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May evenings provide a great opportunity to grab your telescope and see some of the best celestial treats in the sky! With weather warming up and skies clearing up, there’s no shortage of celestial delicacies to observe. During mid-May nights, Saturn and its stunning rings will be due south of the bright star Arcturus. Just about any telescope will show you Saturn and its marvelous ring system at powers of 40x or above, but views through larger aperture scopes will be better than those through smaller instruments. Here are a few more highlights to keep your eyes peeled for during May

The Active Sun - We’re near solar maximum so it’s a great time to use a simple white light solar filter for dramatic views of ever-changing sunspots. (CAUTION: Never look at the Sun, even for an instant, without a properly fitted solar filter).

The Rings of Saturn - Saturn is visible to the naked eye as a bright disk following the ecliptic path, but you need a telescope and a fairly high power eyepiece (40x or higher) to see the rings and orbiting moons.

Mars - The Red Planet is visible to the naked eye as a reddish disk, but you need a telescope with a fairly high power eyepiece to see any details on our dusty neighbor.

Galaxies in The Big Dipper - including M81, M82 and M101. Use a telescope to catch glimpses of galaxies lurking around the recognizable Big Dipper asterism, use a star chart and track some down! Explore the Virgo Cluster of Galaxies - Point your telescope a couple of Moon diameters east of the star at the end of Leo, Denebola, and start scanning with a low power eyepiece; use a star chart to tell which ones you see!

Annular Solar Eclipse - Visible from many northwestern North America locations prior to sunset on May 20. With a solar filter-equipped telescope or pair of binoculars, you can enjoy the show as the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun. (CAUTION: Never look at the Sun, even for an instant, without a properly fitted solar filter).

Venus - Cloudy Venus is a bright beacon in May evening skies. Train your telescope on our planet’s next-door neighbor and catch glimpses of its dense cloud-choked atmosphere.

The Great Devil Ball, Omega Centauri - The grandest globular star cluster of them all will be visible in May skies to telescope and binocular observers based in Southern U.S.A.

Extra-Galactic Treats in Leo - Use a telescope to hunt down faint fuzzies and deep-space phenomena in and around the constellation Leo under clear May skies. The bigger the telescope, the better your views will be!

Tracking Down M87 - Use big astronomical binoculars or a telescope to see the supergiant elliptical galaxy M87 (a.k.a NGC 4486) in the Virgo cluster and see where a black hole lurks! While we cannot observe the supermassive black hole at the core of this mysterious elliptical galaxy, it’s fun to track down this celestial showpiece.

Warm weather, clearing skies, and a variety of celestial events make June a great time to get outside and enjoy the wonders of the sky. The whole family will enjoy summer stargazing sessions in the backyard or at your favorite dark-sky site.

You don’t want to miss the action as Venus transits the face of the Sun prior to sunset on June 5th, but BE SAFE and remember to use protective solar filters for your telescope or binoculars. This is truly the solar event of our lifetimes, considering the next Venus transit won’t occur until December of 2117!

Here are a few more celestial highlights for June stargazing:

Partial Lunar Eclipse – Catch a partial eclipse of the Moon on the evening of June 4th from Northwestern locations of North America.

Solar Transit of Venus – Use a telescope or binocular fitted with a protective solar filter and catch the transit of Venus across the Sun before sunset on June 5th. Don’t miss it!

Mars - The Red Planet is visible to the naked eye as a reddish disk, but you need a telescope with a fairly high power eyepiece to see any details on our dusty neighbor.

The Active Sun – Our nearest star will provide great daytime views of sunspots and activity throughout June as we approach solar maximum. Don’t forget that safe solar filter!

Saturn – Throughout June, the ringed planet will be an attractive target for stargazers. Use an eyepiece that will yield at least 40x in your telescope to catch views of Saturn’s beautiful rings and orbiting moons.

Great Globular Cluster in Hercules – Track down popular planetary nebula M57 in the constellation Lyra in June skies. You’ll need a telescope with at least 4.5" aperture to see the interior hole of the ring. Use an 8" or larger reflector for more detailed views.

Colorful Double Albireo – While it may look like a single star to the naked eye, use a telescope to split popular double star Albireo into its two contrasting components. Albireo A shines a bright amber color, while Albireo B is blue-green in color.

Whirlpool Galaxy – On clear June evenings, use astronomical binoculars or a telescope to see M51, the Whirlpool Galaxy and its attached companion galaxy M51b in the constellation Canes Venatici.

Summer Milky Way – Get away from city lights this June to see the cosmic clouds of our own galaxy, the Milky Way with unaided eyes. Take a closer look with binoculars or a telescope for more detail.

Throughout July, as summer nights grow shorter, you’ll need to start observing about 10pm to see the best views of the summer night sky. If you venture out to a favorite dark sky site away from city lights, you’ll find some of the best celestial treats waiting for you in inky-black skies.

Here are a few of Orion’s top picks for July stargazing:

The Summer Milky Way – Our own galaxy, the Milky Way, will stretch across the July sky from roughly due north to due south embracing such constellations as Cygnus, Cassiopeia and Sagittarius. Under dark skies, the naked eye is a great tool to appreciate this deep sky wonder, but binoculars or a wide angle telescope will enhance your views of our home galaxy!

The Ringed Giant Saturn – Saturn is still visible lower in the Southwest portion of the night sky during July. Use a telescope with about 40 or more power and you’ll see Saturn’s stunning rings. Try and catch it during twilight when it is still higher above the western sky for the best views.

