Messier Targets in Ursa Major & Canes Venatici

As April returns to Lake Wallkill, so too does Ursa Major. Although mostly circumpolar at 41°N latitude, it's lost to the trees by mid summer; but by the end of April UMa rides high overhead just north of zenith, little affected by the lights from Rt. 23 or the infernal Mountain Creek.


A good number of Messier objects are located around the Big Dipper asterism and it's companion, Canes Venatici - mostly galaxies, with a globular cluster, a double star, and a planetary nebula thrown in (links go to entries on the superb SEDS web site):

• M3: Globular Cluster (NGC 5272), class VI, in Canes Venatici
• M40: Double Star (WNC 4) in Ursa Major - Winnecke 4
• M51: Spiral Galaxy (NGC 5194), type Sc, in Canes Venatici - Whirlpool Galaxy
• M63: Spiral Galaxy (NGC 5055), type Sb, in Canes Venatici - Sunflower Galaxy
• M81: Spiral Galaxy (NGC 3031), type Sb, in Ursa Major - Bode's Galaxy
• M82: Irregular Galaxy (NGC 3034), type Ir-II, in Ursa Major - Cigar Galaxy
• M94: Spiral Galaxy (NGC 4736), type Sb, in Canes Venatici
• M97: Planetary Nebula (NGC 3587), type 3a, in Ursa Major
• M101: Spiral Galaxy (NGC 5457), type Sc, in Ursa Major - Pinwheel Galaxy
• M106: Spiral Galaxy (NGC 4258), type Sbp, in Canes Venatici
• M108: Spiral Galaxy (NGC 3556), type Sc, in Ursa Major
• M109: Spiral Galaxy (NGC 3992), type SBc, in Ursa Major

A New Moon on April 27 makes the last week of the month an ideal time to observe these objects. The upcoming (March 28) New Moon looks to be a washout.