Day 16 - Night Sky Observatory

Today marks a milestone in the Night Sky Observatory build - the completed observatory (in manual mode)!

In the next few days I will be starting the move of telescopes and equipment into the building. A desk and computer system has already been placed in one of the bays. 

The Celestron EdgeHD11 is being cleaned and prepped for new cable runs. The clear coat on the scope has weathered badly and is flaking off, so I decided to remove it completely and apply thermal covering to the OTA tube. That will be accomplished tomorrow. 

I have yet to contract an electrician to run the AC and network cables so I will be using a long extension cord for power and either WiFi or another long CAT5 cable run for connectivity as a temporary solution to get things up and running. 

I'm still not sure exactly how the cables will be routed so I'll be experimenting with that as well in the next couple of months. My desire is to get basic functionality by end of this month (or sooner).

Saturn has a Decagon Cloud

Astronomers have confirmed a remarkable new feature at Saturn’s south pole: a giant 10-sided atmospheric wave, known as a decagon. The structure was first hinted at in Hubble Space Telescope images from 2023 and became increasingly clear in observations through 2025. Researchers announced the discovery in 2026 after confirming that the pattern forms a distinct, large-scale geometric shape encircling the pole.

The area around Saturn’s south pole. This photo shows a pattern of clouds,
now confirmed as a 10-sided figure known as the Saturn decagon.
Image via NASA/ ESA/ A. Sánchez-Lavega/ EHU/ AP.

The discovery is especially intriguing because Saturn is already famous for the long-lived hexagon at its north pole. While the new southern decagon appears similar, scientists believe it may represent a different atmospheric phenomenon. The decagon is embedded within a powerful jet stream and extends through multiple layers of Saturn’s atmosphere, suggesting it is more than just a cloud pattern. Researchers are now monitoring it to determine whether it will become a stable feature like the northern hexagon or continue to evolve, offering a rare opportunity to observe the formation of a major planetary weather system in real time.

See the full article at: EarthSky

Night Sky Observatory Build - Day 14 and 15

Day 14, August 29th, the dome assembly was completed - stainless steel track plates were screwed to the bottom flange of the dome to provide support and a running surface for the wheels on top of the building. I needed to climb in there on my back and screw-in the plates - good thing it was cool that day.

Today (day 15) marks a milestone in the build - the dome was lifted unto the walls! Six guys from my church, including my pastor, Quint Merson of Crosslife Bible Church, who scheduled the team to come over early this morning, lifted the dome safely onto the building walls. Just a few more tasks to complete on the inside of the dome and she will be ready for manual mode.

Lifting the dome - most of the guys are behind the building!

Lift team - Dennis, John Mark, Josh, Randy, Vance and Pastor Quint
(I'm in the background)
And, of course, always present are Luna, Echo (on the deck) and Ayla

Nancy Grace Roman - the New Kid on the Block

NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is expected to transform astronomy by combining Hubble-like image quality with an enormously wider field of view. Roman can survey the sky more than 1,000 times faster than Hubble at similar resolution, generating an unprecedented amount of data and allowing scientists to study vast regions of the universe rather than isolated targets. The mission is designed to investigate some of astronomy’s biggest questions, including the nature of dark matter, dark energy, galaxy evolution, and the distribution of planets throughout the Milky Way.

One of Roman’s major goals is to discover and characterize exoplanets using a technique called gravitational microlensing. By continuously monitoring hundreds of millions of stars near the center of the Milky Way, the telescope is expected to detect a huge variety of planets, including worlds that are difficult or impossible to find with other methods. Scientists expect Roman to greatly expand the known census of planets and provide new insights into how planetary systems form and evolve across different parts of our galaxy.

Roman will also tackle some of the biggest mysteries in cosmology. Through large-scale surveys of distant galaxies and thousands of Type Ia supernovae, it will create detailed maps of the universe across billions of years of cosmic history. These observations will help researchers measure how the universe has expanded over time and test current theories about dark energy and the standard cosmological model. The telescope’s surveys are expected to reveal billions of galaxies and capture many transient events such as supernovae, gamma-ray bursts, and other rare phenomena.

Another key feature is Roman’s advanced coronagraph, a technology demonstration that blocks starlight to directly observe faint objects nearby, such as exoplanets and debris disks. The instrument is intended to pave the way for future missions capable of imaging Earth-like worlds. The article also highlights Roman’s commitment to open science: its data will become publicly available within hours of processing, and cloud-based tools will make the enormous dataset accessible to researchers around the world. The mission’s scientists expect Roman not only to answer existing questions but also to uncover entirely unexpected discoveries. 

