Well over the last couple of weeks I've done a lot of lunar observing and sketching. No one has wanted to join me in doing the Astronomical League Lunar Program of the RASC's Isabel Williamson Lunar Program. So, I've started myself.
This will be rather unique and I will make a video of my sketches. I am also going to start showing the notes I take on the back of my sketches. I hope that may help others to see what I see. I'll narrate the sketch and post the images here.
If you wish to see the sketches and read my notes from the back on the sketch, please head over to Eadsy Astronomy and take a look! Please consider joining as a member!
Sketch I did of Cassiopeia A
If you follow me, you know that I love supernova remnants. I actually have an observing program designed around them and have observed and sketched each of the ones in the program. These include Veil Nebula Complex SNR in Cygnus, which is perhaps the most beautiful of the eye candy SNR’s. Another equally wonderful SNR is Messier 1, the Crab Nebula.
I have also observed fainter ones like IC 443, Semies 147, Sharpless 2-91 another SNR in Cygnus north of Alberio, Cassiopeia A are some of them. Those sketches and observations are over at Eadsy Astronomy.
However, astronomers have found one that neither I or any visual observer, nor imager will observe and capture. It is called the Abeona SNR and this is the story of how it was found and discovered. The truth is it is actually so faint it almost wasn’t found at all!
For the full article and a look at my SNR sketches, head over to Eadsy Astronomy.
When the Milky Way or any galaxy develosp new stars, they are usually formed inside of vast gas clouds into star clusters. We usually call these open star clusters.
In these open clusters of stars, we find a diversity of stellar types. Some stars are small, cool and dim. Some are like our Sun, just your average star. Others though possess ten times or more the mass of our Sun and shine hundreds of thousands of times brighter. These stars also have a much shorter lifespan.
When we look at a galaxy, we find that the differences in mass in these open clusters has a significant impact on how bright the galaxy is. If for example, a dwarf galaxy has a total mass that is low, it won't produce any really extremely massive stars that are brighter than our Sun.
This raised a question if the actual mass of individual stars in cluster is a matter of chance or not. The video looks into the answer to that question and the article and link to the research paper are over at Eadsy Astronomy
've shared this many times, I live studying the lifecycle of stars. Just as with most things in the universe, there is a cycle of birth, life and then eventually death. It seems to be a common thing from you and me, to planets, to solar systems and yes, even stars. The difference is how long each lives for.
In a recent study LINK, a team of researchers at Kyoto University have been inspired by other research teams that looked at 3D simulations of the solar convective zone to examine how magnetic fields affect rotation inside of massive stars.
Using a 3D model, the team examined the dynamics interplay between the violent convection, rotation and magnetic fields within a massive star. The study reveals that the speed and direction of convective rotations within a star are influenced by the rotation and magnetic fields over short timescales. This changes the rotation either causing it to slow down or go faster.
The article and link to the research paper are over at Eadsy Astronomy.
Please watch the video below for some amazing views from SOHO's C3 conronagraph camera of Comet C/2025 R3 Panstarrs as it flies by the Sun and has a nice dust tail and the ion tail emerges!
Still shots of where to observe the Comet over at Eadsy Astronomy
Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel was a German polymath whose work in the 19th century laid the groundwork for modern precision astronomy. Often described as the father of "the astronomy of the invisible," he transformed the field from a descriptive science into one defined by rigorous mathematical accuracy.
For the text/article head over to Eadsy Astronomy.
Addemdum:
I did a second video on his search for parallax as shown here.
If the Universe is over 13 billion years old, and if intelligent life is common both in the Universe and in our own Milky Way Galaxy, why haven't we heard from another advance technological civilization yet?
Well the paper I discuss in this video and the notes I share from reading this fascinating paper, leads to learning that there are a variety of types of civilization that can arise, and some are more prone to cycles of collapse and recovery (or just collapse with no recovery). IF their time being advance technologically is short, say a 1000 to several thousand years, and then they collapse, we may be too late to pick up their signatures.
I probably in the video don't so this paper justice, but I include both images, thoughts and notes and links to the paper and a link to code so you can run your own simulations to see what you discover if you wish to.
Bottom line, this would explain the Great Silence in the Drake Equation. Fascinating stuff if you have the patience and time to both listen and read.
