The Amateur Astronomy Thread

[Pross]

Some really strong autora out there tonight. Unfortunately it’s stayed stubbornly cloudy in South Wales after several beautifully clear nights.

 

[Marchrider]

the sun crosses the equator at 9:01 on Thurs (20th March ) marking the beginning of astronomical (true) spring

 

[Bazzer]

I saw this last night.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c241073v66jo
I was out in the garden having just finalised the start of my imaging session. I thought at the time it was a very high cloud just catching the last of the sun's rays, but it appeared and disappeared relatively quickly, which was odd. And the only camera readily available was attached to my 'scope.

 

[wheresthetorch]

Partial solar eclipse pretty much as maximum phase now.

 

[figbat]

Nature provided a solar filter for just a few seconds.

 

[figbat]

Partial solar eclipse pretty much as maximum phase now.
View attachment 767004

View attachment 767005

Is that dust or a sunspot?

 

[wheresthetorch]

Is that dust or a sunspot?

Sunspot. Here's a better photo I took when some high cloud cleared.

 

[Bazzer]

I knew I was gambling with the weather, but it didn't pay off. Everything was set up ready, but high cloud where I live to around 10:30, then more cloud.

 

[MontyVeda]

View attachment 767009
Nature provided a solar filter for just a few seconds.

it's so much nicer seeing them through cloud than a filter

 

[Bazzer]

Four hours of images of the Pleiades, before they are better placed in the sky in Autumn.
Hopefully by then my DSLR camera will have been replaced by a dedicated multifilter camera. 🤞
Edit: A combination of about 75% unfiltered and 25% filtered images.

 

[Psamathe]

To me this sums-up the futility of space tourism

Perry, 40, said last week she was listening to an audiobook of Cosmos by Carl Sagan and reading a book on string theory in preparation for the ride.

“I’ve always been interested in astrophysics and interested in astronomy and astrology and the stars,” she told the Associated Press.
(from https://www.theguardian.com/science/2025/apr/14/blue-origin-rocket-launch)

I'm sure her interest in Astrology will be of great help as she drifts around weightless for 3 mins (in what seems the sole purpose of the trip). That said I'd never appreciated the importance of understanding String Theory in preparation for brief high altitude joy rides.

Ian

 

[gbb]

Four hours of images of the Pleiades, before they are better placed in the sky in Autumn.
Hopefully by then my DSLR camera will have been replaced by a dedicated multifilter camera. 🤞
Edit: A combination of about 75% unfiltered and 25% filtered images.

There's something magical about Plaedies (sp), it's always caught my imagination, no idea why.
I did look up but can't remember the distance across the constellation...and you realise, the close you got, the further away each star would be, visually at least.

 

[MontyVeda]

Dear Astronomy Community,

I would like to express my utmost disappointment with the recent 'pink' moon because despite also being a 'micro' moon, it looked exactly the same as every other full moon. I've not been this disappointed since last year's 'blue' moon which despite also being a 'super' moon, also looked exactly the same as every other full moon.​

With grumpy regards from Lancashire.​

​

 

[icowden]

To me this sums-up the futility of space tourism

It does seem like a lot of money, and a lot of fuel and resources to give a few people some jollies.

I think space tourism has a role, but I'd prefer to see it working side by side with necessary work rather than just "cos".

 

[MontyVeda]

It does seem like a lot of money, and a lot of fuel and resources to give a few people some jollies.

I think space tourism has a role, but I'd prefer to see it working side by side with necessary work rather than just "cos".

What you're proposing is essentially an Air B&B in the ISS