See the full article at How Roman will unlock the universe (Astronomy.com)

NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Telescope launches to space

NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope launched on August 30, 2026, aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from Kennedy Space Center after more than a decade of development. The observatory is headed to the Sun-Earth L2 Lagrange point, about a million miles beyond Earth, where it will have a stable view of the universe while remaining in constant contact with mission controllers. NASA officials reported that the launch and initial spacecraft systems appeared to be operating normally, with instrument calibration and commissioning scheduled over the coming weeks.

From SpaceX Live Feed - Sunday, August 30, 2026

Roman’s mission is expected to complement the Hubble and James Webb space telescopes by conducting enormous sky surveys and investigating some of astronomy’s biggest mysteries. Its primary goals include studying dark matter and dark energy, creating a vast census of exoplanets, and mapping stars and galaxies on an unprecedented scale. The telescope also carries a powerful coronagraph designed to directly observe planets around other stars by blocking starlight, potentially allowing scientists to study the atmospheres of distant worlds. NASA officials said Roman could dramatically increase the number of known exoplanets and help answer fundamental questions about whether habitable Earth-like planets exist elsewhere in the universe. The mission’s initial science phase is expected to last five years, with the first images anticipated after commissioning is completed.

Watch the complete launch at: SpaceX - Roman Space Telescope Mission

Nancy Grace Roman's Special Coronagraph

Photo-Illustration: Wired Staff; Getty Images; Courtesy of Nasa

Although NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is primarily known for its powerful wide-field survey capabilities, its most important long-term contribution may be a smaller, experimental instrument hidden inside it: an advanced coronagraph. The coronagraph is designed to block the overwhelming light of a star so astronomers can directly observe much fainter planets orbiting nearby. Roman's version is far more sophisticated than the coronagraphs flown on Hubble or James Webb because it incorporates adaptive optics and deformable mirrors that can actively reshape themselves to counter tiny optical distortions.

This technology is a crucial steppingstone toward a future telescope capable of photographing Earth-like planets around Sun-like stars. Roman's coronagraph faces an extraordinary challenge, likened to spotting a firefly beside a floodlight from across the country. By testing active wavefront control and ultra-precise light suppression in space for the first time, NASA hopes to learn what is needed for future missions such as the proposed Habitable Worlds Observatory. Even if the coronagraph itself produces only a limited number of exoplanet images, its real value is demonstrating a technology that could eventually help scientists search for worlds that may resemble Earth.

See the full article on WIRED.

Days 11-13 - Night Sky Observatory Build

Over the past few weeks, I've been able to spend a few hours (over three days) to make great progress on completing the 'Night Sky Observatory'. Wheels have been added to the top of the building; the dome has been completed with the exception of the steel plates that are screwed to the bottom of the dome serving as a track for the dome wheels to ride along. The plates require at least two people to get them attached. My friend Tina will be coming over later today to help with the final stage of the dome assembly. Then it's just a matter of getting about 4-6 strong guys to lift the dome on top of the building.

Dome nearing completion - Luna inspecting the work

Dome support wheels installed

Almost Total: Watch the Moon Slip into Earth's Shadow Tonight

Tonight's lunar eclipse is a deep partial lunar eclipse, meaning it falls just short of being total. At the moment of greatest eclipse, about 96% of the Moon will be immersed in Earth's dark umbral shadow, making it appear almost completely eclipsed. The event is visible across Africa, Europe, most of the Americas, and the eastern Pacific region, provided the Moon is above the horizon and the sky is dark at the time. The entire eclipse lasts about 5 hours and 39 minutes, with the partial phase lasting more than 3 hours.

Robert Hall in South Mississippi took this image of the lunar eclipse on November 19, 2021.

Observers won't need any special equipment; the eclipse is safe to view with the naked eye, although binoculars or a telescope can enhance the experience. As Earth's shadow moves across the Moon, it will first appear as a dark "bite" taken from its edge. Near maximum eclipse, the shadowed portion may take on a reddish hue, caused by sunlight filtering through Earth's atmosphere and bending onto the Moon. Because a small sliver of the Moon remains outside the shadow, viewers should also see a bright white patch along one edge, creating a dramatic contrast during the peak of the event.

While clouds are expected over Maryland and the surrounding area, lucky observers may still catch a quick view of the eclipse through occasional clear patches. Read the full article at: EarthSky

Mikey's Music - The Music of Michael J. Mangieri

Looking for some music to play in the background while observing at your telescope? Just interested in some instrumental/electronic/New Age music from an independent artist?

One of my other hobby/businesses is a composer of New Age music and my collection of two albums, and singles from an upcoming album, are on sale for 25% off during the Summer.

Check them out at MJM-Music

Pluto's Atmosphere is Thinning

Pluto’s atmosphere appears to be shrinking as the dwarf planet travels farther from the Sun. Scientists studying observations from 2017 to 2023 found that its atmospheric pressure dropped by about 16% between mid-2021 and July 2023. They measured this by observing Pluto as it passed in front of distant stars, a technique that lets researchers study the properties of its thin atmosphere.