The Summer Triangle – Take a look at our monthly star charts online or a planisphere like the Orion StarTarget and you’ll see three bright stars that dominate the northern sky - Altair, Deneb and Vega; the Summer Triangle. Around 10pm throughout July, Vega, the western most star of the triangle will be nearly overhead.

M57, a Dying Star – Just Southeast of Vega, between the stars Sheliak and Sulafat in the constellation Lyra (consult a star chart or a smartphone program like Orion’s StarSeek app) is the famous "Ring Nebula" or M57. In large telescopes with high-power eyepieces, some observers have even seen the central star.

The Wild Duck Cluster – South of the southernmost star of the Summer Triangle, Altair, in the constellation of Aquila is M11, the Wild Duck Cluster. M11 is a small but rich open star cluster that can be seen with a telescope in even moderately light-polluted skies.

M22, a Grand Globular Cluster – Globular Star Cluster M22, an old, dense ball of tens of thousands of stars can be seen in July in the constellation of Sagittarius. Many amateurs like the appearance of M22 more than another popular globular, M13, since it is slightly more "open" and its stars are perhaps a little easier to resolve.

M8, the Lagoon Nebula – West and slightly south of M22 is M8, one of the "Four Grand Nebulas of Summer." M8 is in Sagittarius just off the "spout" of the teapot asterism. From a dark sky location it is visible to the unaided eye as a hazy patch. Binoculars and larger telescopes will reveal more of this nebula’s details.

M20, the Trifid Nebula – About a binoculars’ field-of-view northeast of M8 is another summer treat, the Trifid Nebula. The Trifid is visible in binoculars from a dark sky and larger telescopes show two distinct globs of lowing gas. The northern glob is dissected into three smaller lobes by dust lanes, giving the name Trifid to M20.

M17, the Swan Nebula – North of M20 is another nebula, the Swan Nebula, or M17. Like M8 and M20, the Swan is a glowing gas cloud where gas and dust are being gravitationally pulled together to form new stars. Use binoculars in a dark sky site or a telescope and Oxygen-III filter in areas of moderate light pollution.

M16, the Eagle Nebula – The last of the Four Great Summer Nebulas is the Eagle or "Star Queen" nebula. More delicate and fainter than M17, this is pretty easily seen with just binoculars from the good sky conditions of a national park, but difficult from a city. As with all deep sky objects, try to find M16 when the Moon is down for best results.

Here are a few of Orion’s top picks for September stargazing:

A Planetary Bonanza in September–In early September Mars, Saturn will put on a show low in the western twilight after sunset. In the morning sky, Jupiter is rising sooner and sooner, dominating the morning sky. Venus also graces the morning sky. If you want more of a challenge, Uranus and Neptune are in excellent position since Uranus reaches its brightest as it nears opposition in September.

The Northern Milky Way–In early September, around 9 PM, the "Summer Triangle" of three bright stars (Vega, Deneb and Altair) is nearly overhead. In the northernmost portion of the Summer Triangle, you’ll see the brightest portion of the northern Milky Way. Point a telescope there and you’ll discover that the fuzzy outlines of the Milky Way will resolve into fields of glittering stars.

Planetary Nebulas in the Summer Triangle–Get a star chart and see how many of these you can find: the famous Ring Nebula (M57) in the constellation Lyra; the Dumbbell Nebula (M27) in Vulpecula; and the "Blinking Planetary," NGC 6826 in Cygnus. Not far outside the western boundary of the Summer triangle is a small, but intensely colorful planetary nebula, NGC 6572.

Another Island Universe–In early September, lurking low in the northeastern sky is another galaxy, separate from our Milky Way, the Great Andromeda Galaxy, or M31. From a dark, moonless sky, M31 is visible with the unaided eye as a slightly fuzzy spot, a pair of 7x50 or larger binoculars will give you a good view and telescopes will reveal some of the dust lanes in the galaxy.

More Extra-GalacticTreats–If you haven’t tracked down "The Whirlpool Galaxy," M51, off the handle of the easily recognizable Big Dipper, do it now while you still can! It will be too low for most people to get a good view after September and you’ll need to wait till late winter or next spring to catch a good view of this picturesque galaxy.

Find Mirach’s Ghost–Go back to Andromeda and locate nearby Beta Andromeda, the bright star to the SE of M31. This star has also been named Mirach. If you have a 6" or larger telescope, take a close look at Mirach, off to side, almost lost in the glare you can see another galaxy, Mirach’s Ghost.

A Brilliant Open Star Cluster–Off the western end of Cassiopeia is the Open star Cluster M52. You can find it with binoculars from a dark sky but the view is definitely better in a telescope. With a larger scope, say 8" or larger, and with the aid of an UltraBlock or O-III eyepiece filter, you may be able to catch views of faint emission nebulas near M52.

Two More Brilliant Star Clusters–If you liked M52, you’ll love the "Double Cluster in Perseus." Lying between Cassiopeia and Perseus is a bright, fuzzy spot in the Milky Way, and a binocular or telescope will reveal two, bright open star clusters. It appears low in the northeast around 9 PM early in September; but, as it climbs as the evening wears on, it becomes a real showpiece.

The Globular Star Clusters of Fall–Almost in a row, off the western side of Pegasus are three globular star clusters that line up almost north-south. These sparkling clusters are, starting with the most northern globular, M15 in Pegasus; M2 in Aquarius and M30 in Capricorn. From a dark sky site you can find all of them in binoculars!

