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25 reading astronomy news items found

Astro Weather Station by Astro-Smart launches

Astro Smart has announced the introduction of a purpose built meteorological monitor designed for backyard observers and small observatories. The product combines environmental sensing with software interfaces that support automation and remote alerting. It is intended to give astronomers continuous reliable readings to help protect instruments and to make scheduling ob...

Light pollution filter LEVIATHAN Spectral Pro

If you've been shooting under light-polluted skies soaked in LED glare, you already know exactly how ugly this has gotten. I’m lucky, I'm still sitting in a Bortle 3 pocket - but I can drive just a few miles west and watch the night get steamrolled by people "upgrading" to those gawd-awful, retina-searing LEDs they sell at Walmart, Menards, Lowe&...

Astrophotography burnout

Astrophotography Burnout is something many beginners (and even seasoned astrophotographers) encounter at some point. One night you're full of excitement, marveling at the galaxies and nebulae appearing on your laptop screen. The next, you're dreading another tedious battle with your equipment or feeling disappointed by a lackluster image. I've been ther...

Five lies about smart telescopes

In a recent article I wrote, published on the ZWO website, I take a hard, honest look at some of the most persistent myths surrounding smart telescopes - and why those myths no longer hold up. It's a piece I believe anyone interested in modern astronomy should read, whether you're just starting out or you've been under the stars for decades. Not because it&#...

The startup bringing space telescopes to everyone

What if you could schedule your own cosmic observation from space - no clouds, no light pollution, no billion-dollar budget? In a world where most CubeSats stare hungrily back at Earth, a small team is flipping the narrative. Bueche Labs, driven by startup veterans with a restless love for the stars, is on a mission to point affordable telescopes outward, opening the...

Pan-tilt head altazimuth mount from 2047STUDIO

2047STUDIO has introduced a heavy-duty altazimuth mount and pan-tilt head designed for use with telescopes, binoculars, and related optical instruments. The equipment is manufactured from full aluminum alloy, processed with high-precision CNC machining, and surface anodized primarily in red with black accents. The mount replaces direct metal friction with multiple be...

Australians urged to sign petition EN7346 on light pollution

Australia has some of the best skies in the world. Astronomers there have long enjoyed views that many others can only dream of. Yet those skies are not guaranteed. Artificial light at night, what the experts call ALAN, is steadily spreading across cities, towns, and countrysides. It does more than hide the Milky Way. It strains our health, confuses wildlife, wastes ene...

Telescopes and ice cream - whats your flavor of stargazing

What do ice cream and telescopes have in common? Surprisingly, quite a lot. Astronomy and ice cream both offer a wide range of “flavors,” and just like a favorite scoop, a stargazing style often reflects personal taste. Some observers prefer the simplicity of a quiet night under the Moon, while others dive deep into complex imaging setups. Many enjoy switchi...

Rigel Systems usb-nFRAME

When we think about astrophotography, there’s one humble but absolutely crucial piece of gear that rarely gets the spotlight: the camera rotator. Cue dramatic music, maybe a slow zoom in with a single tear rolling down its shiny metal housing... At first glance, rotating a camera may sound simple or even trivial. You might think it is just about turning th...

R-Sky Eyeglass Heater Pouch

If you have ever stepped outside on a crisp night, telescope at your side and stars sparkling overhead, you know the feeling. There is a hush to the world, a quiet promise that tonight you might just catch a glimpse of something that makes your heart beat a little faster. But for those of us who wear glasses, that dreamlike moment can come crashing down the second your ...

Dark sky astronomy locations guide

Finding a dark sky location for astronomy begins with understanding what makes a sky dark. A dark sky is one where artificial light is minimal or absent, allowing celestial objects to appear with clarity and contrast. This level of darkness isn’t judged by personal perception but by measured values. One of the main systems used is the Bortle Scale, which ranks sky...

Starlight as Data: Understanding astrophotography in science and art

When an astrophotographer proudly proclaims, "I captured five hours of data on the Orion Nebula last night," what do they really mean? In everyday terms, they took a long series of photographs of a nebula. But those images are more than just pretty pictures, they are measurements of light, records of reality, data in the scientific sense. In astronomy, each im...

This 102mm telescope is $230 right now!

Folks, if you’re looking for a solid, budget-friendly refractor, the SVBONY SV48P is a 102mm f/6.5 achromat that punches well above its price tag. This thing has a fully multi-coated doublet lens, giving you crisp views with minimal chromatic aberration—especially for the price. Now, the 2.5-inch dual-speed rack-and-pinion fo...

