Supernova in NGC 7331

SN 2026aaiv is classified as a Type Ia supernova. It was discovered on September 1, 2026 in the spiral galaxy NGC 7331 in the constellation Pegasus. Multiple astronomy sources identify it as a Type Ia event. 

While testing my equipment setup in my new observatory I did an image run on the spiral galaxy NGC 7331. Although the EdgeHD11 hasn't been fully collimated since it's cleaning last month, I was unsure of the quality of the image and whether the supernova would be clearly visible. Since I had taken an image of NGC 7331 last year, I was able to provide a nice comparison here.

A Type Ia supernova occurs when a white dwarf star undergoes a thermonuclear explosion, typically after gaining enough mass from a companion star to become unstable. These explosions are especially important in astronomy because their brightness is relatively uniform, making them useful as "standard candles" for measuring cosmic distances.

An interesting perspective is that the supernova peaked at around magnitude 11.5, while NGC 7331 itself has an integrated magnitude of roughly 9 to 10. As a result, a single exploding star was only a few magnitudes fainter than the combined light of hundreds of billions of stars in its host galaxy. Type Ia supernovae are among the most luminous stellar explosions known and can sometimes outshine the galaxies in which they occur.

JUICE Flyby Successful

The JUICE (Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer) mission successfully completed an Earth flyby on September 28, 2026, passing about 5,369 miles (8,640 km) above the Indian Ocean. The maneuver served as a gravity assist, increasing the spacecraft's speed and refining its trajectory on its long journey to Jupiter. During the flyby, JUICE captured striking new images of Earth, Madagascar, and the Moon while providing engineers an opportunity to calibrate and test its scientific instruments in space.

The JUICE mission captured this view of Earth during its flyby on September 28, 2026
 Image via ESA/ Juice/ NavCam

Read the complete article at EarthSky.

Moon to Occult Jupiter - early morning October 6

Early Tuesday morning, October 6, is a rare astronomical event in which the waning crescent Moon passes directly in front of Jupiter. Known as an occultation, this event will be visible across much of the eastern and central United States and parts of southern Canada before dawn. Observers will see Jupiter disappear behind the Moon's bright sunlit edge and then reappear about an hour later from the Moon's dark limb. This is the best Jupiter occultation visible from North America since 2004 and offers an especially favorable viewing opportunity because it occurs in a dark sky well before sunrise.

Simulation of Jupiter's occultation by the Moon
Stellarium software

Binoculars or a telescope will provide the best views, particularly when Jupiter disappears against the Moon's bright crescent. Jupiter's reemergence should be easily visible and especially dramatic. Skywatchers may also witness the occultations of Jupiter's four Galilean moons: Europa, Io, Ganymede, and Callisto, as they disappear and reappear around the same time. Lunar occultations of Jupiter are relatively uncommon for any given location, occurring on average only about once every 13 years under dark-sky conditions. While the event offers little scientific value, it is presented as a memorable and visually striking spectacle that astronomy enthusiasts should not miss.

Extended forecast is predicting excellent conditions for viewing this event. Event timings for the eastern US (Baltimore MD) are shown below:

Event times - Baltimore, MD

See the Astronomy Magazine article for the complete details.