NASA calls this image “Pluto’s Blue Sky.”
It’s a backlit view of Pluto, acquired by the New Horizons spacecraft as it sped away from
the dwarf planet after its 2015 flyby.

Researchers have long predicted that Pluto’s nitrogen-rich atmosphere would gradually freeze onto its surface as the planet moved into colder regions of the solar system. The new findings may be the first clear evidence that this process is underway. While Pluto’s atmosphere remained relatively stable after the New Horizons flyby in 2015, the recent decline suggests that it could continue thinning and eventually undergo the atmospheric collapse scientists have expected for decades.

Read the complete story at: EarthSky

Falcon 9's Crater on the Moon

A SpaceX Falcon upper stage crashed into the Moon on August 5 when its orbit intersected with the Moon’s path. The stage had previously launched two lunar landers—Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost and ispace’s Resilience—toward the Moon. Weighing about 4,000 kilograms, it impacted the lunar surface at nearly 9,000 kilometers per hour. The booster struck the Moon’s near side, close to Einstein crater.

These images from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter show the Falcon upper-stage's crash site on the Moon.
The left image is before the crash, the right image is after, showing the impact crater.
Image Credit: NASA Goddard/Intuitive Machines

A few days later, between August 11 and 12, NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) captured images of the newly formed crater from an altitude of about 96 kilometers. The LRO operates in a polar orbit around the Moon, imaging the surface directly beneath it as the Moon rotates. This imaging pattern explains the six-day gap between the impact and the acquisition of the crater photographs.

Complete story at: Universe Today

Mission to save Swift spacecraft fails

Update on the LINK mission.

Because of an attitude control issue with the recently launched LINK spacecraft, Swift can no longer be boosted into a safe orbit as planned. After 22 years of exploring the universe from space, the mission is now expected to end when the spacecraft burns up in Earth's atmosphere later this year.

Details at EarthSky.

Swift Rescue Mission back on track

The Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, known simply as Swift, has been orbiting Earth since 2004, studying some of the universe’s most powerful explosions: gamma-ray bursts. But after more than two decades in space, Swift’s orbit is rapidly decaying, meaning the spacecraft is slowly falling back toward Earth.

A potential lifeline is now in play. To help extend the mission, NASA launched a second spacecraft on July 3, 2026: LINK, a commercial robotic servicing vehicle developed by Katalyst Space.

In an update published on August 11, NASA reported that a new flight software package had been successfully uploaded to LINK. According to the agency, “The software update’s new attitude control algorithms are designed to maintain LINK’s stability using the spacecraft’s remaining actuators.”

Time, however, is running short. Swift continues to lose altitude due to atmospheric drag. If the observatory falls below about 300 kilometers (186 miles), recovery efforts would become virtually impossible. NASA expects it could reach that critical threshold as early as October.

See the full report at: Swift spacecraft, and a mission to save it, caught on video

Soldiers Delight Star Party - The Role of Telescopes in Astronomy

 

Soldiers Delight Star Party - August 15, 2026

Don't miss the next SD Star Party - this Saturday evening!

"The Role of Telescopes in Astronomy"

Welcome to our lecture on The Role of Telescopes in Astronomy! Telescopes have been instrumental in transforming our understanding of the universe, from Galileo's first observations to the cutting-edge technology of today. In this session, we'll explore the fascinating history and evolution of telescopes, delve into the different types and their unique contributions, and highlight the incredible discoveries they've enabled. Whether you're a seasoned astronomer or just curious about the cosmos, this lecture will offer insights into how telescopes have revolutionized our view of the stars and beyond. Let's embark on this journey through the lens of these remarkable instruments! Guidance on purchasing a telescope will also be on the agenda.

All ages welcome.

All programs rain or shine. Time machines will be provided by the Westminster Astronomy Club.

You can find out about special local events by contacting us at https://www.westminsterastro.org/

Date: Saturday, August 15, 2026

Time: 8:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)

Location: Soldiers Delight Environmental Area - Visitor Center

5100 Deer Park Rd.

Owings Mills, MD 21117

 

Perseid Meteor Shower - Aug 12-13

The Perseid meteor shower, one of the most popular annual skywatching events, is set to reach its peak on the night of August 12 into the early hours of August 13. The Perseids occur as Earth passes through a stream of dust and debris left behind by Comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle. As these tiny particles enter our atmosphere at tremendous speed, they burn up and create the bright streaks of light we call meteors. The shower is active from mid-July through late August, but the peak period offers the greatest chance to see large numbers of meteors, with bright fireballs and long luminous trails among its most memorable features.