A Dying Star–A challenging, but wonderful object is the Helix Nebula in the constellation Aquarius. Don’t try this from the city; the Helix is big, but really faint. Wait until later in the evening at a dark sky site to catch this planetary nebula, since it will be easier to see the further it rises from the horizon. The best views will be in telescopes of 80mm or larger aperture, at LOW power and with an O-III eyepiece filter.

November presents some clear, cool nights for many locations (between winter storms). So bundle up and get outside for stargazing fun!

Milky Way-In early November, stretching from overhead to the southwestern horizon, you can still catch bright portions of the Milky Way. As the month goes on and Earth marches in its orbit around the Sun, the Milky Way will appear lower and lower to the western horizon. The Milky Way is a wonderful target to explore with 50mm or larger binoculars or a wide-field telescope; there are dozens of star clusters to pick out, even in moderately light polluted areas.

Big and Bright Jupiter-In Early November go outside about 9pm on a clear night. Face east and look about half way up towards the zenith, which is directly overhead. Here you'll easily see the bright and big planet Jupiter. Use a telescope to enjoy views of its four brightest moons (Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto) and its striking equatorial cloud belts. A 3" or larger telescope will give rewarding views.

Fire in the Sky-On Saturday night, November 17 the Moon is only a few days old so the conditions are good for the late night appearance of the Leonids Meteor Shower. This shower is predicted to peak on the night of November 17 (and the morning of the 18th) and will have dozens of meteors per hour visible from a dark sky location. The Leonid shower is known for its bright meteors, the brightest of which leave a trail high in the sky that can take several seconds or longer to dissipate.

Best Galaxy Ever!-M31, The Andromeda Galaxy. Around 9pm in early November, M31 lies just north of the stars that form the constellation of Andromedea/NE of Pegasas. Use a star chart, planisphere, or your Orion StarSeek app to help find it with binoculars. You can take a better look with a telescope using a wide angle eyepiece. From a dark sky site this galaxy is an easy naked-eye object as well; Andromeda is the closest large galaxy to our own Milky Way, about 2 million light years away.

A Bright Spot in the Milky Way-High in the northern sky at 10pm is a brighter knot in the Milky Way, between the constellations of Perseus and Cassiopeia. With binoculars you can tell that it is really two open star clusters side by side, the famous Double Cluster in Perseus. Also called NGC 884 & NGC 889, these clusters are relatively close to Earth, about 7-8,000 light years away. They're also very young clusters. Astronomers believe these are only about 3-5 million years old, just "babies" on the cosmic timescale!

A Dark Sky Test-On the opposite side of Andromeda is another nearby galaxy, M33. Use a star chart to look for it in 50mm or larger binoculars. If you have a dark sky to observe from, you can even detect this galaxy with the unaided eye. In fact, M33 is used as a test by many experienced observers to judge the darkness and transparency of a potential observing site.

Catch a Dying Star-High in the western sky, early in the evening, the constellation of Cygnus is still prominent and topped off by the star Deneb at the top of the "Northern Cross". With a star chart, track down the Veil Nebula on the eastern side of Cygnus near the star 52 Cygni. Use an Oxygen III filter and low power while you scan for this object. The Veil is a remnant of a supernova explosion, where a star has died. We recommend a 4" or larger telescope to catch it (but it has been seen in smaller scopes from good dark sky locations).

November's Challenge Object-The Silver Dollar Galaxy, NGC 253. At 9pm, low in the south is the "starburst" galaxy NGC 253. From a dark sky, this grand galaxy is easy to see in binoculars and with a telescope, but can you see it with your naked eye? If you can see this challenging object without a telescope, you definitely have excellent skies (dark and transparent) and you are probably looking at the most distant object that a person can see without a telescope, about 11.5 million light years distant from Earth.

All objects described above can easily be seen with the suggested equipment from a dark sky site, a viewing location some distance away from city lights where light pollution and when bright moonlight does not overpower the stars. All objects have been verified by actual observations by Orion Telescopes & Binoculars Staff at Fremont Peak State Park, and/or Deep Sky Ranch, 60 miles and 90 miles respectively from San Jose International Airport, San Jose, CA.

December brings cold winter nights and some of the clearest skies of the year for many locations. Bundle up to keep warm and get outside for stargazing fun!

Here are a few of Orion's top picks for December stargazing:

December Meteors - On December 13th, take advantage of the dark, New Moon sky conditions to see the Geminids meteor shower. Leftover debris from the disintegrating asteroid 3200 Phaeton will streak across the sky at a rate of up to 120 meteors per hour. The best views will be from a dark sky location on the night of December 13th into the early morning hours of December 14th. Look for meteors to appear to radiate out from the constellation Gemini.

Big Bright Jupiter - In early December, go outside around 7PM on a clear night. While facing east, look about halfway upwards towards the zenith (the zenith is directly overhead) to find the bright planet Jupiter. This gigantic planet is a perfect target for telescopes of all sizes throughout the month. Jupiter reaches "opposition" on December 3rd, when it will be opposite the Sun in the sky and visible all night long.

Our All Time Favorite - Low in the eastern sky by 9pm you'll find the Orion Nebula (M42), a patch of glowing gas and dust where stars are formed. You can spot M42 just below Orion's belt; sharp-eyed observers can see it as a "fuzzy" star, easily seen in a pair of 7x50 or larger binoculars. By midnight it will be nearly due south, about halfway between the horizon and the zenith. The view through a telescope is spectacular.