I share some of my notes and thoughts on this paper and links to the paper and links to the code IF you want to run your own simulations over at Eadsy Astronomy. Fascinating paper!
I put together two videos. The first here is short, and shows about 2-3 compliations of videos from this mornings meteror that explosed over northern Utah/southwestern Wyoming this morning at 4:49 a.m. on April 26th, 2026.
I have shared how I use a combination of tools to determine where to observe. This includes my Pro versino of Astropheric, the National Weather Service Salt Lake and a few of their graphic tools and then to confirm current conditions before making the hour to two hour drive, I go this website, https://prod-ut.ibi511.com/ to look at the UDOT Traffic Cams for the area I am going.
See a full article with images from the camera's I use to determine a variety of observing sites I use over at Eadsy Astronomy.
The Spring Diamond Asterism
Lunar Highlights:
Double Star Highlights
Planetary Highlights and Here Comes Asteroid Vesta
Comet Highlights
Deep Sky Highlights
The full newsletter is available over at EAdsy Astronomy at this LINK. You can either make a copy from the Google Doc or download the PDF. I also have images over there not included here. Please consider becoming a member over at Eadsy Astronomy!
These are a pair of Lunar Sketches I made in March of Craters Miller, Miller A, Nasireddin and the bottom image of Crater Copericus. I have found over the last several years that observing the Moon does several things.
Observing our Moon increases the number of nights that I get out and observe and sketch.
I don't have to worry about dark adapataion when observing the Moon. I try to have it semi-dark but I also use a white head lamp on it's dimest setting. Here are some guidelines for light when observing and or sketching or imaging the Moon.
Light Color: I find that a dim white and neutral light works best. It allows me to see the true grayscale tones of the grayscale tones of the lunar surface, allow me to match my pastels and pastel pencils to get the right tones in my sketch.
Intensity: I use a dimmabel and adjustable light which allows me to shield the light to prevent glare and/or to wash out the sketching paper.
Technique: This is VERY important. I angle my light onto my sketching paper from the side which stimulates how sunlight strikes the lunar surface. This helps to create a natural shadow on my sketch.
The next thing observing the moon does is to remind how wonderful our nearest neighbor is to observe. The contrasts on the Moon are wonderful to observe and I have yet to meet anyone, who after looking at our Moon through an eyepiece is not amazed at what they can see.
Last, I don't have to worry about light pollution. I can always image and observing and sketch the Moon!
So having said that I have made a collection called Lunar Observing over at Eadsy Astronomy. Here I will keep it open for all members, paid or free. We will be working through both the Astronomcial League's Lunar Observing Program and the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (RASC) Isabel Williamson Lunar Observing Program.
The goal once we are done with this journey is to ensure that both you and I are far more familar with the Moon then we were previously and that we find the simple joy in observing the Moon and add it to our repitorie of objects we observe. I'm still a Deep Sky Object guy first and foremost, but the Moon is becoming second to that.
Finally, I will hold live sketching clinics via either Google Meet or Zoom where we can share in practicing lunar sketching and learn from each other.
Last, I will also be using my SeeStar S50 to try and capture some of these images and I will also use a refractor and my iphone holder on my eyepieces to also image. So if you are an imager, please feel free to join us!
Review of the Apple App Moon Atlas:
Moon Globe HD Apple App Review
For the full program and to participate, come become a member (you can be a free member to do this) and read the full post over at Eadsy Astronomy!
If you are interested and have questions, please feel free to email me at eadsyastronomy@gmail.com.
I got out on the evening of April 20th, 2026 and did some lunar sketching. It later turned into an outreach event and I'll include part of that here. Here is the final sketch of Craters Boussingault, Boussingault E and C, and Crater Helmhotz. I took this with my iphone and will replace it with a better image when my DSLR camera battery is fully charged. Enjoy, I did! The full video/tutorial of how I created the sketch is available over at Eadsy Astronomy, LINK.
Just a quick movie I made of the SeeStar S50 images I took from the night of observing. The images are available over at EadsyAstornomy. Realize I am not heavy into astro imaging and so processing etc. is just basic. I enjoy capturing these on the SeeStar S50 when I am visually observing and sketching.
