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ScopeTrader November 2024This month's feature is an interview with NASA's Kay Ogetay, discussing the importance of telescope size in astrophotography and its impact on capturing distant objects.The issue also covers Phil Hart's achievement as the Astrophotographer of the Year, awarded by the Astrophotography Prize 2024 for his high-resolution image of the 2023 Solar Eclipse. Other competition results from nPAE's Southern Hemisphere Astrophotography Competition are shared, highlighting top astrophotographers and their work. We introduce several new tools for astronomers. Rouz Astro has released a versatile Finder Shoe Multi Accessory Mounting Platform, and Buckeyestargazer has launched QUICK Focus Release brackets for Celestron SCTs. For astrophotography enthusiasts, SVBONY's SV555 full-frame astrograph and Askar's SQA85 super quintuplet astrograph are highlighted, showcasing advanced optics tailored for deep-sky imaging. Additional equipment updates include a review of Sky Rover Banner Cloud APO 12x50 binoculars, noted for their broad field of view and sharp imaging. ToupTek's AFW-L Astro Filter Wheel and iOptron's Imaging Newtonian OTAs are also reviewed, along with The Dobson Factory's new 16-inch Dobsonian telescope. Software and technology news features DeepSkyStacker's latest beta update, Astrobackyard's visit to Starfront Observatory, and the debut of Theia, an AI-driven image processing tool for astrophotography. Also introduced is AStarBox, a Raspberry Pi-powered alternative to the ASIAIR, intended for flexible astroimaging setups. Lastly, the magazine addresses common misconceptions, debunking the myth of telescope color views. Get more issues of ScopeTrader
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Astronomy Picture of the Day
2026-04-07
IC 4592: The Blue Horsehead Reflection Nebula
Image Credit: Rabeea Alkuwari
Do you see the horse's head? What you are seeing is not the famous Horsehead nebula toward Orion, but rather a fainter nebula that only takes on a familiar form with deeper imaging. The main part of the here-imaged molecular cloud complex is reflection nebula IC 4592. Reflection nebulas are made up of very fine dust that normally appears dark but can look quite blue when reflecting the visible light of energetic nearby stars. In this case, the source of much of the reflected light is a star at the eye of the horse. That star is part of Nu Scorpii, one of the brighter star systems toward the constellation of the Scorpion (Scorpius). A second reflection nebula dubbed IC 4601 is visible surrounding two stars just below the image center. The featured picture was taken from Sawda Natheel in Qatar. Jigsaw Nebula: Astronomy Puzzle of the Day
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