For the best viewing experience, head to a dark location away from city lights and give your eyes about 20 minutes to adapt to the darkness. No telescope or binoculars are needed; in fact, the naked eye is best because meteors can appear anywhere in the sky. While the meteors seem to radiate from the constellation Perseus in the northeastern sky, it's better to look broadly overhead rather than focusing on a single point. The most productive viewing hours are typically between midnight and dawn, when your location on Earth faces directly into the meteor stream. This year's viewing conditions are especially favorable because the peak occurs near a new moon, meaning little to no moonlight will interfere with the display.

So, watch the partial eclipse of the sun during the day and the Perseids at night.

Upcoming Eclipses - August 2026

August is the month of eclipses, with both a partial solar eclipse and a partial, but near total, lunar eclipse.

Partial Solar Eclipse

On August 12, 2026, a total solar eclipse will occur across parts of Greenland, Iceland, Spain, and Portugal, but observers along the U.S. East Coast will see only a partial solar eclipse. During the early afternoon, the Moon will appear to take a small “bite” out of the Sun (about 5% here in Maryland), with the amount of coverage varying by location and generally increasing farther north. The sky will remain bright, and there will be no period of total darkness, but the event will still offer a striking celestial display for skywatchers from New England to the Mid-Atlantic. Proper eclipse glasses or other approved solar viewing methods will be required throughout the event, since the Sun will never be completely covered from the East Coast.

Obscuration

4.57%

Magnitude

0.1135

Duration

1h, 14m, 1s

Partial begins

Aug 12 at 1:15:24 pm

Maximum

Aug 12 at 1:52:57 pm

Partial ends

Aug 12 at 2:29:25 pm

Partial Lunar Eclipse

On the night of August 27-28, 2026, skywatchers along the U.S. East Coast will be treated to a spectacular deep partial lunar eclipse, with about 96% of the Moon covered by Earth's dark shadow at maximum eclipse. The Moon is expected to take on dramatic shades of orange, copper, and red, making it appear almost like a total lunar eclipse. Unlike a solar eclipse, no special eye protection is needed, and the event will be visible to anyone with a clear view of the sky. The eclipse will occur during convenient evening and overnight hours, making it one of the best lunar viewing opportunities of 2026 for East Coast observers.

Eclipse Stages Worldwide	UTC Time	Local Time in Baltimore*	Visible in Baltimore
Penumbral Eclipse begins	Aug 28 at 01:23:58	Aug 27 at 9:23:58 pm	Yes
Partial Eclipse begins	Aug 28 at 02:33:54	Aug 27 at 10:33:54 pm	Yes
Maximum Eclipse	Aug 28 at 04:12:53	Aug 28 at 12:12:53 am	Yes
Partial Eclipse ends	Aug 28 at 05:51:59	Aug 28 at 1:51:59 am	Yes
Penumbral Eclipse ends	Aug 28 at 07:01:47	Aug 28 at 3:01:47 am	Yes

* The Moon is high above the horizon during this eclipse, so with good weather conditions in Baltimore, the entire eclipse is easily visible.

Day 10 - Night Sky Observatory build

The heat wave broke, rain stopped, and a pleasant Saturday enabled me and my friend Tina to put up the six wall sections. 

I spent a little time a few days prior power washing the sections as they have been sitting outside since late March when they were delivered. I removed the telescope from the pier to prevent any accidental damage while we worked moving and assembling the five bay sections and the door.  

Next up is attaching the ball bearing wheels that the dome will ride on. But I am putting that off until the dome is completed which I plan to assemble sometime next week. I also need to schedule some time with 4 or 5 of my friends as they will be needed to lift the completed dome, which is quite heavy, to the top of the walls (if I only had a crane :) ).

M17 in Hydrogen-Alpha light

Final adjustments to the pier and mount have been completed and while I'm waiting for some cooler temperatures and lower humidity before starting the build of the observatory I hooked up my ASI1600mm camera to my GT102 and planned to spend about three nights imaging M17 in NB. M17, the Swan Nebula (Omega Nebula), is a vast star-forming region in Sagittarius where glowing hydrogen clouds are illuminated by hot, young stars.

The clouds (sort of) cooperated, but the Canadian wildfire smoke caused havoc on the sky transparency. I was able to get a total of 29 Ha and 21 S2 subs. Now it looks like the next few days will have significant smoke and then thunderstorms, so I need to pause the full NB capture. But since I had some decent Ha subs I went and processed a Hydrogen-alpha only version of M17. 

M17 - Swan Nebula
July 13-14, 2026 - GT102/ASI1600mm - 2.4 hours integration time

Rendered solely in hydrogen-alpha light, M17 appears less like a familiar nebula and more like a vast cloud of living fire suspended in darkness. The image is dominated by intricate folds of glowing gas, revealing delicate filaments, arcs, and rippling curtains sculpted by powerful stellar winds. Bright knots and ridges trace regions where intense radiation from young stars excites the surrounding hydrogen, causing it to shine with a deep, monochromatic brilliance. Every structure stands out in striking contrast, from dense pillars of obscuring dust to luminous fronts that resemble waves breaking across a cosmic shoreline.

