- Messier 48 or M48, also known as NGC 2548, is an open cluster of stars in the equatorial constellation of Hydra. It sits near Hydra’s westernmost limit with Monoceros, about 18� 34’ to the east and slightly south of Hydra’s brightest star, Alphard. This grouping was discovered by Charles Messier in 1771, but there is no cluster precisely where Messier indicated; he made an error, as he did with M47. The value that he gave for the right ascension matches, however, his declination is off by five degrees. Credit for discovery is sometimes given instead to Caroline Herschel in 1783. Her nephew John Herschel described it as, “a superb cluster which fills the whole field; stars of 9th and 10th to the 13th magnitude � and none below, but the whole ground of the sky on which it stands is singularly dotted over with infinitely minute points”.
- Hood Canal (wa100.dnr.wa.gov)
Hood Canal is a long, narrow, glacially carved fjord located where the Puget Lowland meets the Olympic Mountains in western Washington. It’s a beautiful area, rich in great seafood and recreational opportunities, with abundant wild marine life. Shellfish farming provides oysters ready to eat from the local farmers or you can find your own on public beaches that allow harvesting. The waters are also known for scuba diving, boating, kayaking, fishing, crabbing, and shrimping. Hiking opportunities in the eastern foothills of the Olympic Mountains provide great panoramic views of the canal and the Puget Lowland. Hiking or driving up Mount Walker, near Quilcene, or hiking near Lake Cushman or up the Hamma Hamma River, provides stunning views and communion with nature in this tranquil part of Washington.