Great Galaxies - Around 7pm in early December, galaxies M31 and M33 will be on either side of the constellation Andromeda and nearly overhead. Use a star chart or planisphere to catch them with 50mm or larger binoculars, or take a deeper, better look with a telescope.

Theta Orionis, the Heart of the Orion Nebula - Also known as the Trapezium, the four brightest stars in the core of M42, the Orion Nebula. The Trapezium stars are extremely hot and the ultraviolet light they release makes the surrounding gas fluoresce, or "glow". It will take a 4" or larger telescope to see all four Trapezium stars; they are very close together, so use a Barlow or a higher power eyepiece when M42 is higher in the sky and the seeing is steady.

Three Little Clusters, All in a Row - M36, M37 and M38. If you've ever thought all star clusters look alike, track three clusters down for a pleasant surprise. They are in the constellation Auriga which has the bright star Capella high in the northeast around 7pm in early December. The clusters can be seen with just about any telescope. You'll notice differences in the star patterns and intensities between the clusters. Use low powers to find objects like these star clusters, since you'll have a wider field of view, making it easier to sweep the sky.

December's Challenge Object, The Rosette Nebula - Wait until at least 10pm or midnight to see this nebula east of Betelgeuse, the reddish star in the eastern shoulder of Orion. About a binocular field away in the winter Milky Way will be the Rosette Nebula. It's an emission nebula like the Orion Nebula, but far dimmer and even larger. There is a star cluster, NGC 2244, in the center of the Rosette that you can see even with small 80mm telescopes. Use a low power, wide angle eyepiece and an Oxygen-III filter to tease out the nebula's glow around the cluster.

All objects described above can easily be seen with the suggested equipment from a dark sky site, a viewing location some distance away from city lights where light pollution and when bright moonlight does not overpower the stars. All objects have been verified by actual observations by Orion Telescopes & Binoculars Staff at Fremont Peak State Park, and/or Deep Sky Ranch, 60 miles and 90 miles respectively from San Jose International Airport, San Jose, CA.

Clear February nights present some great stargazing opportunities. Be sure to bundle up and keep warm while you get outside for some stargazing fun!

Here are a few of Orion's top picks for February stargazing:

Lunar Pairing - On the evening of February 1st, the Moon will pass 0.3° south of bright star Spica in the constellation Virgo. You can enjoy this close pairing with unaided eyes, but you can also obtain a great view in binoculars or a small telescope.

New Moon Night - The dark skies presented by the New Moon on the evening of February 10th presents a great, albeit chilly, opportunity to get great views of deep space objects in larger telescopes.

Make the Most of Mercury - Speedy planet Mercury will be in its best observing position in the evening sky of February 16th, when it reaches its greatest elongation east. Look for the closest planet to the Sun to appear low in the southwestern sky (approximately 11° from a level horizon) about 30 minutes after the Sun goes down. Use binoculars to pick Mercury out of the sunset's glow.

Jupiter Shines Bright - The biggest planet in our solar system will be a splendid sight for stargazers throughout February. Look for gigantic Jupiter near the constellation Taurus in the western sky. Since Jupiter sets well after midnight throughout February, it will be a great planetary target for telescopes.

Great Binocular Cluster - Get out your 50mm or larger binoculars for a great sight of the Pleiades star cluster (M45), which will be high in the northwestern sky during February. You can see the Pleiades with unaided eyes, but the open star cluster is a spectacular sight in binoculars.

Orion Nebula - Around 9pm throughout February, almost due south and about halfway up from the horizon, our namesake constellation Orion will be in a great viewing position. Use binoculars or a telescope and look in the area below the three recognizable stars of Orion's belt for a great view of the striking Orion Nebula.

Winter Star Clusters - Look east of bright star Sirius with a telescope to see two beautiful star clusters, M46 and M47 in the constellation Puppis. For more great cluster observations in February, look in the constellation Auriga to go after glittering clusters M36, M37 & M38.

M35 in Gemini - Use a telescope and go after open star cluster M35 in Gemini, which will be high in eastern February evening skies. If you happen to be in an especially dark sky site, try to pick out its companion star clusters.

Bright Galaxies - In late February, the bright galaxies M81 & M82 will be about as high in the sky as they ever get for North American stargazers. Use a large telescope and chase these galaxies down just off the leading edge of the Big Dipper asterism. Many observers consider M81 & M82 the best pairing of visual galaxies in the sky!

All objects described above can easily be seen with the suggested equipment from a dark sky site, a viewing location some distance away from city lights where light pollution and when bright moonlight does not overpower the stars. All objects have been verified by actual observations by Orion Telescopes & Binoculars Staff at Fremont Peak State Park, and/or Deep Sky Ranch, 60 miles and 90 miles respectively from San Jose International Airport, San Jose, CA.

Get outside for stargazing fun in March! The entire astronomy community is hoping Comet PANSTARRS will put on a celestial show this month, which it will if it survives its close-approach to the Sun. However, even if PANSTARRS doesn't live up to expectations, March evenings still offer plenty of amazing celestial sights to enjoy! Here are a few of Orion's top picks for March stargazing:

First Comet of 2013 - Comet PANSTARRS - Starting about mid-March, this comet will swing around the Sun and could provide wonderful views if it survives the close-approach. During its race away from the Sun, assuming it stays intact, Comet PANSTARRS will initially be visible with unaided eyes, but you'll need binoculars or a telescope as it gets father away from the Sun.

