Constellation of the Month: January
Canis Minor (The Lesser Dog) and
Sextans (The Sextant)

by: John Mirtle.
Page last updated: May 3, 2004

Contents
Naked Eye Objects Small Scope Objects Big Scope Objects Challenge Objects Maps Photos

Naked Eye Objects:

	Name	R.A.	Decl.	Details
	a CMi (Procyon)	07hr 39m	+05° 14'	The fifth closest naked-eye star, 11.3 light-years away, mag 0.4. An optical double with a mag. 11.6 star, 2 arc minutes away in P.A. 13°. A binary star with a white dwarf companion, 5 arc seconds away at mag 12.9. (CMi)

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Small Scope Objects:

	Name	R.A.	Decl.	Details
	NGC 3115^!	10hr 05.2m	-07° 43'	The "Spindle Galaxy" - a bright lenticular galaxy at mag. 10.0. 4 x 1 arc minutes in size, showing little detail. (110NGC) (Sex)
	NGC 3169 Group	10hr 14m	+03° 04'	The brightest member of a multiple galaxy group, mag 11.1, an Sa spiral measuring 5.4 x 2.7 arc minutes. Look for NGC 3166 nearby at mag 11.3 and NGC 3156 37 arc minutes south at mag. 13.1. (Sex)

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Big Scope Objects:

Name	R.A.	Decl.	Details
Abell 24	07hr 52m	+03° 00'	A tricky planetary nebula, 6 x 5.5 arc minutes across. Mag. 13.6 with a mag 17.1 central star. (CMi)
NGC 2485	07hr 56m	+07° 29'	A compact Sa spiral, 1.6 arc minutes across, mag 13.1 (CMi)
NGC 2470	07hr 54m	+04° 28'	A faint mag 13.6 Sa-b galaxy, 1.9 x 0.5 arc minutes (CMi)
NGC 3110	10hr 04m	-06° 28'	A mag 13.5 galaxy, 1.5 x .7 arc minutes in size. (Sex)
NGC 3423	10hr 51m	+05° 50'	A nice Sc spiral on the Leo/Sextans border. Mag 11.6, 3.8 x 3.2 arc minutes in size. (Sex)

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Challenge Objects:

	Name	R.A.	Decl.	Details
	Abell 22	07hr 36m	+01° 42'	A small, very faint planetary. Mag. 15.4, 87 x 60 arc seconds. Will require filters, large optics and an experienced observer! (CMi)

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Constellation Maps:

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Photos:

Photo 1
South is at top to match the view in an inverting telescope.
Photo credit: John Mirtle.
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Constellation of the Month: JanuaryCanis Minor (The Lesser Dog) andSextans (The Sextant)