Monthly updates about near earth objects (comets, asteroids), moon, planets an deep sky objects to look out for.
By Wido Oerlemans June 17, 2026 If you were watching the live streams today, you saw history happen. At 13:53 CEST (08:53 local time in Kourou), Arianespace pulled off flight VA269. The heavy-lift Ariane 64 configuration blasted off using its brand-new, upgraded P160C solid rocket … Continue readingWhat the New Amazon LEO Mega-Constellation Means for Amateur and Professional Astronomy
If you’ve ever wanted to see a piece of the most famous comet in history with your own eyes, tonight is your chance. The Eta Aquariid meteor shower is peaking over the next 48 hours (May 5–6, 2026). While Halley’s Comet won’t return to our … Continue readingHalley’s Comet Returns (Kind Of): How to Watch the Eta Aquariid Meteor Shower Tonight
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!
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)
Comet 3I/ATLAS is only the third confirmed interstellar comet we’ve ever seen, after 1I/Oumuamua and 2I/Borisov. It moves through our solar system at incredible speeds of around 250.000 km/h. Even though it was faint (about magnitude 10) and far away, I managed to photograph 3I/ATLAS … Continue readingMy First Capture of Comet 3I/ATLAS — Our New Interstellar Visitor
This page displays the real-time positions of the Sun, Moon, and planets in your local sky. It also tracks the brightest comets currently visible —whether they’re visible through an amateur telescope (magnitude < 15) or even visible to the naked eye (magnitude < 6). The … Continue readingReal-Time Night Sky: Live Planets & Comets Finder (Visible Now)
Tonight’s Best Deep-Sky Objects is a fast, interactive finder that shows what’s worth imaging tonight for your location. Enter your latitude (or use geolocation) and date, then browse a clean grid of targets from the Messier, Caldwell, and Sharpless (Sh 2) catalogs. Each card opens a detailed view with a DSS preview image, clear RA/Dec coordinates (copyable), object type, size, magnitude, and a live altitude chart that tracks visibility ±6 hours around local midnight. Use the search bar to jump to classics like M42 or NGC 7000, or filter by catalog and object type (galaxy, nebula, cluster, star). A single click launches an interactive sky finder to frame your shot. Whether you’re planning a backyard session or a road trip under dark skies, this tool turns indecision into a precise target list—quick, practical, and built for astrophotographers. Open it, pick your night, and start capturing. … Continue readingTonight’s Best Deep Sky Objects
The Sharpless Catalogue is a collection of 313 emission nebulae compiled by American astronomer Stewart Sharpless in 1959. These nebulae are regions of glowing hydrogen gas, often marking areas of active star formation within our Milky Way galaxy. Many famous deep-sky targets, such as the … Continue readingFull Sharpless Catalogue – 313 Deep Sky Nebulae by Location and Month
Not all bright stars are created equal — their apparent brightness depends on both their true luminosity and their distance from Earth. Some stars only dazzle because they’re nearby, while others shine with the power of millions of Suns across vast interstellar distances. Many of … Continue readingFind the 50 Brightest Stars in the Night Sky — by Month and Location
The Caldwell Catalog is a collection of 109 deep-sky objects compiled by British astronomer Sir Patrick Moore, who often used the pseudonym Caldwell—his mother’s maiden name. Moore created this list in 1995 as a complement to the famous Messier Catalog, focusing on stunning celestial targets … Continue readingFind the Best Caldwell Objects by Month and Location