This image from the Wide Field Imager attached to the MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope at ESO’s La Silla Observatory shows the spectacular globular star cluster Messier 4. This great ball of ancient stars is one of the closest of such stellar systems to the Earth and appears in the constellation of Scorpius (The Scorpion) close to…
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On April 10, 2024, my friend Alan Dyer captured this terrific image of the young moon (two days after the solar eclipse) shining above Uranus and Jupiter with moons. Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks is below them. The comet’s tail is aimed upwards away from the sun, which had recently set below the horizon. Follow Alan on FaceBook…
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Andrea Girones of Ottawa captured this amazing image of Saturday’s annular solar eclipse from Albuquerque, New Mexico. She used a Lunt 40mm solar telescope, an ASI 174MM camera on a Skywatcher Star Adventurer tracker. Hello, Autumn Stargazers! Here are your Astronomy Skylights for the week of October 15th, 2023 by Chris Vaughan. Feel free to…
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Bill Longo of Toronto captured this amazing sequence of images on August 15, 2014. The International Space Station climbs the sky through the Big Dipper at left, while a Perseids meteor briefly streaks across the sky at right. Hello, Meteor Lovers! Here are your Astronomy Skylights for the week of August 6th, 2023 by Chris…
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This nice photo of the First Quarter moon was taken by Michael Watson of Toronto. Michael’s galleries of astro-images are hosted on his Flickr page. Hello, Late-June Stargazers! Here are your Astronomy Skylights for the week of June 25th, 2023 by Chris Vaughan. Feel free to pass this along to your friends and send me…
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This spectacular Perseids meteor was captured by RASC member Don Hladiuk of Calgary at 3:53 am MDT on August 13, 2022. Follow Don on Twitter at @Astrogeo (Yes – we’re each other’s doppelganger!) Hello, mid-August Stargazers! Here are your Astronomy Skylights for the week of August 14th, 2022 by Chris Vaughan. Feel free to pass…
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This full-disk image of the sun in visible wavelengths was taken by the Solar Dynamics Observatory satellite on August 29, 2021. It shows the huge sunspot group designated AR2860 that is currently visible by anyone using safely filtered telescopes, pinhole projectors, and eclipse viewers. That active region is emitting strong M-class flares. Visit Spaceweather.com and…
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This simulated image of Jupiter shows how it will appear at opposition on Thursday night, August 19, 2021, when the Great Red Spot and Io and its shadow will be transiting the planet, as shown here at 10:30 pm EDT. (From Stellarium) Hello, August Stargazers! Here are your Astronomy Skylights for the week of August…
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This simulated view of Saturn for this month shows how the rings are closed enough now to reveal a bit of Saturn’s southern polar region. Hello, mid-July Stargazers! Here are your Astronomy Skylights for the week of July 11th, 2021 by Chris Vaughan. Feel free to pass this along to your friends and send me…
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The Ring Nebula, also known as Messier 57, in Lyra is visible in backyard telescopes as a small, grey ring. This image was taken by Ron Brecher of Guelph, Ontario on July 25, 2012. Ron’s gallery of astro-images can be accessed at www.astrodoc.ca Hello, August Stargazers! Here are your Astronomy Skylights for the week of…
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