Without the distraction of broadband color, the H-alpha view emphasizes the nebula's raw anatomy. Fine textures emerge throughout the cloud, exposing turbulent pockets, sweeping cavities, and branching networks of ionized gas stretching across the field. The famous swan-like silhouette of M17 becomes a study in light and shadow, its graceful curves etched in glowing hydrogen against an otherwise black backdrop. The result is both scientific and artistic: a portrait of an active stellar nursery where immense forces are continuously shaping and illuminating the interstellar medium.

I hope you like it.

Day 9 - Observatory Build - Polar Alignment

Last evening it was time to do a complete polar alignment (PA) of the mount. With the sky clear (hazy but very few clouds) I set out around 8:30 to get all the equipment hooked up. Since the new mount is located further north from the old pier I couldn't use the network cable directly, so coupled another cable with an adapter which seemed to work to extend it to the new mount location. I had to restart my iPad remote session a few times because of connection issues (probably the coupler and the fact that I now had a very long cable run). But it finally settled and stayed running for the rest of the evening.

Now that the mount is perfectly level on the new pier (never that case for the old one) I should get excellent PA when the job is complete.

I installed my PoleMaster system to the AP1100, downloaded the new drivers and software, and started the alignment run. PoleMaster is a very accurate system for getting precise PA. On my old mount/pier I really didn't bother with it since the pier was never solid and the PA changed a lot - I just used NINA's Three Point Alignment app. But with a permanent setup, PoleMaster is the best option. In about an hour or so of work I locked down the axes on the mount. For grins I ran Three Point Alignment to see what it claimed for the PA values and ALT was spot on with AZI about 2 arc minutes off. Not sure if I trust Three Point Alignment to give me the most accurate answer, but a total of 2' is pretty low. Since it is easy to adjust AZI on the AP1100 I could tweak it later if needed. ALT adjustments are tricky because whenever you tighten the bolts to hold the mount's DEC axis after an ALT adjustment it always moves the AZI position a bit.

Now to try a few imaging runs to see what results I can get with the new pier/mount setup. I mounted my GT102 APO refractor with the ASI533mc camera. I had originally opted to use the ZS61, but it had a lot of flexure due to a single mounting point - not a good idea when you're trying to align a mount. Needed a bit of extra time though as I had to reinstall the auto focuser to the GT102.

First up were the slew tests. I slewed the scope from the park 3 position (pointing to north pole) to various objects in the sky - east, west, near zenith, near Polaris and due south at low altitude. In all cases the objects were within 0.5 degree of center. Keep in mind that an equatorial mount needs to flip when crossing the meridian from east to west and vice versa, yet the objects stayed well within the camera's FOV. This is an excellent result.

Next up, the tracking tests. I slewed to a star near the meridian at the celestial equator. Executed a 60 second exposure run and got perfectly round stars indicated a good start so far. Mind you, I'm not using any active guiding - just the AP1100. Then a 300 second sub. Same result. Finally, a 10-minute sub (longest sub I will ever take in practice) and still, perfect stars! All with no active guiding.

Spent another 45 minutes targeting various stars at different locations in the sky with 5 min exposures and all subs presented perfectly round stars. Success!

Now, it's off to getting the building up ... as soon as the weather is more reasonable (today temps reached 100 degrees with 116 feel-like temp) ... yikes.

Strawberry Moon - Observatory Update

Strawberry Moon

This month’s Full Moon, known as the Strawberry Moon, was at its most illuminated on June 29 at 23:56 UTC (7:56 pm EDT). The name refers to the wild strawberries that ripen this month, and which were gathered by Native American tribes. It was near its farthest point from Earth: 405,254 km (251,813 miles) to be precise, making it a Micro Full Moon.

I was on my way back from Westminster when I saw it rising in the SE, and of course it appeared quite large due to perspective. I was able to quickly capture it with my iPhone while the traffic was very light.

Observatory Update

I was busy all last week at our church's VBS (I am the videographer and Photographer, and I produce a Week In Review video that we show at Sunday's two services) so no astro work!

Tonight I set up the equipment (ZS61 and ASI533mc) on the new pier to align the mount precisely to true north. Of course, Luna and Ayla are there to make sure everything is going to plan. 

Once the mount is accurately aligned it's time to start assembling the building. However, with temps reaching 102 (real feel of 112) later this week I'll probably wait until sometime next week.

Rain and Telescopes don't mix well!

One of the benefits of having an observatory to house your equipment is the added convenience and protection it offers. With the right sensors and software—which I expect to have in place within a couple of months—the system can automatically detect bad weather, park the telescope, close the dome, and shut everything down. That means no worrying about sudden rain.