Triple Conjunction - Get outside after dark on the evenings of March 15th through the 18th to see a wonderful conjunction in the night sky as the crescent Moon sails past the Pleiades star cluster (M45) and bright planet Jupiter.

Hunt the Hunter - March is prime time to see the constellation of Orion and the Orion Nebula. After March, our namesake constellation will get lower and lower in the west, making it harder to see. The wispy Orion Nebula can easily be seen with 50mm or larger binoculars, and using a telescope will reveal more detail.

Brilliant Binocular Clusters - Use 50mm or larger binoculars in March for great views of the Pleiades cluster (M45), the Beehive cluster (M44), and the amazing Double Cluster in Perseus. These sparkling sky gems are simply beautiful when observed with big binoculars.

Last Call for M31 - Don't miss the last good views of the season of the Andromeda Galaxy (M31) low in the northwestern skies of March. It's the brightest spiral galaxy in the sky (except for the Milky Way).

Gas Giant - Big and bright Jupiter continues to be a splendid sight in March skies. Still fairly high in the sky, Jupiter and its four brightest moons provide an excellent planetary target for observation and imaging. Don't forget to send us your astrophotos of Jupiter - we'd love to see them!

Galaxies Galore - By about 9pm throughout March, Ursa Major, Leo, and the western edge of the Virgo galaxy cluster are high enough in the eastern sky to yield great views of some of our favorite galaxies. Check out the bright pair of M81 and M82 just above the Big Dipper asterism. Look east of Regulus to observe M65 and M66, which can be seen in a 60mm refractor or larger telescope. In the northeastern sky of March, check out the famous Whirlpool Galaxy (M1). While the Whirlpool can be seen with 50mm binoculars, using a 10" or 12" telescope in a dark sky site will let you start to see its beautiful spiral arms.

Challenge Object, NGC 2403 - Use a telescope to look for the wonderful face-on spiral galaxy NGC 2403 in the constellation Camelopardalis. If you're using a fairly large telescope, you may even be able to catch the nearby faint satellite galaxies Holmberg II and NGC 2366.

All objects described above can easily be seen with the suggested equipment from a dark sky site, a viewing location some distance away from city lights where light pollution and when bright moonlight does not overpower the stars. All objects have been verified by actual observations by Orion Telescopes & Binoculars Staff at Fremont Peak State Park, and/or Deep Sky Ranch, 60 miles and 90 miles respectively from San Jose International Airport, San Jose, CA.

Summer stargazing fun continues in July! Warm July nights are ideal opportunities to spend time outside with family and friends, exploring the heavens with your telescope or astronomy binoculars.

Here are some of our top suggestions for July stargazing:

Binocular Highlight-On July 3rd, look for bright and brilliant Venus low in the north-northwestern sky about an hour after sunset. Venus will appear to be close to the popular open star cluster, M44, the Beehive cluster. Use 50mm or larger binoculars to see this beautiful pairing.

The Summer Milky Way-At mid-month, around 10pm PT, the glorious Summer Milky Way shines down as a band of light that stretches from the Southern horizon to nearly overhead. You don't need binoculars or a telescope to see our home galaxy, but it's best observed from a site with inky-black dark skies. The Summer Milky Way will arch across the sky as the night progresses.

Spectacular Saturn-Still well-positioned in July skies, ringed Saturn continues to be a wonderful summer planetary target. Look for it in south to southwestern July skies around 10pm. Use an eyepiece that will yield at least 40x in your telescope to see Saturn's beautiful rings, then use a Barlow lens or higher-power eyepiece to go in for closer views. Larger telescopes and clear, dark skies will help you see a thin gap between Saturn's largest rings, which is called the Cassini Division.

Sparkling Open Star Clusters-In the constellation Scorpius, catch M6, the "Butterfly Cluster" and M7 in 50mm or larger binoculars. Point a telescope at these two open star clusters to try to see the subtle dust clouds nearby.

Flaming Gas Clouds-Scan the Summer Milky Way with 50mm or larger binoculars or a telescope to reveal some of the best emission nebulas of July. Use an Orion Oxygen-III Nebula Eyepiece Filter for the most stunning views. In Sagittarius, track down M8, the "Lagoon Nebula"; M20, the "Trifid Nebula"; and M17, the "Swan Nebula." In the constellation Serpens Cauda, see the delicate "Star Queen Nebula, M16. Use big binoculars to frame both M16 and M17 in the same field-of-view, or use a really large telescope to coax out the faint violet glow of M16.

Dying Stars and Glowing Balls of Gas-Look to the constellation Lyra with a telescope to catch one of the best Planetary Nebulas in the sky - M57, the famous "Ring Nebula"!

July Challenge Object - Hercules Galaxy Cluster-About half a billion light years from Earth in the constellation Hercules, not far from the star Beta Hercules in the southwest corner of the "keystone" asterism, lays the "Hercules Galaxy Cluster." This association is a group of 200-300 distant galaxies, the brightest of which is NGC 6050 at about 10th magnitude and can be seen with an 8" reflector under very dark skies with good seeing conditions. A larger aperture, 14"-18" telescope will begin to show about a half-dozen or more galaxies in one field-of-view. How many can you see in your telescope?

All objects described above can easily be seen with the suggested equipment from a dark sky site, a viewing location some distance away from city lights where light pollution and when bright moonlight does not overpower the stars. All objects have been verified by actual observations by Orion Telescopes & Binoculars Staff at Fremont Peak State Park, and/or Deep Sky Ranch, 60 miles and 90 miles respectively from San Jose International Airport, San Jose, CA.