I had an alternate in mind and it is what I call the Erickson Pass Overlook. I decided to drive up and check it out. When I got there which I show in the video, I found no wind, the juniper's there acted as a natural wind break and we were at the height of the overlook so the wind was not present. I know that the wind funnels down Erickson Pass Rd as the observing areas there lay between the Simpson Mountains to the west and the Sheeprock Mountains to the east. Key is to find some observing spots that have both excellent views all around and offer some protection from the breeze that can arise here.
I've broken the videos down into Lunar, Planetary, Comet, Deep Sky and Double Stars so they are quicker to watch. Here they are. The full newsletter is available over at Eadsy Astronomy in PDF or Google Doc format if you wish to have a copy.
Lunar Highlights
Planetary Highlights
Double Stars
Comets
Additional Info: Just a quick update on C/2025 R3 Panstarrs comet as it heads to periehlion ie the closest approach to the Sun on Sunday, April 19th. Right now it has been a naked eye comet from a dark site in the early morning before nautical twilight begins. After April 25th, , we'll lose it for a few days as it enters the Sun's glare as it goes through solar conjunction (in the northern hemisphere) and reimerges on the other side.
The comet should and key word SHOULD reappear here in the northern hemispher sometime in the evening sky between April 28th to April 30th, 2026. We'll need to look to the west/northwest about 30 to 45 minutes after sunset to catch it then. See if you can be one of the first to spot it!
It should survive it's approach to the Sun unlikes Maps as it is about 1/2 a AU or 41.5 million miles from the Sun in it's approach.
Deep Sky
Urbain Jean-Joseph Le Verrier (1811–1877) stands as one of the most formidable figures in the history of science. Often described as a man who discovered a planet "with the tip of his pen," Le Verrier’s career was defined by an extraordinary mastery of celestial mechanics. While he is most famous for the discovery of Neptune, his work laid the groundwork for modern meteorology and provided the first hint that Newtonian physics might not be the final word on the universe.
The full article is available over at Eadsy Astronomy if you wish to read it. If you find the information on the blog and on the website at Eadsy Astronomy, please feel free to becoming a free member or a contributing member at either the $3.00 or $5.00 level. Thanks for watching and reading!
Bottom line, there is NOTHING better than being out in the boonies, away from it all with a telescope, a few eyepieces and a clear sky. Head over to Eadsy Astronomy to see a lot more images of why I love being a star gazer as shown my pictures.
Today marks exactly three years until one of the most significant astronomical events in recorded history. On April 13, 2029, the asteroid 99942 Apophis—an 1,100-foot (340-meter) "city-killer" sized rock—will pass so close to Earth that it will be visible to the naked eye.
The Orbit: A Near Miss for the Ages
According to recent data from The Planetary Society, Apophis will pass within 31,000 kilometers of Earth’s surface. This is a "near miss" in the truest sense. For context, the Moon is 384,000 km away. Apophis will be ten times closer than the Moon.
For us in the visual community, the excitement lies in the gravitational interaction. As Apophis passes through Earth’s "Roche Limit" for a loosely bound body, our planet's tidal forces will likely shift the asteroid's rotation and even trigger surface landslides. We aren't just watching a rock fly by; we are watching a world being physically altered by our own gravity.
To read the article I wrote on this, head over to Eadsy Astronomy.
There are two versions of this observing program. An open version for anyone who would like to observe spring objects in the constellation of Ursa Major (and a few around it). Then one for members only. The member only one has a copy of my observations in it and a video that goes with it. The open version is for anyone, has a list of objects, what to look for and a place to take notes. The member one has a copy of my observations and a place to take notes for your observation next to mine to compare, and also the observing note with what to look for from the open version. Both have RA and Dec for the list of objects. Both are either a Google Doc or a PDF. For the program head over to Eadsy Astronomy here for the open one or if your a member here for the Member Version (yes, you must be a member of Eadsy Astronomy to view it).
Back in early September 2023, we had a morning comet much like Comet C/2025 R3 Panstarrs right now. It was Comet C/2023 P1 (Nishimura). It was a beautiful early morning comet and then it was hit by a CME from our Sun. In a two-week period, the comet underwent four separate tail disconnection events, in which the connection between the ion tail and the comet was severed. Each of these events coincided with the passage of a coronal mass ejection: a tangled mass of solar plasma and magnetic fields ejected from the Sun’s outer atmosphere.The CME's cut off its tail and the comet regrew it in 48 hours. This video discusses what happened over the last event.
