning to show up in the early evening s

Messier 98 - Spiral Galaxy in Coma Berenices

Glenn Chaple — Mon, 11 May 2015 11:33:28 EDT

This month, we journey to the edge-on spiral Messier 98, located near the westerly border of the Coma-Virgo Galaxy Cluster. M 98 and its neighbor galaxies M 99 and M 100 were discovered by Pierre Mechain on the night of March 15, 1781 and confirmed by

NGC 3115 Lenticular Galaxy in Sextans

Glenn Chaple — Wed, 15 Apr 2015 08:24:42 EDT

Some of the finest deep-sky objects are bypassed because they lie in star-poor regions of the sky. Such was the case with our February “Sky Object of the Month,” the planetary nebula NGC 1501 in Camelopardalis. It’s also the situation with NGC 31

NGC 1501: Planetary Nebula in Camelopardalis

Glenn Chaple — Wed, 11 Feb 2015 14:23:21 EST

While Go-to technology has gained popularity with backyard astronomers who like to key their telescopes on a sky object with the push of a button, I prefer the no-frills star-hop mode of cosmic travel. Star-hopping lets me see enjoy celestial scenery I

Struve 817 – Double Star in Orion

Glenn Chaple — Fri, 6 Feb 2015 08:06:59 EST

I’m a big fan of “off-the-beaten-path” sky objects. One of my favorites is the little-known double star Struve 817 - the 817th double star catalogued by the German-born Russian astronomer F. G. W. Struve during a survey conducted between 1824 and

NGC 40 - Planetary Nebula in Cepheus

Glenn Chaple — Tue, 18 Nov 2014 08:57:31 EST

Our November deep-sky target, NGC 40, could be featured any month of the year. Just 17.5 degrees from the North Celestial Pole, it’s circumpolar from mid-northern latitudes. But it’s during mid autumn that NGC 40’s parent constellation Cepheus ri

Messier 22 – Globular Cluster in Sagittarius

Glenn Chaple — Tue, 16 Sep 2014 17:47:08 EDT

On early evenings in September, the constellation Sagittarius arches above the southern horizon, its rich deep-sky treasures accessible to those of us who inhabit mid-northern latitudes. One of the more spectacular of these cosmic splendors is the glob

The Owl - Planetary Nebula in Ursa Major

Glenn Chaple — Thu, 12 Jun 2014 09:34:46 EDT

Last month, we paid a visit to the spiral galaxy M108. I promised to feature its neighbor, the planetary nebula M97, this month. Did you take a sneak peek? I don’t blame you. Just 3/4 degree southeast of M108, M97 can be glimpsed in the same low-powe