READER
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70 ASTRONOMY t FEBRUARY 2014
- BY ANY OTHER NAME
The Swan Nebula (M17) goes by many
names. Some observers call it the
Omega Nebula; others the Checkmark
Nebula; still others the Horseshoe
Nebula. It lies in the constellation Sagit-
tarius the Archer and spans some 15
light-years. (16-inch Dream Telescopes
astrograph at f/3.75, Apogee Alta U16M
CCD camera, Hα/OIII/RGB image with
exposures of 30, 30, 10, 10, and 10
minutes, respectively) • Kmr Simon - SPRING CONSTELLATIONS
The Northern Hemisphere’s spring sky is
full of well-known patterns and colorful
stars. The brightest, Arcturus (Alpha [α]
Boötis) lies near bottom center. Above
it, and to the left of center, stands the
Big Dipper. To its right, Leo the Lion
seems to climb toward the top. (Canon
Rebel XSi DSLR, 8mm fisheye lens at
f/4, ISO 1600, four 2-minute exposures,
stacked) • John Chumack