Last evening, I had the scope set up outside. When clouds started rolling in, I checked the weather radar and forecast. Nothing showed up, and it indicated a 0% chance of rain (or at least I’m pretty sure it did 🙂). I shut everything down as a precaution, but I didn’t cover the scope. Then at 8:30 this morning, a loud thunderclap woke me up—sure enough, a full-blown storm had arrived.

I rushed outside to bring everything in. Fortunately, the scope was parked in position 5, meaning it was horizontal, so the optics weren’t directly exposed. Both scopes also had their lens covers on, which helped. However, the camera, computer, network couplers, mount control box, and power packs all ended up getting soaked.

Since none of the equipment was powered on, I’m hopeful there won’t be any permanent damage. I took everything apart, wiped it down, and moved it into my Longarm Building, where I run a dehumidifier and keep the AC at 72°F. With the humidity at about 40%, I’m giving it a solid 72 hours to dry out.

I had planned to disassemble everything eventually when moving to the new observatory, but this situation pushed that timeline up by a few weeks.

The bottom line: the EdgeHD11 will likely be out of commission for at least two months.

Lesson learned - don't trust the forecast! Can't wait to get the Observatory built.

Venus Occultation - June 17, 2026

A daytime occultation of the planet Venus occurred at approximately 3:47 PM, when the bright planet was gradually covered by the dark edge of the thin crescent moon. Disappearance took a mere 30 seconds for the sunlit portion of the gibbous planet. Conditions were not great as there were a significant number of cumulous clouds making finding and focusing on the pair difficult. I used my wide field WO ZS61 telescope and ASI533mc camera to capture the full diameter of the moon. Image scale of the scope and seeing conditions of the sky made any attempt at capturing detail on the planet impossible.

At 5:10 PM Venus reappeared, but behind a large cloud. Minutes later I was able to capture some video of the planet very close to the bright lunar limb.

Day 7 - Night Sky Observatory build

A beautiful, sunny but cool, day greeted us on Tuesday. Mike T. arrived early with the additional decking boards. I removed the j-bolt template from the concrete pier - took just a little extra effort as the board was in contact with the cement.

In just a couple of hours (give or take) we had the deck completed.

The SkyShed Pier was test fitted to the bolts. One of the holes needed to be enlarged a bit. Pier fit perfectly. I leveled the pier but have to wait until later today or tomorrow for the hardware I ordered from Home Depot.

POD-S assembly should begin soon - probably week after next as I have an engagement all next week.

Day 6 of Night Sky Observatory Build

Today Mike T. and I got a fairly early start, and everything was going to plan. We added the joist hangers around the perimeter and in the center section. Then we started placing the deck floorboards on the northern side of the frame with the plan to be able to pour the concrete into the 16" Sonotube from the deck top to make life a bit easier. Got the first few boards in and then placed the sonotube in the 20" hole and centered it. Off to mix the concrete and start pouring. So far, so good.

Now the 16" tube is quite large, as the specs called for a 14" which I couldn't find anywhere. But the 16" should work just fine. It wasn't until the concrete got to the top of the tube when near disaster struck!! The plan was to backfill the hole around the tube after the column was centered. But the weight of the concrete, coupled with us tamping the concrete down to eliminate any voids in the concrete caused the tube to rupture. The tube fell to one side! There was obviously no way we were going to right it and so we pulled the tube completely out and let all that concrete collapse into the hole. The concrete now settled into one huge footer!! 

Quick thinking ensued and we decided that in order to save the day we would need to add a new section of concrete (about 18" or so) to set up on top of the existing 'new' footer before the original concrete started to set. We quickly headed out for the only Home Depot (about 20 minutes away) that had 16" sonotubes to get another tube and some rebar.

Once back at the site we cut the tube to the required length, pushed it down into the footer about 6-8" and drove five, 48" long rebars into the still wet cement of the footer. We then poured another 3 bags of concrete into the new sonotube. It was pretty much level (just a fraction off) and so we decided to leave well enough alone. I then placed the j-bolts into the top of the concrete column for the pier attachment. Done!

The good news is that the huge footer and rebar reinforced 18" top section might actually be stronger than the planned 16" column - might even be considered overkill. So be it. 

Tomorrow, we place the remaining boards. Then I plan to allow the concrete to cure for 96 hours. By Sunday I should be able to mount the pier for a quick test.

Day 4 and 5 of Night Sky Observatory Build

Days 4 and 5 - completed the footers and the framing of the deck. Friday the complete frame of the deck was completed.

Today the ground cover was placed and the backfilling of the posts. Ready for the deck surface to be completed on Monday.

