Canis Minor

Canis Minor is one of those constellations that few people pay any attention to. Although the Milky Way intrudes into the western portion of the constellation, it contains few objects of interest for the small telescope owner. It is home however to one 1st magnitude star, Procyon, which is at the centre of this image.

At the southern edge of the photograph is the bright star Sirius, while at the northern edge are the bright stars Castor and Pollux. Near the western edge is the Rosette nebula. Near the north-eastern edge is the open cluster M44, and below it, the stars of the head of Hydra are visible. Also visible to the lower left of Procyon, close to a little line of 3 stars, is the open cluster M48.