Category: Uncategorized

AstroBackyard

• Askar SQA130 Review: Is This the Ultimate Backyard Astrograph? June 29, 2026
  Last updated: June 29, 2026. If you find this helpful and buy through my links, I may receive a small commission. The Askar SQA130 is the largest telescope in Askar’s SQA (super quintuplet astrograph) series, and one I was especially excited to test. As a refractor fan, getting to test one with a healthy 130mm... […]
  Trevor Jones
• I Captured The Same Nebula with a DSLR, Astro Camera, & Smart Telescope May 23, 2026
  Recently, I captured the same deep-sky object using three very different camera systems. A full-frame mirrorless DSLR-style astrophotography setup. A dedicated astronomy camera rig with autoguiding. And a smart telescope that handled almost everything on its own. The target was the Elephant’s Trunk Nebula, a beautiful emission nebula in the constellation Cepheus. Each setup collected... […]
  Trevor Jones
• 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

NASA Solar System & Beyond

Sky & Telescope

• This Week's Sky at a Glance, July 17 – 26 July 17, 2026
  The crescent Moon visits Venus in twilight. After dark, we're in the peak month for "the Orion of Summer" with its Cat's Eyes. And cold-weather Cassiopeia is already poking up. The post This Week's Sky at a Glance, July 17 – 26 appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
  Alan MacRobert
• First Atmosphere Detected on a Terrestrial World July 16, 2026
  A team of astronomers have discovered helium escaping from a rocky planet, marking the first detection of an atmosphere on a rocky world. The post First Atmosphere Detected on a Terrestrial World appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
  Arielle Frommer
• Famous System Has a Third Planet: Beta Pictoris d July 15, 2026
  Two teams of astronomers independently discovered a third giant gas planet orbiting in the famous Beta Pictoris system. The post Famous System Has a Third Planet: Beta Pictoris d appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
  Monica Young

Phil’s Astronomy Blog