The relatively bright galaxy named NGC 2903 sits in front of Leo, the Lion’s nose, just below the reddish star Alterf. The magnitude 9 spiral galaxy is visible in medium-sized telescope under dark sky conditions. End-to-end the galaxy spans 11 arc-minutes, or one-third of the full moon’s diameter! While it didn’t make Charles Messier’s List,…
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As shown above, on Friday, March 17, 2023 from 8:36 to 8:41 pm EDT, the International Space Station will be visible flying high overhead of the GTA in an extremely bright pass, rising from the southwestern horizon, and then flying closely past the bright stars Betelgeuse and Pollux before entering Earth’s shadow in the east-northeastern…
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This beautiful image of Gemini’s Messier 35 and the smaller, but denser open star cluster NGC 2158 (below right of centre) was captured by “Mr. Eclipse” himself, Fred Espenak. Two more small open clusters shine at the far right – squint to see them! The image spans two thumb widths, or 2.5 angular degrees, left…
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As shown above, on Sunday, March 5, 2023 from 5:59 to 6:05 am EST, the International Space Station will be visible flying high overhead of the GTA in an extremely bright pass, exiting Earth’s shadow low in the northwestern sky below the Big Dipper, and then flying between the two dippers and through the very…
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A labelled map of the Mare Imbrium region of the moon, shown for 8 pm on Friday, March 3. On the previous evenings, the pole-to-pole lunar terminator will sweep across Mare Imbrium, highlighting its features. (Starry Night Pro 8) Hello, Fellow Moongazers! Here are your Astronomy Skylights for the week of February 26th, 2023 by…
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As shown above, on Sunday, March 5, 2023 from 5:59 to 6:05 am EST, the International Space Station will be visible flying high overhead of the GTA in an extremely bright pass, exiting Earth’s shadow low in the northwestern sky below the Big Dipper, and then flying between the two dippers and through the very…
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This terrific image of the Orion’s sword was taken on January 7, 2019 by Rick Foster of Markham, Ontario. Even binoculars will reveal that the central patch of light is the splendid Orion Nebula, also known as Messier 42. The grouping of bright stars at bottom right are “the Lost Jewel of Orion’s Sword”, particularly…
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As shown above, on Tuesday, February 21, 2023 from 5:51 to 5:56 am EST, the International Space Station will be visible flying over the GTA in a very bright pass, exiting Earth’s shadow in the west-southwestern sky near the bright star Denebola in Leo, and then flying through the Big Dipper’s handle before setting below…
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This wonderful image was captured around 8:30 pm EST on Saturday, February 11, 2023 by Andrea Girones from her backyard in Ottawa, Canada. It shows the green comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) as it slid past reddish Mars. The dusty tail is material left behind as the comet travels downwards (celestial southbound) in the sky. The…
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As shown above, on Saturday, February 18, 2023 from 6:39 to 6:45 am EST, the International Space Station will be visible flying high overhead of the GTA in an extremely bright pass, rising over the southwestern horizon and then flying closely past the bright stars Arcturus, Vega, and Deneb before setting below the east-northeastern horizon. (courtesy:…
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