Featured Deep Sky Objects |
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Gemini is, like Lyra in the summer, a transitional milky way zone, with half the constellation dipped in the glow of our galaxy's stars, and the other half gradually fading to a darker background. The milky way glow is not easily seen in Gemini; we are looking almost exactly opposite the center of our galaxy here, and our sun is two-thirds towards the outside of our spiral star city. This means that Gemini boasts fewer deep space wonders than other groups toward the bustling center of the galaxy. Still, Gemini is statistically lucky, with one really spectacular star cluster (M35) and a very nice nebula (The Eskimo). Half a dozen fainter star clusters, all of the "open" type, are scattered throughout Gemini. Photographers will find one or two faint nebulae as potential targets. Certainly the most obvious deep-sky objects in Gemini are it's stars (it is fortunately home to numerous bright ones), and a number of these are interesting, among them an excellent multiple star and a bright Cepheid variable.
| NGC Clusters | NGC2339 | NGC2371-72 | IC443
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| Home | Featured Constellations | Stars in Gemini |