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M95 & M96: A close galaxy pairing in Leo

13 March 2024 Mark Armstrong

Spiral galaxies Messier 95 and 96 are Leo’s second great Messier duo, after Messier 65 and 66.

Explore Puppis’ Messier cluster trio

26 February 2024 Mark Armstrong

Puppis is rich in open clusters, including the Messier trio of M46, M47 and M93.

Celestron RASA 8 astrograph: fast imaging with the RASA 8

22 February 2024 Astronomy Now

Olly Penrice has spent over a year imaging with a Celestron Rowe–Ackermann Schmidt Astrograph (RASA) and finds that, with some fiddling required, it excels at capturing high-quality data of deep-sky objects.

Moon close to the Pleiades

14 February 2024 Mark Armstrong

It’s always a prime observing event when the Moon pays a visit to the magnificent Pleiades open cluster (M45).

Valleys on the Moon

13 February 2024 Mark Armstrong

With a waxing Moon riding high in the early-evening sky, now is a good time to become acquainted with four of the best valleys on the lunar surface.

Get a buzz from the Beehive

9 February 2024 Mark Armstrong

Messier 44 in Cancer is a marvellous open cluster that’s a great sight through a modest pair of binoculars.

Vaonis Vespera. The observing station that’s an electronic marvel

4 January 2024 Ade Ashford

Four years after their debut product Stellina, Vaonis launches the world’s lightest fully computerised telescope-camera. Ade Ashford puts it through its paces.

Reviewed: Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer GTI

18 December 2023 Astronomy Now

Sky-Watcher’s range of star trackers, called Star Adventurer, have been popular. The original Star Adventurer was released in 2014, running off an external 5V supply or four AA batteries, motorised and guiding in RA only.

Celestron StarSense Explorer 254mm Dobsonian

6 December 2023 Steve Kelly

Ade Ashford evaluates the first Dobsonian telescope to use your smartphone for real-time star alignment and object location. How does it work? Brilliantly!

Ignite Auriga’s Flaming Star Nebula

4 December 2023 Steve Kelly

IC 405, the colourful Flaming Star Nebula, is a prime target in the northern sky.