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ScopeTrader February 2026This issue is a good snapshot of where amateur astronomy is headed right now. The equipment is getting smarter, the software is getting more helpful, and the gap between beginner friendly and observatory capable is shrinking fast. Whether you are just stepping into astrophotography or you have been doing this for decades, there is something encouraging about the range of tools now available.Our featured story is the miniCAM8 M camera deep sky combo review. The idea that a monochrome imaging bundle can be packaged in an affordable, complete way says a lot about the moment we are in. Monochrome imaging used to feel like a complicated leap. Now it is becoming an option that more people can realistically explore, with everything needed to get started in one place. On the mounts side, the release of the AM7 from ZWO is another sign that manufacturers are listening closely to what astrophotographers want. Reliable performance, less setup friction, and serious capability without requiring an observatory budget. We also look at the rise of automatic polar alignment, which is quickly moving from a luxury feature into something that feels genuinely practical for everyday imaging. For those who enjoy keeping up with the bigger landscape, we cover the MLAstro SAL 66, a beefy observatory class mount announcement that shows where high end engineering is going. Software continues to push the hobby forward as well. OpenAstro AlpacaBridge launches with real implications for device connectivity, AstroFiler 1.2 brings calibration automation updates, and LuckyStackWorker 7 makes planet and moon stacking easier for anyone working with high frame rate imaging. We also take a look at the Texas Star Party 2026, one of the most anticipated gatherings under dark skies. Rounding out the issue are practical discussions on FITS astrophotography files, the re-launch of the Vaonis Hyperi smart telescope with its eye catching price tag, and a new light pollution filter, the LEVIATHAN Spectral Pro. It is a full issue, and it reflects a hobby that is growing in both accessibility and ambition. Get more issues of ScopeTrader
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AM7 Mount Replaces CGX-L
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Astronomy Picture of the Day
2026-04-10
Exploring the Antennae
Image Credit: Mike Selby
Some 60 million light-years away in the southerly constellation Corvus, two large galaxies are colliding. Stars in the two galaxies, cataloged as NGC 4038 and NGC 4039, very rarely collide in the course of the ponderous cataclysm that lasts for hundreds of millions of years. But the galaxies' large clouds of molecular gas and dust often do, triggering furious episodes of star formation near the center of the cosmic wreckage. Spanning over 50 thousand light-years, this stunning telescopic frame also reveals new star clusters and matter flung far from the scene of the accident by gravitational tidal forces. The remarkably sharp ground-based image follows the faint tidal tails and distant background galaxies in the field of view. The suggestive overall visual appearance of the extended arcing structures gives the galaxy pair, also known as Arp 244, its popular name - The Antennae. Artemis II: mission updates
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