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ScopeTrader October 2025The October 2025 issue of ScopeTrader opens with our feature interview with Rory Griffin, better known as Astrobiscuit, the YouTube creator who turned backyard tinkering into a worldwide astronomy adventure. With his mix of humor, resourcefulness, and contagious enthusiasm, Rory shows how stargazing isn't just about optics and data it's about joy. From viral moon shots to DIY experiments that challenge tradition, his story is one of making the cosmos fun again, reminding us that curiosity is often the best telescope we have.Elsewhere in this issue, we dive into the latest gear and imaging innovations shaping the hobby. From the SVBONY SV241 Pro power controller that tames cable chaos, to MLAstro's SAL-33 harmonic drive mount built with solar precision in mind, to the Askar FRA400C quintuplet APO refractor that dares to be a do-it-all astrograph, the tools of the trade are evolving quickly. Software is keeping pace too, with Tria Image Pro 4 introducing sharper deconvolution and faster processing. And for visual astronomers, the new ultra-wide eyepiece from NOBLEX offers a breathtaking, immersive view of the heavens. This issue also explores the deeper questions of technique and imagination. We weigh the value of achromatic refractors in today's market, investigate the future of capturing all spectral channels in a single frame, and explain why luminance imaging falls short in narrowband nebula work. Astrophotography finds fresh inspiration in Richard Harris's WR 102 image displayed at the INTUITIVE Planetarium, and in award-winning shots of the Andromeda core and auroras from around the world. Looking forward, we examine a bold new rectangular telescope design aimed at finding Earth's twin, celebrate Unistellar's decade of citizen science, and honor the quiet but lasting impact of Rigel Systems' astronomy flashlights. Together, these stories form a portrait of a hobby that is as inventive as it is awe-inspiring. 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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