Spring hos come to the Northern Hemisphere. The great globe of the heavens has rolled on and the brilliant star clusters and nebulae of winter are sinking in the west. It's now that deep-sky observers turn their attention to the subtler marvels on the rise — the galaxies. In the north, the Great Bear, Ursa Major, and its constel lations, Cones Venatici and Carna Berenices, are riding high. The area is home to countless island universes, some of which will be our destinations tonight.
No object in the sky is more harmed by light pollution than galaxies. The first thing you learn about galaxy observing is: the darker the sky, the better. Many can be seen in suburban skies, but to see details, to observe anything in most galaxies other than their bright central regions, you'll need to get to the darkest location you can access.
Whether your skies are bright or dark, however, there are tips that can help you. Being able to not just, requires learning a few tricks of the trade to deal with the challenges they present. We'll use these tips and tricks tonight as we wander from galaxy to galaxy.
