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AstroBackyard

• Rediscover the Night Sky: 6 Things You’re Missing Because of Light Pollution April 13, 2026
  If you’ve ever stepped outside at night and looked up, it probably felt like you were seeing the night sky. A few bright stars,  maybe a familiar constellation or two, and that’s it.  For most people, that is the night sky they know, but it’s only a small fraction of what’s actually there. Over time,... […]
  Ashley Northcotte
• My Astrophotography Processing Workflow in PixInsight & Photoshop April 2, 2026
  In this guide, I’m going to walk you through my current astrophotography processing workflow from start to finish. The biggest thing I want you to take away isn’t just what tools to use, but when to use them. If you’re looking for a PixInsight processing tutorial that is actually easy to follow, this guide will... […]
  Trevor Jones
• The Best Weather Apps for Astronomy March 12, 2026
  A good weather app can save you a lot of frustration when you’re planning a night under the stars. The best weather apps for astronomy go beyond a basic clear-or-cloudy forecast, helping you check things like cloud cover, seeing, transparency, wind, humidity, and even smoke before you drag all your gear outside. If you spend... […]
  Trevor Jones

NASA Solar System & Beyond

• A School of Mud Volcano Islands in Azerbaijan April 21, 2026
  The tadpole-shaped islands along the Absheron Peninsula were born by explosive mud volcano eruptions and reshaped by erosion.
• NASA on Track for Future Missions with Initial Artemis II Assessments April 20, 2026
  Following NASA’s Artemis II mission successfully splashing down on Earth, engineers started diving into detailed analysis of data to assess how key systems and subsystems on the Orion spacecraft, SLS (Space Launch System) rocket, and systems at the launch pad at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida performed. The Artemis II test flight successfully […]
  Lauren E. Low
• NASA Rolls Out Artemis III Moon Rocket Core Stage April 20, 2026
  Following the recent successful test flight of NASA’s Artemis II mission around the Moon, NASA rolled out the core stage, or the largest section, of the agency’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket that will launch the crewed Artemis III mission in 2027. The stage departed from the agency’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans on […]
  Lauren E. Low

Sky & Telescope

• Galaxies Don’t Die All at Once April 20, 2026
  State-of-the-art simulations shed light on how galaxies die — and how we can determine the cause of death. The post Galaxies Don’t Die All at Once appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
  Shreejaya Karantha
• This Week's Sky at a Glance, April 17 – 26 April 17, 2026
  The waxing Moon this week visits Venus, the Pleiades, and the Jupiter-Pollux-Castor triangle, then occults Regulus in a bright sky. The post This Week's Sky at a Glance, April 17 – 26 appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
  Alan MacRobert
• What Were the Flashes That Artemis 2 Astronauts Saw? April 16, 2026
  The crew of Artemis 2 reported six flashes of light while passing behind the Moon. We've seen those kinds of flashes before. The post What Were the Flashes That Artemis 2 Astronauts Saw? appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
  David L. Chandler

Phil’s Astronomy Blog