Astronomy Basics

I’ll be honest: for a long time, I thought asteroids were a bit of a “nothing” target. Why spend a perfectly clear night—which is a rare enough gift as it is—chasing a tiny, grey speck when the Orion Nebula or the Andromeda Galaxy is sitting right there? I used to think of asteroid astrophotography as…

The night sky was crystal clear, stars shimmering gently. I had my telescope perfectly aligned, camera settings optimized, and target acquired—Jupiter, in all its glory. But when I reviewed my images later, instead of the sharp, detailed gas giant I expected, I found only a blurry, wobbling mess. What went wrong? The culprit wasn’t my…

The brightest star in the night sky, Sirius, has fascinated stargazers for centuries with its dazzling brilliance. Known as the “Dog Star,” Sirius is part of the Canis Major constellation and is nearly twice as bright as the next brightest star. In this guide, we’ll explore what makes Sirius so luminous, how to locate it,…

Are you looking to get started in astronomy? Maybe you’re looking up at the brightest stars in the sky or thinking about buying your first telescope and wondering how much they cost, well I’ve got the answers. If you’ve already decided to get started and are looking for some help choosing the equipment you need…

Have you ever asked yourself, What is the difference between astrophysics vs astronomy? I have, and I do confess to being a little confused. While both astronomy and astrophysics explore the vast expanse of outer space and the cosmology of astronomical objects, they have distinct differences. Astrophysics delves into the theoretical aspects of celestial phenomena,…

Astronomy wall art is something I love and if you’re here, then I assume you do too. As an astrophotographer, I am out capturing images of deep sky objects such as galaxies and nebulae. This kind of photography is a combination of science and art. I sell my own astrophotography prints. Reach out to me…

The current moon phase refers to the changing appearance of the Moon as it orbits Earth, caused by the varying angles of sunlight hitting its surface. The current phase of the Moon can be identified using a lunar calendar or by observing the sky. Understanding the lunar cycle is essential for activities like astrophotography, as…

As soon as I began doing astrophotography, I noticed a problem. My shots were affected by too much light coming from the streetlamps, and on closer inspection, I also noticed how it affected my deep-sky astrophotography. In the first months, my photographs were limited to very short exposures because when I took shots longer than…

Why does the Moon glow? This question has fascinated humanity for centuries. The Moon doesn’t produce its own light; instead, it glows because it reflects sunlight. The surface of the Moon, covered in dust and rock, acts as a giant mirror, scattering sunlight in all directions and creating the soft, silvery glow we see at…