Explore the starry skies of April! There will be a number of intriguing celestial sights to enjoy during April with the help of a binocular and/or telescope, but there will also be a few events you can enjoy with unaided eyes. As the Year of the Comets continues, astronomers are hopeful April will present good viewing opportunities for Comet PANSTARRS and Comet Lemmon. Here are a few of Orion's top picks for April stargazing:

Catch Comet PANSTARRS — While not as bright as expected, Comet PANSTARRS is still putting on quite a show in the night sky. In April you'll need 50mm or larger binoculars, or a telescope to get the best views of this cosmic traveler as it races out of our Solar System. An especially awesome sight will occur on the nights of April 3rd and 4th, when PANSTARRS will glide within 2° (about 4 lunar diameters, or "Full Moon widths") of M31, the Andromeda Galaxy! Use 50mm or larger binoculars or a wide-field telescope to get the best view of this once-in-a-lifetime event.

Rise Early for Comet Lemmon — If you rise before dawn in April, you'll have a chance to see a second bright comet, Comet Lemmon. By mid-month this comet will be low in the southeastern dawn sky, and it will get higher with the passing days. This comet is expected to fade significantly by May, and it will then likely require an astrophotography setup to capture an image of it. So take advantage of pre-dawn viewing opportunities in April! Learn more about when to see Comet Lemmon in this informative article.

A Great Month for Star Parties! — With the New Moon occurring on Wednesday, April 10th, the prior weekend of April 6th and 7th, and the following weekend of April 13th and 14th both present great stargazing opportunities. Since the Moon will be relatively dim on these weekends, they will be great times to organize star parties and search for and explore faint Deep Sky Objects with friends and family!

Challenging Meteor Shower — On April 21st, the April Lyrids Meteor Shower will occur, but unfortunately this popular perennial event will share the sky with a waxing Moon, which will reach Full Moon phase on April 25th. The glare of the bright Moon will hamper meteor observations, but it will still be worthwhile to sit back in a comfy chair and try to sight meteors as they appear to radiate from the constellation Lyra in the northeastern sky.

Binocular Bounty — Use 50mm or larger binoculars in April to explore our personal favorite constellation — Orion! The entire constellation is a treasure trove of celestial sights, but we especially enjoy observing M42, the Orion Nebula, with big astronomy binoculars. For even better observations of this cloudy nebula, use a 6" telescope with a wide-angle, low-power eyepiece to obtain a nicely framed view of this stellar nursery where stars are formed.

Last Call for Giant Jupiter — By mid-April, Jupiter will be approaching the horizon about 9pm, but the gas giant will still be high enough in the sky beforehand for some respectable views. Bigger refractor and reflector telescopes and moderate to high power eyepieces will deliver the most rewarding views of Jupiter before it leaves the night sky for the season.

Spring Brings Galaxy Season! — April skies provide stargazers with ample opportunities to observe far-off galaxies. With the Virgo Galaxy Cluster and bright galaxies in the Big Dipper and Coma Berenices well-positioned in the sky, April evenings are truly a gift for galaxy-hounds. Check out a few of our favorite galaxies: M101, M51, and M106 near the Big Dipper asterism; M86, M87, M84 and M104 in the Virgo Galaxy Cluster; and don't miss NGC 4565, M64, M99, and M100 in the constellation Coma Berenices. While a humble 80mm telescope will show most of the galaxies we mention, you can't beat a big 10"-16" reflector telescope for jaw-dropping views of these galaxies!

April's Challenge Object — You'll need a big reflector telescope to go after this month's challenge object, which is a group of at least six faint galaxies closely packed around NGC 2687, which lies about a degree northwest of Talitha, the southwestern "foot" of the constellation Ursa Major (which also is home to the Big Dipper asterism). This so-called "Kevin's Sextet" of faint galaxies is quite challenging to detect in telescopes, so we recommend using a 12" to 16" Dobsonian reflector to find out how many galaxies you can see.

All objects described above can easily be seen with the suggested equipment from a dark sky site, a viewing location some distance away from city lights where light pollution and when bright moonlight does not overpower the stars. All objects have been verified by actual observations by Orion Telescopes & Binoculars Staff at Fremont Peak State Park, and/or Deep Sky Ranch, 60 miles and 90 miles respectively from San Jose International Airport, San Jose, CA.

Clear February nights present some great stargazing opportunities. Be sure to bundle up and keep warm while you get outside for some stargazing fun!

Here are a few of Orion's top picks for February stargazing:

