- Messier 23, also known as NGC 6494, is an open cluster of stars in the northwest of the southern constellation of Sagittarius. It was discovered by Charles Messier in 1764. It can be found in good conditions with binoculars or a modestly sized telescope. It is in front of “an extensive gas and dust network”, which there may be no inter-association. It is within 5° the sun’s position (namely in mid-December) so can be occulted by the moon.
- Mount Daniel (summitpost.org)
At 7960 feet, Mount Daniel is the highest point in both King County, the county of Seattle, and Kittitas County. It is situated in the heart of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness on the Cascade crest, it’s waters draining to the Cle Elum River on the east side and the Skykomish River to the west. Daniel is a complex glaciated massif with five main summits along its east-west trending spine. They are known as East Peak (7,899 feet), Middle Summit (7,959 feet), West Summit (7960+ feet, true summit), West Pyramid (7880+ feet), and Northwest Peak (7,686 feet).