For the full article and a link to the paper, head over to Eadsy Astronomy and please consider becoming a member there!
While we often discuss the aesthetic beauty of deep-sky objects, the recent paper "A JWST NIRCam/MIRI View of the W51A High-mass Star-forming Region" (Yoo et al., 2026) reminds us that the physics occurring behind the dust is incredibly violent. For those of us following the "Eadsy Astronomy" philosophy of understanding what we observe, this paper provides the most detailed look yet at the W51-E and W51-IRS2 protoclusters.
The study utilized the NIRCam and MIRI instruments on the James Webb Space Telescope, focusing on wavelengths ranging from 2.0μm to 21μm. This is critical because the extinction (dust blocking light) in W51 is massive. By using narrow-band filters like F212N (Molecular Hydrogen) and F164N (Ionized Iron), the team was able to separate the "glow" of the nebula from the actual "engines" of star formation.
For the full article and link to the paper and images, head over to Eadsy Astronomy. Please consider joining us over there as a member!
Full Newsletter Video
This video highlights portions of the weekly newsletter. To read the full article head over to Eadsy Astronomy and consider becoming a member! LINK
I am also making shorter videos on each segement in case you prefer to look at the Newsletter that way:
Lunar Focus
Planetary Focus
Deep Sky Objects for Smaller Telescopes
Deep Sky Objects for Telescopes 10" or more
Full article and links to the Finderchart and the best site for info on this comet over at Eadsy Astronomy at this LINK. IF you find what I have posted on the blog here useful over the years, please consider joining Eadsy Astronomy. Memberships are free, or IF you find value consider becoming a subscribing member at $3.00 or $5.00 a month. The money goes to help cover time and materials to create the content and is deeply appreciated.
The Milky Way from Artemis II and The Large Magellanic Cloud appears as a hazy patch of light to the bottom right of the frame. Other notable features in the image include the pink glowing Homunculus Nebula (part of Eta Carinae) and the dark Coalsack Nebula.
This came up before the launch of Artemis II because of issues with re-entry with Artemis I. It has been discussed and shown that it is safe as this article shows. However, because I've seen a couple of posts rehashing safety on social media, I want to return to this issue.
The Artemis II mission marks a historic milestone—the first time humans have traveled toward the Moon in over 50 years. While the mission is inherently dangerous, NASA’s approach isn't about achieving absolute "safety," but about meticulously managing risk. L:et me state, there is ALWAYS risk when humans head into space. How grateful we should be for those willing to be the pathfinders for us to lead the way to the stars! NASA has done extensive research and gotten outside reviews to ensure that the four astronauts are as safe as they can be for their journey home!
The full article is over at Eadsy Astronomy LINK.
These are shorten videos of the Solar Eclipse that the crew of Integrity/Artemis II experienced yesterday. I've shorten them so you can more easily observe them and will include a few images as well.
Beginning of Eclipse after Sun is behind the Moon.
Totality from the Solar Panel on Integrity with Venus in the upper left.
The Sun reimerging from behind the Moon with Victor Glover's observations/sitreps.
These are not my images, they are from NASA. You can get them yourself at this LINK, or at images.nasa.gov. I just thought I'd share them since I think they are pretty amazing! Can I say I look forward to doing a practice lunar sketch of Orientale Basin and I'll do that as a Live Event sometime after new moon.
I have this over at Eadsy Astronomy at this LINK. Consider becoming a member over there if you want to get email notificaitions of my posts.
So yeah, I don't have a life today. I spent it with the Artemis II Team/Integrity Crew as they did their Lunar Flyby. Here are the videos from them. If you go to my YouTube Channel I've included approximate time counters where certain things occur so you can go to those if you want.
This is my favorite one . . . well worth watching in my opinion.
The beginning of the Solar Eclipse.
Another great one!
If you thought our current catalogs were crowded, buckle up. The Vera C. Rubin Observatory just dropped a preliminary dataset that is absolute gold for Solar System observers. Even before the official Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) kicks off, the team has already identified over 11,000 new asteroids.