• Lunar Pairings - 45 minutes after sunset on the evening of February 1st, the thin crescent Moon will pass about 11 degrees northwest of Mercury low in the western sky. You can enjoy this close pairing with unaided eyes, but you can also obtain a great view in binoculars or a small telescope. If you have a telescope, Neptune will be only 3 degrees east/northeast of Mercury (but tough to see in the twilight)!
• On February 10th, the Moon will be 5 degrees south of Jupiter.
• At dawn on February 19th, the Moon will glide less than a degree from the bright star Spica. Adding to the spectacle, Mars will be only about 5 degrees above Spica towards the northeast.
• On February 22nd, the Moon will be very close to Saturn in the dawn sky. In the Southern Hemisphere, the Moon will actually appear to cover Saturn in what's called an occultation!
• In the pre-dawn sky on February 26th, there will be an amazing pairing of the Moon and Venus. Break out your solar system camera to capture this conjunction!
• New Moon Weekends - New Moons on January 30 and February 28/March 1 mean the best weekends to take your telescope out for some deep sky observing will be February 1st & 2nd and March 1st & 2nd. The dark skies presented by the New Moon on these evenings presents a great, albeit chilly, opportunity to get clear views of deep space objects in larger telescopes.
• Jupiter Shines Bright - The biggest planet in our solar system will be a splendid sight for stargazers throughout February. Look for gigantic Jupiter near the constellation Gemini. Since Jupiter sets well after midnight throughout February, it will be a great planetary target for telescopes and astrophotographers. At mid-month, Jupiter passes through the meridian about 10PM.
• Great Binocular Cluster - Get out your 50mm or larger binoculars for a great sight of the Pleiades star cluster (M45), which will be high in the northwestern sky during February. While you can see the Pleiades with unaided eyes (from a rural location with dark skies), the open star cluster is a much more spectacular sight in binoculars.
• Our Favorite Nebula - At around 9pm throughout February, almost due south and about halfway up from the horizon, our namesake constellation Orion will be in a great viewing position. Use 50mm or larger binoculars or a telescope and look in the area below the three recognizable stars of Orion's belt for a great view of M42, the Orion Nebula. Any telescope will show it, but we feel a 6-inch f/8 telescope with a 32mm, 2-inch eyepiece gives just about the perfect view, with the cloudy nebula neatly filling the field of view (use an Orion Oxygen-III Nebula Filter if you try this from the city).
• Winter Star Clusters - Look east of bright star Sirius with a telescope to see two beautiful star clusters, M46 and M47 in the constellation Puppis. For more star cluster observations in February, look in the constellation Auriga and go after glittering clusters M36, M37 & M38, or M35 in the constellation Gemini.
• Bright Galaxies - In late February, bright galaxies M81 & M82 will be about as high in the sky as they will get for North American stargazers. From a dark sky site, these galaxies are visible with a 50mm binocular, but we suggest you use a large telescope to chase these galaxies down just off the leading edge of the Big Dipper asterism. Many observers consider M81 & M82 the best pairing of visual galaxies in the sky!
• Challenge Object: In the constellation Monoceros there lies the 9th magnitude Hubble's Variable Nebula, named after the astronomer Edwin Hubble (yes, the same as the Hubble Telescope). While small, this distant nebula is bright enough to be picked out as a pin point of light with 70mm binoculars. As the name implies, it does vary in size and brightness since its glow is "powered" by a variable star buried within its nebulosity. What's the smallest scope you can see it with - tell us on Facebook!

9th magnitude Hubble's Variable Nebula

All objects described above can easily be seen with the suggested equipment from a dark sky site, a viewing location some distance away from city lights where light pollution and when bright moonlight does not overpower the stars. All objects have been verified by actual observations by Orion Telescopes & Binoculars Staff at Fremont Peak State Park, and/or Deep Sky Ranch, 60 miles and 90 miles respectively from San Jose International Airport, San Jose, CA.

Comfortable August nights seem to be tailor-made for backyard astronomers. Warm August evenings are great opportunities to get the whole family outside for stargazing fun exploring the heavens with your telescope or astronomy binoculars.

Here are some of our top suggestions for August stargazing:

• Moon occults Saturn - Get outside during the evening of August 4th with a pair of 10x50 or larger binoculars to see ringed planet Saturn appear to "hide" behind the Moon during an occultation. You can also take a closer look at this celestial disappearing act in a telescope as the Moon passes between Earth and Saturn.
• Supermoon - The closest and largest Full Moon of 2014 will brighten up the night sky of August 10th. The Moon will not come as close to Earth again until September of 2015. This so-called "Supermoon" is also called a perigee Full Moon, since "perigee" is defined as the point in space where an Earth-orbiting object is closest to our planet. Even though the Moon will be much closer to Earth than normal, it is rather difficult to visually notice the difference in size, but it should still be a spectacular sight.
• The Perseid Meteor Shower - One of the most popular meteor showers of the year, the Perseids, peaks between August 10 and August 13. A waning Gibbous Moon in the sky may make it difficult to spot as many meteors as in past years, but we think it's worth getting outside for a chance to see these fleeting fireballs. Get some lawn chairs, a clear view of the sky and gather your friends & family for a night of stargazing punctuated by beautiful meteors!
• Venus and Jupiter Conjunction - The two planets will come within just ¼ degree of each other in the pre-dawn sky of August 18th. As an added bonus, M44 the Beehive Cluster will only be a degree away as well. This will be a spectacular conjunction to observe a few mornings in a row as the planets move closer to each other.
• The Summer Milky Way - As soon as it gets dark on the evening of August 25th, when the Moon isn't visible during the New Moon phase, you can see the grandest unaided-eye sight in the night sky from a dark sky location - our home galaxy, the Milky Way. Use binoculars and telescopes to scan and tease out dozens of star clusters, nebulas and planetary nebulas. From a dark sky location, away from city lights, the Milky Way is easy to see and majestic in scale, but you can't see it near heavily populated areas due to light pollution; so plan a summer adventure to a national park or your favorite dark sky site to experience this "must-see" astronomical sight.
• Venus in the Morning Sky - Shining with astounding brightness throughout August is Venus, our next-door neighbor planet. To find Venus, get a clear view to the east in the predawn sky. it will be the brightest thing in the sky, except for the Moon! For an interesting sight, take a look at Venus through a telescope to see its partially illuminated "phase".
• Say "See You Later" to Saturn - August will be the last month this year to get a good view of Saturn through a telescope. At the beginning of August, Saturn will still be well above the horizon as the sky gets dark, so the "seeing" should be acceptable for good telescopic views. By the end of the month, it will be only about 10 degrees above the horizon at twilight's end. As an added bonus, Saturn will appear very close to the Moon - just 21 arc minutes away - on August 31st in a very close conjunction. Grab a powerful pair of binoculars or a telescope to see this nice pairing in the sky.
• Grand Summer Nebulas - Hercules Galaxy Cluster: These excellent examples of gaseous nebulas are well placed for viewing in August - See the star chart in Orion's online Community section to find out where you can track them down. The brightest are M16 the Star Queen Nebula, M17 the Swan Nebula, M20 the Trifid Nebula and the very bright M8, the Lagoon Nebula. All are visible in binoculars from dark locations with good seeing. Use a small to moderate aperture telescope with the aid of an Oxygen-III eyepiece filter or SkyGlow filter to see them from more suburban locations.
• Summertime Star Clusters - Hercules Galaxy Cluster: Even from the city, you can track down some of the brightest star clusters of the summer sky in August. The brightest and best include M13, M93, M11, M6 and M7. You can see these under good skies with a humble 60mm scope, but it will take something larger like a StarBlast 4.5 or a 6" to 8" Dobsonian reflectorto reveal their true beauty.
• August's Challenge Object - This month, our challenge is actually a very easy object to see with a telescope, but not so easy with binoculars! Well suited for observing this month is M27, the Dumbbell Nebula in the constellation of Vulpecula, just south of Cygnus, the Swan or Northern Cross. M27 is one of the nearest and therefore one of the brightest and largest planetary nebulas visible from Earth. It's so big that it can be spotted in 7x50 binoculars! Try to track M27 down this August with your binoculars, it will be a small dot, slightly larger than the surrounding stars, but definitely visible through binoculars. What's the smallest binocular you can see it with?