Day 2 and 3 of Night Sky Observatory build

Yesterday was the day to complete the removal of the remaining grass and to travel to three Home Depots to finally get the 16"x48" form tube (they shipped me a 10" and the 16" tubes were hard to find. Then there were the anchor bolts ... what a task that was to get them. Whew. Started digging the holes.

Today the corner footer holes for the deck were completed and the concrete poured (2 bags per hole). The dig of the pier footer hole took awhile being 18"x 38-40" deep! But it is ready for concrete pour later this weekend. Decided to build the deck first, cut the center hole for the pier and then pour concrete from the top of the deck. This way I can precisely set the footer height to be at just the right height for the pier base to be just an inch or so under the deck floor.

Temps are getting a bit steep here in Maryland, so tomorrow is gonna be a bit uncomfortable (90's). 

 

Groundbreaking on Night Sky Observatory

Today marked the official groundbreaking for Night Sky Observatory. The plot was measured and the stakes were set. I chose to align the east and west sides of the deck as close to true north as possible, using an iPhone app called Theodolite to position the stakes. The alignment is likely not exact, but it does not need to be. I aimed to keep it close because the plot was already oriented that way.

Next came digging the hole. Progress was slow at first because the soil was very rocky, and I hit several stones and medium-sized rocks within the first foot. After that, digging became much easier. Because the concrete pier footing must extend below the frost line, I dug to the full 48-inch depth of the Sono tube. Tomorrow, I will need to shape the hole more precisely once the Sono tube arrives and I can confirm the required diameter, which should be 16 inches.

Every project needs a supervisor, and so Luna was there to make sure everything went to plan.

Tomorrow the decking boards and concrete arrive.

Follow Jupiter and Venus in the Early Evening Sky

Jupiter and Venus will be 'doing the dance' for the next couple of weeks. Both planets are in the western sky and visible as soon as it gets dark - around 8:30 - 9:00 PM EDT.

On Monday, June 1, 2026, Jupiter will be to the left and higher than Venus. Venus, of course, is the brighter of the two. The two stars above the planets are Castor and Pollux, the major stars of Gemini the Twins. Castor is the rightmost of the two.

By next Monday, June 8, the two planets will be very close to each other, with Jupiter falling further down to the horizon and Venus rising slowly and to the left.

On June 9 they will be the closest, about 1.5 degrees apart - a bit more than the width of your pinky finger at arm's length.

On the 15th, Jupiter will have passed Venus and sinking lower and lower in the western horizon. 

On the 16th, the thin crescent moon joins the pair making for a nice grouping.

Finally, on the 17th the moon joins Venus for another close pairing. 

No optical aid needed - just your eyes and clear skies! 

IC 1396 - featuring the Elephant Trunk Nebula

Sometimes things fall through the cracks. So it was with my imaging run of IC 1396. I had collected the 27 hours of narrowband data back in 2022, but just 'uncovered' the files a few days ago.

IC 1396 - September 2022
GT102/ASI2600mm - SHO Hubble Palette
27 Hours Integration time - sub exposures 300sec each

IC 1396 is a vast and intricate emission nebula nestled within the constellation Cepheus, spanning over three degrees of sky and glowing softly with the deep red light of ionized hydrogen. Illuminated by the massive stars of the embedded cluster Trumpler 37, this region is a stellar nursery in constant motion—where intense radiation carves away at dense clouds of gas and dust, revealing a complex tapestry of pillars, globules, and dark lanes. This wide-field view captures its sprawling extent with the narrowband SHO palette isolating and enhancing its fine structures.

At its heart lies one of its most iconic features: the Elephant’s Trunk Nebula, a sinuous column of dense gas stretching into the glowing background. This structure is being slowly eroded by stellar winds and ultraviolet radiation, a process that both destroys and creates—compressing pockets of material that may eventually collapse into new stars.

Close Pairings of Moon and Planets

Yesterday evening I took the photograph (below) of the close pairing of the thin crescent Moon and the planet Venus. Image was taken with the iPhone 17 Pro and was handheld.

This evening, I took a similar photo, but mounted the iPhone on a tripod. The moon has now placed itself between two planets - Jupiter to the left and Venus below and to the right.

I find it a bit amusing that the handheld photo appears less burry than the one on the tripod. But I think that is really due to the time of day these were taken and the phase of the moon. On the 19th the moon was larger and brighter.

Exploring Einstein's Relativity - Soldiers Delight Star Party this Saturday (May 16)

 

Soldiers Delight Star Party - May 16, 2026

Don't miss the next SD Star Party - this Saturday evening!

