Recent Blogs
Comet C/2025 R3 (PANSTARRS) Captured!
Field Report: April 15, 2026 Comet C/2025 R3 (PANSTARRS) By Wido Oerlemans | Utrecht, NL Individual frames (45x60s) showing local sky conditions Session Snapshot (04:30 – 05:30 AM) Distance at Capture 110M km Approx. 0.73 AU Velocity 64 km/s ~230,400 km/h Peak Altitude 20° Morning … Continue readingComet C/2025 R3 (PANSTARRS) Captured!
Seestar S30 vs. DWARF Mini Smart Telescope: Which Should You Buy?
In this comparison, I take a deep dive into two of the leading entry-level smart telescopes on the market in 2026: Dwarflab’s DWARF Mini and ZWO’s Seestar S30. I’ll be breaking down the technical specifications, the overall value proposition, and the real-world ease of use … Continue readingSeestar S30 vs. DWARF Mini Smart Telescope: Which Should You Buy?
How to See April’s Naked-Eye Comet: C/2025 R3 (PanSTARRS)
Live Tracker: C/2025 R3 (PanSTARRS) 🔴 Live Update: Position, Distance & Brightness C/2025 R3 (PanSTARRS) may become visible as a naked-eye comet for the upcoming weeks in April 2026 in the early morning sky at mid-northern latitudes, just before sunrise. COORDINATES RA: Loading… DEC: Loading… … Continue readingHow to See April’s Naked-Eye Comet: C/2025 R3 (PanSTARRS)
Help Us Build a Home in Guatemala!
LANGUAGE / TAAL: Nederlands English No family should have to sleep on a dirt floor under a roof made of branches. This summer, I am traveling to Guatemala with Willemijn and our two daughters, Vivienne and Emilie, to get our hands dirty and personally build … Continue readingHelp Us Build a Home in Guatemala!
ToupTek StellaVita Smart Astrophotography Controller Review (v2.05)
In this blog, I’m sharing my first full night with the StellaVita Smart Astrophotography Controller (formerly the AstroStation). Huge thanks to ToupTek for sending this unit over for an independent and unpaid review. My goal: see if this device can truly act as a “universal … Continue readingToupTek StellaVita Smart Astrophotography Controller Review (v2.05)
Beating the Full Moon: First Light with the ToupTek ATR585M on the Tadpoles Nebula
It’s early March, and a brilliant Full Moon is lighting up the night sky. For many astrophotographers, that much moonlight makes capturing faint deep-sky objects feel like a lost cause. But with a monochrome narrowband setup, you can block out most of that unwanted glare … Continue readingBeating the Full Moon: First Light with the ToupTek ATR585M on the Tadpoles Nebula
Svbony SC571CC Color Camera + SV241 Power Hub – First Light Review
After weeks of snow and cold, cloudy weather, we finally have clear skies again here in the Netherlands! So I took out my Edge HD 8″ to test the new SC571CC camera and the SV241 Power Hub, which SVbony kindly sent me for an independent … Continue readingSvbony SC571CC Color Camera + SV241 Power Hub – First Light Review
Best Budget Smart Telescope in 2026 – Seestar (S30, S30 Pro & S50) vs Dwarf 3 and Mini
Do you have trouble deciding which budget smart telescope fits your needs? Then you’ve come to the right blog! In this overview, I’ll compare the most affordable smart telescopes in the $400 to $600 price range. These include ZWO’s Seestar S30, S30 Pro, and S50, … Continue readingBest Budget Smart Telescope in 2026 – Seestar (S30, S30 Pro & S50) vs Dwarf 3 and Mini
Seestar S30 Pro Review & Tutorial
In this in-depth review, I share my real-world experience with the new Seestar S30 Pro smart telescope from ZWO, based on two cold winter nights of testing under light-polluted urban skies. I cover everything from unboxing and specifications to solar, lunar, and deep-sky imaging, and … Continue readingSeestar S30 Pro Review & Tutorial
Vespera II-X Smart Telescope Review + Tutorial
Vaonis recently sent me their brand-new Vespera II-X smart telescope, and over the past weeks I’ve been putting it through a series of real-world imaging sessions. I was curious how this new model performs on a wide range of astronomical objects, from high-contrast daytime imaging … Continue readingVespera II-X Smart Telescope Review + Tutorial
