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.