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How to Photograph the Orion Nebula December 4, 2024

This article was last updated on December 4th, 2024. In this post, I’ll break down how to photograph the Orion Nebula, one of the most spectacular deep-sky objects in the night sky. While it may just look like a smudge to the naked eye, Orion is the nearest, large star-forming region to Earth at just... […]

Trevor Jones

What To Consider When Buying a Telescope November 29, 2024

If you’re looking to buy your first telescope—or your first good telescope—this guide is for you. I’ll cover the most important aspects of a telescope, how much you should expect to spend, and provide four excellent examples to consider. The following choices are obviously not the only ones to choose from, but they offer a... […]

Trevor Jones

Dwarf 3 Smart Telescope Review November 23, 2024

The Dwarf 3 smart telescope is a compact, ultra-portable device that was designed to make astrophotography easy and fun. While this device is in its third iteration, it is the first DwarfLab product I’ve ever used. It combines a small telescope, an astronomy camera, and a computerized mount to track and photograph objects in space.... […]

Trevor Jones

NASA Shares Orion Heat Shield Findings, Updates Artemis Moon Missions December 5, 2024

Through the Artemis campaign, NASA will land the next American astronauts and first international astronaut on the South Pole region of the Moon. On Thursday, NASA announced the latest updates to its lunar exploration plans. Experts discussed results of NASA’s investigation into its Orion spacecraft heat shield after it experienced an unexpected loss of charred […]

Abbey A. Donaldson

NASA Identifies Cause of Artemis I Orion Heat Shield Char Loss December 5, 2024

After extensive analysis and testing, NASA has identified the technical cause of unexpected char loss across the Artemis I Orion spacecraft’s heat shield. Engineers determined as Orion was returning from its uncrewed mission around the Moon, gases generated inside the heat shield’s ablative outer material called Avcoat were not able to vent and dissipate as […]

Erika Peters

NASA’s Hubble Takes the Closest-Ever Look at a Quasar December 5, 2024

Astronomers have used the unique capabilities of NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope to peer closer than ever into the throat of an energetic monster black hole powering a quasar. A quasar is a galactic center that glows brightly as the black hole consumes material in its immediate surroundings. The new Hubble views of the environment around […]

More Unusual Jovian Satellite Lineups December 5, 2024

In the coming weeks, Jupiter’s four Galilean satellites will arrange themselves in some unusual geometric patterns that will be fascinating to observe. The post More Unusual Jovian Satellite Lineups appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

Joe Rao

You're Invited to Jupiter's Big, Bright Opposition Bash December 4, 2024

Don't let the cold keep you inside — Jupiter beckons with a brand new storm! The post You're Invited to Jupiter's Big, Bright Opposition Bash appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

Bob King

Ancient Venus Didn't Have Oceans After All December 2, 2024

Astronomers have poured cold water on the idea that Venus once hosted oceans on its surface, suggesting instead that the planet's interior has been dry for most of its history. The post Ancient Venus Didn't Have Oceans After All appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

Colin Stuart

Hello out there? October 12, 2021

Anybody still coming here?

Phil

Markarian's Chain in Virgo April 13, 2018

My own Hubble View! These galaxies lie between 10 to 50 million light years away. How many galaxies do you see? A pretty tricky part of the sky to image, really. You're utilizing almost your entire field of view with an 80mm scope, so dealing with all that comes with wide-field. This is the best […]

Phil

M51 Whirlpool Galaxy April 9, 2018

A nice clear night last night until around 12:30 when clouds rolled in. Managed to get this image of the lovely M51 Whirlpool galaxy. It lies around 23 million light years away and it is interacting with a smaller galaxy (yellow~ish bulge to the left). Three supernova (star explosions) have been detected in this galaxy […]

Phil

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