Whether you just got your first telescope for Christmas or you've long been observing, there are some wonderful targets to seek out in the New Year. Orion (the Hunter) W and Taurus (the Bull) remain prominent in the sky, offering splendid sights including red supergiant Betelgeuse, brilliant blue-white Rigel, the Pleiades star cluster (Messier 45), orange giant Aldebaran and, of course, the Crab Nebula (Messier 1). Look southeast and you’ll spot a celestial Great Dog: a seemingly basiclooking pattern of stars, Canis Major features several binary systems and supergiant stars. It’s also home to open cluster Messier 41, which contains an impressive collection of red giants and white dwarfs, sitting not too far from the bright 'Dog Star' Sirius.
Waxing gibbous Moon