LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – “March” is named after the Latin term “Martis,” or Mars, the Roman god of agriculture and war. It was the first month of the Roman calendar.

This month we’ll explore deep sky objects. These are objects in the night sky that are generally too faint to see without the aid of binoculars or a telescope.

Deep sky objects include star clusters, nebulae and galaxies. They do not include planets or stars. Our star map shows the location of the deep sky objects we will discuss.

Star clusters are very rewarding to view. As the name implies, a star cluster is a group of stars that appear close together. The number of stars in a cluster can range from as small as a few dozen to several thousand.

M36 is a cluster located in the constellation Auriga the Charioteer. It is comprised of about 60 stars. It is located 4,100 lights years away.

M36 is an open cluster, meaning the stars are relatively far apart.

A globular cluster is another type of star cluster where the stars are very close together. In some of these you cannot see the individual stars.

Nebulae are huge clouds of dust and gas. They assume many shapes and sizes.

One of the best known and most beautiful nebulae is the M42, the Orion Nebula. This object is 24 lights years across, and 1,344 light years away. It is a star nursery, with new stars being born within.

Star clusters and nebula are found within our galaxy, the Milky Way. Galaxies other than our own are the third type of deep sky object.

Galaxies contain millions, or even billions of stars, along with planets, nebulae and star clusters.

The constellation Leo the Lion contains a number of galaxies. Our star map shows the location of 5 galaxies designated M105, M95, M96, NGC 3384 and NGC 3389.

An object designated as M36, M42, etc. is found in the Messier Catalogue of Deep Sky Objects. Objects having the designation “NGC” are found in the New General Catalogue of Deep Sky Objects.

To fully appreciate deep sky objects a pair of binoculars or a telescope is needed. Next month we’ll discuss telescopes.

In Lake County, Taylor Observatory is an excellent resource for learning more about Lake County Skies. It is open to the public on the fourth Saturday of each month from 8 to 11 p.m.

John Zimmerman is a resident of Lake County, Calif., and has been an amateur astronomer for more than 50 years. For more information about astronomy and local resources, visit his Web site at www.lakecountyskies.com  .