Autumn Deep Sky Objects
Deep Sky objects hardly move in relation to the Solar System, their apparent movement from day to day or week to week is due entirely to the Earth’s rotation on its axis and its orbit around the sun. So, if I see the Andromeda galaxy directly South at 10.00 p.m. on a particular day then a month later it will be directly South at 8.00p.m. and if I saw it a month earlier it would be directly South at midnight.
The above image has been generated using Stellarium planetarium software. Further details can be found on the Stellarium website
Some deep sky objects that can be observed during the Autumn months
Hover over an image to see further details
Andromeda Galaxy M31
The Andromeda galaxy is easily seen in the constellation of Andromeda and is a close neighbour Galaxy and quite big. It is high enough in the sky to be seen from September through to April. Any optical device enhances the view, and any camera or mobile phone on a tripod with a telescopic lens will reveal some of it’s structure.
Andromeda Galaxy M31
Image: (c) Terry Tucker AAS
The Great Orion and Running Man Nebulae M42 and M43
This image shows the Running Man Nebula (the smaller nebula) above the larger Greater Orion Nebula, as well as a star Cluster along the top of the image. Most of us see the Great Orion Nebula as the sword or dagger hanging from the 3 stars representing the belt of Orion. It is even easily see in light polluted skies. With binoculars and small telescopes it resolves into an object that looks like a perching crow. This is the most visible of several nearby nebulae in the giant molecular cloud of dust and gas in the Orion Spur that extends 1/3 of the way over our night sky in winter. Evidence is now appearing to confirm earlier suspicions that new planetary systems are actively forming here.
The Great Orion and Running Man Nebulae M42 and M43
Image: (c) Terry Tucker AAS
Pleiades - The Seven Sisters M45
Pleiades in Taurus is an easy object to see even with the Naked Eye. It is stunning through optical devices, although you will be hard pressed to see the nebulosity between the stars unless you have a large telescope or photograph it. It is relatively easy to photograph with 4x zoom or higher. Just like we experience tides on Earth, the Galaxy is doing the same for the Pleiades, and is in the process of dispersing and scattering the stars
Image: (c) Terry Tucker AAS
Triangulum Galaxy M33
Few people can see this object with no optical enhancement even in very dark skies. It is below and to the left of the Andromeda galaxy. It is part of the local group, but seems to have been robbed of material to grow into a bigger galaxy by its proximity to the Milky Way and in particular Andromeda.
Triangulum Galaxy M33
Image: (c) Mike Cranfield AAS (astrobin)
The Flaming Star and Tadpoles Nebulae
The Flaming Star (bottom right) and Tadpoles (top left) Nebulae are in Auriga the Charioteer. The Nebulosity shown here is invisble unless you have a huge telescope or photograph it particularly with an infra red sensitive camera. However, the string of stars that bisect the two nebulae are relatively easy to pick out with even modest optical devices even in relatively light polluted skies, and may reveal their colours much better than here.
The Flaming Star and Tadpoles Nebulae
Image: (c) Terry Tucker AAS
Mars passing below Pleiades
M45 Pleiades is in a constellation that most objects in the inner solar system will all appear to pass through or nearby. It does not take a lot of fancy equipment to image, these objects, and with a little care you can even reveal some of the nebulosity like here as Mars, the red/orange object, passes below. Newer phones have a low light setting which is worth trying especially if they have a 4x zoom or greater. Remember to place on a tripod or clamp, and keep your exposures short to avoid trailing stars. A New Moon, Mars, Jupiter and some brighter comets are ideal to try as they are in the same brightness range as Pleiades, so you can get to see the blue nebulosity around the Seven Sisters too.