Star Gazers: Finding Joy in the Night Sky

David H. Levy, a distinguished amateur astronomer and author, has dedicated over six decades to exploring the night sky. His passion for astronomy was ignited by a single streak of light, a meteor, that he observed more than sixty years ago. This profound experience set him on a path of celestial discovery, leading to the co-discovery of twenty-three comets, most notabl...

Vivid Vision Technology by Unistellar thoughts

Unistellar's Vivid Vision Technology has recently made waves promising to revolutionize the way we perceive the night sky - as seen through a smart telescope anyway. This innovation comes embedded in Unistellar's eVscope, a smart telescope that claims to offer unparalleled clarity and detail. As an astrophotographer, my initial reaction was one of intrigue. Coul...

The Seestar S50 light you didn't know you needed

The Seestar S50 Light, Glow Feet, and a range of new accessories are set to transform nighttime stargazing by providing practical and innovative solutions to common challenges faced by telescope users. These accessories are specifically designed to enhance the visibility and stability of the popular Seestar S50 telescope, making nighttime observations safer and more enj...

Seestar S50 mosaic mode update

Cuiv from The Lazy Geeks recently reviewed the free Mosaic Mode update for the Seestar S50 smart telescope, highlighting its impressive ability to capture expansive astrophotography images, particularly for users in challenging environments like Tokyo, Japan, where light pollution typically hampers clear stargazing. Cuiv noted that this software update, which introduces...

Averted vision and telescope tapping stargazing techniques

Averted gaze and telescope tapping are two techniques used to see faint objects, such as nebulae, through a telescope. You might already understand how they work based on the eye's physiology. Explanation of the stargazing techniques: Averted Vision and Telescope Tapping For example, when observing the Ring Nebula, staring directly at it might make it hard to ...

Customizable astronomy flashlights from Rigel Systems

Rigel Systems recently announced the return of its original astro flashlights, the Starlite and Skylite, along with their compact versions, Starlite mini and Skylite mini. These renowned flashlights, which have been much imitated but never truly duplicated, are now available in a wide range of LED colors, offering superior performance for both professional and recr...

Cloud Atlas of Mars showcases atmospheric phenomena

Cloud enthusiasts have a new tool to investigate striking formations in the skies above the Red Planet. A browsable database of 20-years-worth of images of clouds and storms, created by the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) in Berlin, is helping scientists better understand how and where features arise in the martian atmosphere and what they can tell us about the climate of...

Astronomy weather detector PocketCW2 refreshes

Monitoring the weather for astrophotography and amateur astronomy, much like trying to guess our Ozarks weather, requires a keen eye on the sky's ever-changing canvas. The PocketCW2 is a portable device that checks the sky and weather conditions that astronomers can use to detect clouds, measure sky brightness, and sense ambient conditions. With Wi-Fi connectivit...

Tele Vue looks back at 2023

Tele Vue recently released a blog post titled "Looking Back at the 'Best of 2023,'" which reviews notable moments and products from the past year. The post highlights user experiences, particularly focusing on the Tele Vue-NP127is and NP101is telescopes, along with the NPR-2073 reducer. Tele Vue looks back at 2023 blogs It also discusses the impa...

Win free telescopes and astronomy gear from ScopeTrader

Calling all astronomy enthusiasts! ScopeTrader is thrilled to unveil our new Rewards Program, designed to make your love for the stars even more rewarding. This innovative program allows you to earn points simply by being an active member of our vibrant community. Whether you're reading articles, liking posts, or engaging in forum discussions, every action you take ...

NASA to adjust Hubble Space Telescope orientation

NASA is set to change how it directs the Hubble Space Telescope, transitioning it to operate using only one gyroscope (gyro). This decision follows a series of tests and careful considerations. The telescope, which entered safe mode on May 24, will remain in this state until the transition is complete. This adjustment will allow Hubble to continue its astronomical obser...

PiFinder telescope finder updates to include Sharpless and Abell

PiFinder has just launched a major update, version 1.10.0, introducing two significant new catalogs and several bug fixes for improved performance. The Sharpless and Abell catalogs are the highlights, broadening PiFinder's functionality with comprehensive datasets. PiFinder telescope finder updates to v1.10.0 - Sharpless and Abell catalogs and more! Sharp...