Full article with LINK to the site over at Eadsy Astronomy at this LINK.
For a long time, astronomers held a relatively simple theory: the bigger the planet, the more "oomph" it has to spin. In our own solar system, Jupiter and Saturn are the clear heavyweights and the fastest spinners, completing a full rotation in just about ten hours.
But a massive new survey—the largest of its kind—just threw a fascinating wrench into that "bigger is faster" logic. Using the W.M. Keck Observatory on Maunakea, researchers looked at 32 different worlds (a mix of gas giants and brown dwarfs) and found that when it comes to planetary rotation, mass isn't the only thing that matters.
Full article with link to the paper over at Eadsy Astronomy LINK.
I’ve hinted at this in several other posts, sharing some of the craters and regions that the Integrity crew will be focusing on with their eyes during their Lunar Flyby. While the Artemis II mission is a marvel of modern engineering, NASA is leaning on a "magical instrument" that predates any computer: the human eye! As the crew prepares for their historic lunar flyby, scientists emphasize that human observation offers depth and context that even the most advanced cameras cannot yet replicate. It reminds me why I LOVE being a visual observer. I see things with my eyes that create a lasting memory for me.
For the full article head over to Eadsy Astronomy LINK
Located deep on the lunar far side, within the northern reaches of the massive Orientale Basin’s ejecta blanket, lies the crater Pierazzo. Though modest in size at about 9 kilometers in diameter, Pierazzo is a titan of scientific interest. It is one of the most remarkably "luminous" small craters on the Moon, possessing a ray system that is disproportionately large and bright for its size. What makes Pierazzo exceptional is the evidence of impact melt. NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter has captured stunning views of frozen rivers of rock that flowed down the crater's walls and pooled on its floor immediately following the impact. This is a reason why the astronauts of Integrity/Artemis II are going to observe it!
Full article over at Eadsy Astronomy LINK.
Glushko is a young, prominent impact crater located on the western limb of the Moon, at the transition between the near and far sides. Spanning approximately 43 kilometers in diameter, this feature stands out as a beacon of geological youth due to its extraordinarily bright and extensive ray system.
Full article over at Eadsy Astronomy LINK
Well, yesterday Comet C/2026 A1 (MAPS) reached perihelion with the Sun. It came within 160,000 km from the Sun and unfortunetly, it did not survive it's close encounter with the Sun. Above are two images taken from SOHO, a wider view on top and a closer view on the bottom. In both cases you can see the comet come in from the bottom left and then emerge as a debris cloud in the upper right.
For the full article which includes links to the two SOHO videos showing the comets destruction and for a finderchart for Comet C/2025 R3 Panstarrs head over to Eadsy Astronomy at this LINK.
Yesterday, I shared a post on why the astronauts on Integrity (Artemis II) are going to study the Orientale Basin during their flyby. In the image above in the upper right you can see the Orientale Basin. AWESOME!
I also captured just part of their lunar observations and shared that. However, I am also including in this video a recap video from NASA below that shows highlights from Day 4. A key one is the comment from astronaut Victor Glover including in the video.
If you are into Lunar Observing as I am, watch the video from the 8:50 mark to the 11:33 mark as the crew describes what they are seeing in the 400mm lens as they look to the moon! It is amazing!!!! My favorite quote is "It is three dimensional, just incredible!" That shows what I missed in yesterday's video!
For actual images of the Moon that Integrity/Artemis II have taken head over to Eadsy Astronomy at this LINK.
Ohm Crater is a prominent lunar impact crater located on the Moon’s far side (18.32 N, 113.78 W). Its history and scientific importance have made it a specific target of interest for the Artemis II crew during their historic April 2026 flyby.
To read the full article head over to Eadsy Astronomy and I have as an attachment, the Lunar Fifteen which was mentioned in today's press conference. The Astronauts had to study these so feel free to download them and read them yourself and perhaps, as you observe the moon, see if you can identify any of the features. The Lunar Fifteen are also GREAT for outreach information! LINK
In the news conference today, it was mentioned that one of the targets for the astronauts ie field scientists because they are just that, is Mare Orientale. As the first crewed mission to leave Earth orbit since 1972, a primary scientific and observational goal is the Orientale Basin. I thought it would be good to share some information on Mare Orientale and why the crew of Integrity is going to observe it.