"From Space-Time to Black Holes: Exploring Einstein's Relativity"

In a riveting lecture on spacetime physics, the speaker will delve into the intricacies of special and general relativity, captivating the audience with both theory and practical examples. The lecture begins with an introduction to special relativity, explaining how it revolutionized our understanding of space and time by showing that they are interwoven into a single continuum. This will be illustrated with the famous example of time dilation, where time slows down for an object moving at high speeds, such as an astronaut traveling near the speed of light. Transitioning to general relativity, the lecture will highlight how Einstein's theory describes gravity not as a force, but as a curvature of spacetime caused by mass. This is vividly demonstrated with the analogy of a heavy ball placed on a stretched rubber sheet, bending the surface around it. The speaker will also discuss real-world applications, such as the precise calculations needed for GPS satellites, which must account for both special and general relativistic effects to provide accurate positioning. Throughout the lecture, the audience will be encouraged to appreciate the profound implications of these theories on our understanding of the universe.

All ages welcome.

All programs rain or shine. Time machines will be provided by the Westminster Astronomy Club.

You can find out about special local events by contacting us at https://www.westminsterastro.org/

Date: Saturday, May 16, 2026

Time: 8:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)

Location: Soldiers Delight Environmental Area - Visitor Center

5100 Deer Park Rd.

Owings Mills, MD 21117

 

Three New Images from 'the soon to be constructed' Night Sky Observatory

Observatory Plans

Plans for the groundbreaking of the new observatory building, Night Sky Observatory, are almost complete. Hopefully I can start digging the hole for the pier footing next week or soon after. I have all the parts except for the lumber, sonotube and concrete. Digging the hole is straightforward, but I need to have the lumber for the deck available to make sure the height of the concrete top is at the right distance from the deck floor when constructed. Once the concrete is poured it's all said and done - no more changes (at least not easy ones!).

Meanwhile, I was able to capture and process a few more deep space images. 

NGC 3242 - Jupiter's Ghost

Drifting through the constellation Hydra, NGC 3242 is a striking planetary nebula commonly known as Jupiter’s Ghost. The nickname comes from its nearly planet-sized apparent disk and vivid blue‑green glow, which early astronomers likened to the appearance of Jupiter through small telescopes. In reality, this object has nothing to do with the planet—it marks the final visible breath of a Sun‑like star that shed its outer layers near the end of its life, leaving behind a hot, dense white dwarf at its core.

NGC 3242 (HOO) - March and April, 2026
EdgeHD11/ASI2600mm
1hr 50min total integration time (Ha and Oiii)

Jupiter’s Ghost reveals beautifully layered structure: a bright elliptical inner shell, delicate outer halos, and subtle knots and jets sculpted by fast stellar winds and intense ultraviolet radiation. The characteristic turquoise color is dominated by doubly ionized oxygen glowing at specific wavelengths, giving the nebula its ethereal, eye‑like appearance. Though this cosmic shell spans roughly a couple of light‑years, it is fleeting on astronomical timescales—destined to fade as the central star cools and the nebula disperses into interstellar space.

HDR processing was used to highlight the inner structure. This is a cropped version of the original stacked image.

Arp 104

Arp 104, also known as Keenan’s System, is a striking example of an interacting galaxy pair captured in Halton Arp’s Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies. It consists of two galaxies—NGC 5216, an elliptical galaxy, and NGC 5218, a highly disturbed disk galaxy—locked in a close gravitational encounter in the constellation Ursa Major. The most eye‑catching feature of the system is the faint but distinct bridge of stars and tidal material connecting the two galaxies, a structure formed as their mutual gravity pulls stars out of NGC 5218 and stretches them across intergalactic space.

Arp 104 (LRGB) - April 2026
EdgeHD11/ASI2600mm
5hr 24min total integration time

This stellar bridge, spanning roughly 22,000 light‑years, offers a vivid snapshot of galactic interaction and evolution in progress. The encounter has triggered structural distortions and star formation, particularly within the dusty central regions of NGC 5218, while NGC 5216 appears comparatively calm and evolved.

NGC 4561 - Umbrella Galaxy

NGC 4651, often called the Umbrella Galaxy, is a striking spiral galaxy in Coma Berenices, roughly tens of millions of light‑years from Earth, whose serene appearance hides a dramatic past. At first glance it shows a beautifully structured, nearly face‑on disk with sweeping spiral arms and a bright, compact core. But deep exposures reveal the real showpiece: a long, delicate tidal stream arcing outward like the handle of an umbrella. This faint stellar plume is the remnant of a smaller galaxy that NGC 4651 tore apart and absorbed, leaving behind a graceful ribbon of stars that wraps around the system.

NGC 4561 (LRGB) - April 2026
EdgeHD11/ASI2600mm
5hr 2min total integration time

Once again, I’ve had some issues with my flats not completely correcting my lights. So, I’ve cropped this image slightly to exclude the artifacts. And yes, once again PixInsight failed to register all the subs complaining about 3 red, 16 green and 8 blue. So, I used APP to do the calibration and registration (although I could have just supplied the PI calibrated subs). All lights were successfully registered.