All objects described above can easily be seen with the suggested equipment from a dark sky site, a viewing location some distance away from city lights where light pollution and when bright moonlight does not overpower the stars. All objects have been verified by actual observations by Orion Telescopes & Binoculars Staff at Fremont Peak State Park, and/or Deep Sky Ranch, 60 miles and 90 miles respectively from San Jose International Airport, San Jose, CA.

October nights will be full of celestial treats for amateur astronomers to see with binoculars and telescopes. Here are some of our top October stargazing suggestions:

• Total Lunar Eclipse - If you live in the western half of North America or in Hawaii, mark your calendars to catch a Total Lunar Eclipse on the night of October 8th. During this must-see event, the Moon will pass through the Earth's shadow, causing the Moon to temporarily turn a beautiful, bright orange-red color. Use a pair of binoculars or unaided eyes to see this rare event, or go the extra mile and capture snapshots of the Total Lunar Eclipse by using a telescope equipped with a tracking motor drive and an astrophotography camera
• Jupiter Season Begins - Big and bright planet Jupiter will rise in the east around midnight in early October, and by about 10 PM near the end of the month. While Jupiter's brightness makes it easily visible to unaided eyes, try looking at the Jovian giant with a pair of 50mm or larger astronomy binoculars to coax out views of its 4 brightest moons; Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto. Check in on Jupiter every night to see these moons change position as the "dance" around Jupiter in their orbital paths. With even a small telescope, you'll see Jupiter's main equatorial cloud belts at high power, but step up to a 6" or 8" telescope and the show is spectacular.
• Best Chance to See Distant Uranus - On October 7th, planet Uranus will at opposition (meaning the Earth will be positioned between Uranus and the Sun along a roughly straight line). This is when Uranus will be in its orbit's nearest point to Earth. Grab a pair of binoculars or a telescope and a star chart or StarSeek app to try tracking down this 6.5 magnitude planet, which is just below naked-eye visibility, in the constellation Pisces. While the Full Moon of October 8th will make viewing Uranus a challenge, it's still worth the effort to know you're looking at one of the most distant planets in our Solar System.
• October Deep Sky Treats - In early October, catch your last glimpse of the year of the galactic center in the constellation Sagittarius, low in the southwestern sky, where you can track down four great emission nebulas - M8, the Lagoon; M20, the Trifid; M17 the Omega; and M16, the Eagle or "Star Queen" nebulas.
  
  

  Two great planetary nebulas are still well-placed in October skies - M57, the Ring Nebula; and M27, the Dumbbell Nebula.

  Look for interesting galaxy NGC 7331 in the northwestern section of the constellation Pegasus. With a 12" or larger aperture telescope and good seeing conditions, you may be able to tease out the galaxy's faint spiral arms.

• Partial Solar Eclipse - On October 23rd, grab your solar filter equipped telescope or binoculars and get outside before sunset to witness a partial solar eclipse! You won't want to miss the action as the Moon's shadow appears to "take a bite" out of the setting Sun just before sunset. We'd love to see your astrophotos of this rare solar event - but don't forget to use a protective Orion Solar Filter for your telescope.
• Challenge Object: NGC 404 - Use your StarSeek app or a star chart to track down star Beta Andromeda in the constellation Andromeda. Carefully inspect the area just northwest of the star to see the faint glow of galaxy NGC 404, a small 11th magnitude dwarf galaxy that's approximately 10 million light years away from Earth. You'll likely need a 6" or larger telescope at high power, but can you see it in a smaller telescope?

All objects described above can easily be seen with the suggested equipment from a dark sky site, a viewing location some distance away from city lights where light pollution and when bright moonlight does not overpower the stars.