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AstroBackyard

• ToupTek StellaVita Review: Better Than Ever, But Not Perfect May 15, 2026
  The ToupTek StellaVita is a control box that can run an entire astrophotography setup from your phone or tablet.   It supports a wide range of cameras and accessories, so you’re not locked into a single ecosystem, and that alone makes it one of the more interesting alternatives to systems like the ASIAIR.   After... […]
  Trevor Jones
• Dark Sky Camping: RV Lighting Etiquette and Setup April 28, 2026
  Dark sky camping has become a big part of how we travel. Whether we’re heading to a remote site or setting up at a star party, the goal is always the same: get away from artificial light and experience the night sky the way it’s meant to be seen. What we’ve learned, though, is that... […]
  Ashley Northcotte
• 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

NASA Solar System & Beyond

• Tornado Draws a Jagged Line in Mississippi May 22, 2026
  The strongest of several twisters to touch down in the southern part of the state in early May 2026 left a visible path of damaged vegetation.
• NASA to Showcase Mission to Boost Swift Spacecraft’s Orbit May 21, 2026
  Media are invited to NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia on Wednesday, June 17, to view Northrop Grumman’s Pegasus XL rocket, carrying a Katalyst robotic spacecraft that will attempt to boost the orbit of NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory. Katalyst’s robotic servicing spacecraft, called LINK, will launch on Pegasus in June to rendezvous with Swift […]
  Jessica Taveau
• NASA Joins Artemis Accords Workshop as Global Signings Rise May 21, 2026
  The United States participated in an Artemis Accords workshop in Lima, Peru, last week, following a new wave of nations committing to safe and responsible exploration of the Moon, Mars, and beyond. Leading up to the event, six countries, including Latvia, Jordan, Morocco, Malta, Ireland, and Paraguay, joined the growing coalition of Artemis Accords signatories […]
  Gerelle Q. Dodson

Sky & Telescope

• This Week's Sky at a Glance, May 22 – 31 May 22, 2026
  Venus and Jupiter — the Evening Star and the False Evening Star — draw closer together in the western twilight and point down to Mercury. The waxing Moon shows off its rich telescopic detail. The post This Week's Sky at a Glance, May 22 – 31 appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
  Alan MacRobert
• How Jupiter’s Moon Ganymede Melted Its Core May 19, 2026
  A new model explains how Ganymede got its molten core — which in turn has given Jupiter's largest moon its magnetic field. The post How Jupiter’s Moon Ganymede Melted Its Core appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
  Emily Lakdawalla
• SMILE: European Space Weather Mission Launches May 19, 2026
  An innovative new mission will probe the mystery of how the Earth’s magnetosphere interacts with the solar wind. The post SMILE: European Space Weather Mission Launches appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
  David Dickinson

Phil’s Astronomy Blog