- Long, narrow Lake Chelan snakes its way almost 50 miles northwest through the foothills of the Cascades. The lake measures only about one to two miles wide, but at almost 1,500 feet deep it is the third deepest freshwater lake in the United States. The lake’s crystal clear waters and its long shoreline offer every type of recreational activity imaginable: hiking, boating, fishing, swimming, biking, golf, fine dining, wine tasting, and lodging. Lake Chelan is a vacationing paradise! The lake itself is stunning, bright blue waters are surrounded by steep forested slopes. While enjoying the lake, take some time to appreciate its geologic story—were it not for the vast continental glaciers of the last ice age, none of this breath-taking scenery would exist.
- Messier 23 (Wikipedia)
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.