Archive – Page 32 – Astronomy Now

Observe the iconic Sombrero Galaxy

18 April 2022 Mark Armstrong

If you were to take a poll of the top galaxies that amateur astronomers can observe and image, I bet you wouldn’t need to look far to see the name of the magnificent and striking Sombrero Galaxy (Messier 104 in Virgo).

Observe a great globular – Messier 3

15 April 2022 Mark Armstrong

Messier 3 (NGC 5272), which shines brightly at magnitude +5.9, is easily seen through 10 × 50 binoculars and is a stunning sight through a telescope.

Choosing and using a CMOS camera

15 April 2022 Astronomy Now

The CMOS astro-camera revolution is here, and astrophotographer Martin Bradley is on hand to explain what makes these cameras stand out.

The largest comet ever seen has been measured – and it’s a whopper

14 April 2022 Keith Cooper

The nucleus of the largest known comet in the Solar System, C/2014 UN271 (Bernardinelli–Bernstein), has been measured by the Hubble Space Telescope to be 129 kilometres across.

Observe spring’s radiant sunflower in April

14 April 2022 Mark Armstrong

Messier 63 (NGC 5055), the Sunflower Galaxy in Canes Venatici, sits comfortably with its reputation as one of the great galaxies visible in the night sky at springtime.

Observe Messier 81 this April

13 April 2022 Mark Armstrong

Messier 81 (NGC 3031) in Ursa Major is one of the finest galaxies in the entire sky.

Choosing the best eyepiece for you

8 April 2022 Ade Ashford

If the optics of your telescope are well aligned but the views are still lacklustre, maybe it’s time for some new eyepieces. Ade Ashford helps you choose them.

Mars and Saturn come together in the pre-dawn sky

1 April 2022 Mark Armstrong

The next two months or so promises to be an exciting one if you enjoy viewing close conjunctions between the major planets – and who doesn’t!

Celestron SkyMaster 25 × 100 binoculars

1 April 2022 Ade Ashford

These behemoth binoculars are the largest in Celestron’s SkyMaster range, but are they the ultimate for astronomical and terrestrial use? Ade Ashford finds out.

APM HDC-XWA 7mm, 100-Degree X-Treme Eyepiece, a real eyeful

25 March 2022 Steve Ringwood

Steve Ringwood got his hands on APM’s new HDC-XWA 7mm, 100-degree X-treme eyepiece, and found out how its large field of view and powers of magnification fill an important gap.