The full article for this is over at Eadsy Astronomy LINK.
Well, as the NASA news conference discussed today, the public fascination with the toliet issue on Integrity is something that I think we all can relate with. I mean, it is something that we all have to do. It goes full blizzard about once every 30 seconds and then particles coming out. The astronauts hope this is a good sign that they can use the toliet!
It's kinda of gross but I thought some might find it interesting?
In the this video, I recorded the news conference and there is a LOT of discussion on the lunar science that the astronauts have been trained on how to perform that science, observe lunar features. It is interesting that they have had classes on lunar observing, vocabulary and lots of other items regarding lunar science. The video REALLY made me fall even more in love with the Moon and observing it!
I missed part of the news conference but I would welcome you to watch Victor Glover's comments. He nails it!
Lots going on this week as we have Comet C/2026 MAPS passing through perihelion on April 4th and we are hoping it survives its close encounter with the Sun! We also have Comet C/2025 R3 (Panstarrs) which also is brightening in the early morning sky! We move from a wanning gibbous moon at 86% past last quarter to a wanning crescent by next Saturday, April 11th. Some wonderful lunar craters are available this week as are some great double stars. Look for some fun objects to observe outside of the galaxies so common in spring such as M44 the Beehive, NGC 3242 The Ghost of Jupiter Planetary Nebula and Messier 3 a truly wonderful globular cluster.
Then of course as the moon come up later and later in the week, it's galaxy time! So head over to Eadsy Astronomy for the PDF Or Google Doc Link if you wish to have a copy or read this week's newsletter! Thanks for stopping by! Here is the LINK to Eadsy Astronomy.
Giovanni Battista Riccioli was a premier Italian astronomer, Jesuit priest, and experimental physicist of the 17th century. While he is often historically overshadowed by his contemporary Galileo Galilei—partly due to his defense of a geocentric universe—Riccioli was a pioneer of the scientific method. His work provided the first precise measurements of Earth's gravity and established the system of lunar nomenclature still used by NASA and astronomers today.
For the full article head over to Eadsy Astronomy at this LINK.
Hello everyone,
I just created a website to introduce an opportunity where I share the wonders of the night sky with others. It is a secondary website LINK for Eadsy Astronomy. It is where I do one of the following three options.
1. Introductory Tour: An observing session where I introduce the night sky, the constellations of the season and how to identify them, the 3 types of telescopes and then 2 hours of observing as I find objects and you get to observe them. This is for individuals, small groups or mix groups of up to 12 people. You meet me at one of my local dark sites and we spend an enjoyable evening learning about 4 types of telescopes, the night sky for the date we go and the types of objects we are going to see. I then spend the next couple of hours showing you the night sky through eyepieces and through images on a digital telescope. Images are made available in a couple of days for you to download. $75.00 a person.
2. Stargazing Workshop: An observing session where I do all in #1 . Additionally this is a workshop where I teach you how to use a dobsonian telescope, a refractor and how to image using a SeeStar S50. This is an hour on each scope, 15 minutes training on how to use the scope and 45 minutes of observing. The goal here is to help you to determine which type of telescope is right for you and what type of observing or imaging you wish to pursue. Cost $150.00 per person.
3. Under the Utah Canopy: An Observer's Journey. A Guided tour to a dark site location in Utah. This may be for an evening, overnight, two days or up to four days. It can be local to the greater Salt Lake Area (within 2 hours of Salt Lake) or to one of my dark site locations in Utah. This will need to be arranged ahead of time and will need to have a phone or zoom conversation with me before I can get you a price on this.
In addition I am completing an online Introductory Course to Observing the Night Sky and Imaging with it. By participaing in any of the these opportunities you get premium membership here at Paetron for a year and access to that online Introductory course.
Now IF you are an experienced observer this doesn't change my invitation as always, to join me in my personal observing outings here in Utah. You'll find if you do that, even for those starting out, I still give far more help than the inital offerings up above. These offerings above are to help get people interested in the hobby and a way to find out if the hobby is for them. Since I am using my time and my equipment to do that, I am charging for those services.
