Log Astronomy: Find new celestial treats to observe & image in Monoceros!

The Unicorn constellation is home to a number of deep sky treats that pop in a 127mm refractor

The Rosette Nebula in SHO palette as imaged by astrophotographer Brian Meyerberg using Explore Scientific's FCD100 Series 127mm Triplet Refractor

Monoceros constellation holds a bounty of celestial treasures

Also known as "the unicorn," the Monoceros constellation hides in the midst of the Winter Triangle that is defined by the brilliant stars Sirius, Procyon and Betelgeuse. Although it is faint, features of this elusive constellation peek out under a dark sky and can pop to life with some observational aids.

The brightest star in Monoceros is an orange giant named Alpha Monocerotis that has an apparent visual magnitude of 3.94. Other stellar offerings include Beta Monocerotis, which is a triple system of blue-white stars that can be resolved with a small telescope; Epsilon Monocerotis, which is a double star system consisting of a blue-white primary and a yellow companion; and Plaskett's Star, which is a massive binary system made of two blue super giant stars that are extremely close together.

Monoceros is also home to some nice deep sky targets. M50 is an open star cluster filled with a contrasting mix of blue-white, orange and yellow stars. This heart-shaped beauty is good to peruse with a small telescope. Hubble's Variable Nebula also lies in the constellation and is intriguing due to its frequent changes in brightness and dust streamers, which are revealed in a moderate telescope. Monoceros also features the Rosette Nebula - a star-forming region known for its blue stars and red glow, and NGC 2264, which contains the star-rich Christmas Tree Cluster, the 7 light year-long Cone Nebula, the Snowflake Cluster and the Fox Fur Nebula.

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