There are several options for star-hopping to M56. The one I usually use is to follow a line of three stars, nearly parallel to the “bottom” two stars of Lyra, and to take a turn east at the third star in that line. But with the other stars in the area, there may be another path that works better for you.

The easiest way to find M3 is to start with the very bright star Arcturus, in the neighboring constellation Boötes. From there imagine a line to Cor Caroli, at magnitude 2.9 the brightest star in Canes Venatici. M3 can be found along that line, just a bit to the Arcturus side of center. With no bright stars nearby to guide you, M3 can be a bit tricky to find. You may have to sweep your scope along that line several times before spotting it. But once you find it, this globular cluster is worth the effort.

Finding the Orion Nebula could hardly be easier. Simply look to the “sword” below Orion’s belt. If you have a larger telescope and dark skies, there are plenty of other nebulae and interesting features within this area of Orion. But large telescope or small, the Orion nebula is always an enjoyable target.

Then, for the time in between, there’s the asterism that really is known as the Winter Triangle.  It’s corners are the bright stars Betelgeuse, Sirius and Procyon.  This triangle is visible in the southern sky all through these winter nights.

Among the Messier Objects dotting the night sky, you will find numerous galaxies, planetary and diffuse nebulae, and open and globular star clusters. But M1, the Crab Nebula, is unique in being the only supernova remnant to make Messier’s list.  Created by a supernova observed by Chinese and Arab astronomers in 1054, the Crab Nebula itself was first observed in 1731.  Located at a distance of roughly 6500 light years, the nebula is expanding at a rate of 1500 km/s. This expansion was discovered in the early 20th century by comparing photographs of the nebula taken several years apart.

To see the Crab Nebula, you’ll need reasonably dark skies. At magnitude 8.4, it can be easily washed out by light pollution.  From my home on the edge of a mid-sized city, it’s just barely visible. But with dark enough skies, it makes a nice target for small telescopes. Located in the constellation Taurus, the easiest way to find the Crab Nebula is to start with the Hyades star cluster (the asterism known as the “head of the bull”). Follow the line formed by the “bottom” of the Hyades to find Zeta Taurii. Going up from there, the Crab Nebula can be easily found. Once the upcoming full moon gets out of the way, we’ll be moving into prime time to see this winter crab. (Does that make it a snow crab?)