Download this month's binocular and deep-sky tour charts. The charts are printed in black on white so they can be viewed under red light at your telescope.
Record your observations of Jupiter, Mars, Saturn, Venus and the Sun with our handy printable forms.
If you observe the Sun, remember NEVER to look at it with your naked eye; either project it through your telescope or use a solar filter on your telescope's front lens.
The Veil Nebula, Kfir Simon, Tivoli Astrofarm, Namibia, 1-5 June 2019. Equipment: Apogee Alta U-16M camera, 16-inch Dream Astrograph.
Noctilucent clouds Peter Lee, Wiltshire, 21 June 2019. Equipment: Canon EOS 700D DSLR camera, Tamron SP 70-300 lens.
Lunar X and V Vicki Pink, Southampton, 9 July 2019. Equipment: Altair GPCAM2 290C camera, Sky-Watcher Explorer 130P Newtonian, Sky-Watcher SynScan AZ GoTo mount.
Pickering’s Triangle Les Brand, Essex, 15-17 July 2019. Equipment: ZWO ASI1600 camera, GSO 8-inch Ritchey-Chrétien, Sky-Watcher NEQ6 mount.
Lunar eclipse Darshna Ladva, London, 16 July 2019. Equipment: Nikon D5500 DSLR camera, Altair 60EDF refractor, Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer mount.
The North America Nebula Paul Gordon, Rochford, 22 July 2019. Equipment: Canon EOS 60Da DSLR camera, Borg 77EDII refractor, Sky-Watcher HEQ5 Pro SynScan mount.
Mullinger Milky Way John Carter, South Australia, 30 June. Equipment: Canon EOS 6D DSLR camera, Samyang 12mm lens.
Sh2-174 Douglas Struble, Michigan, US, 6-19 July 2019. Equipment: ZWO ASI1600MM camera, Stellarvue SVX102T-R apo triplet refractor, Astro-Physics Mach1 mount.
The Eagle Nebula David Wills, Oria, Spain, 23-30 June 2019. Equipment: Xpress Trius SX-694 mono CCD camera, TEC 140 f/7 apo refractor, iOptron CEM60 mount.
The Lagoon and Trifid Nebulae Terry Hancock, Grand Mesa Observatory, California, US, 27 June 2019, 4 July 2019. Equipment: QHY128C CMOS camera, QHY16200A 7 position mono CCD camera, William Optics Redcat 51 apo refractor.
Solar eclipse spectra Robert Slobbins, Las Flores, Argentina, 2 July 2019. Equipment: Nikon D800 DSLR camera, Nikkor 180 f/2.8 lens
Saturn Sue Silver, Sheffield, 22 July 2019. Equipment: ZWO ASI 120 MC-S camera, NexStar 6SE Schmidt-Cassegrain, Celestron CG-5 German equatorial mount.
The Milky Way Ernie Holding, Mount Teide, Tenerife, 1 July 2019. Equipment: Nikon Z6 camera, Tokina 24-70mm lens
M101 Frederic Vandewattyne, Belgium, June & July 2019. Equipment: ZWO ASI 1600MM camera, CFF 200 f/5 Newtonian
Noctilucent clouds Peter Hahn, Tyne and Wear, 11 July 2019. Equipment: iPhone
Sh2-101 Steven MacDonald, Cyprus, July 2019. Equipment: Moravian G2-8300 camera, Sky-Watcher Esprit 100 triplet apo refractor.
The Elephant’s Trunk Nebula Zlatko Orbanic, Pula, Croatia, 23 June 2019. Equipment: Atik 414EX mono camera, 10-inch Ritchey-Chrétien astrography.
Jupiter and moons Roger Hutchinson, London, 14 July 2019. Equipment: ZWO ASI174MM camera, Celestron Edge HD11 Schmidt-Cassegrain
Eye On The Sky
The Great Red Spot, Jupiter NASA Juno, 27 June 2019. Credit: NASA, ESA, A Simon (Goddard Space Flight Center) and MH Wong (University of California, Berkeley)
Seagull Nebula, IC 2177 VLT Survey Telescope, 7 August 2019. Credit: ESO/VPHAS team/N.J. Wright (Keele University)
NGC 5866 Spitzer Space Telescope, Infrared Array Camera (IRAC), 31 July 2019. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Terra Cimmeria, Mars Mars Express Orbiter, High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC), 11 December 2018. Credit: ESA/DLR/FU Berlin, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO
NGC 2022 Hubble Space Telescope, 12 August 2019. Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, R. Wade
The Moon Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope, 15 August 2019. Credit: NASA/DOE/Fermi LAT Collaboration
Bode’s Galaxy, M81 Spitzer Space Telescope, Infrared Array Camera (IRAC), 27 August 2019. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
M81 was one of the first publicly-released datasets soon after Spitzers launch in August of 2003. On the occasion of Spitzers 16th anniversary this new image revisits this iconic object with extended observations and improved processing.
This Spitzer infrared image is a composite mosaic combining data from the Infrared Array Camera (IRAC) at wavelengths of 3.6/4.5 microns (blue/cyan) and 8 microns (green) with data from the Multiband Imaging Photometer (MIPS) at 24 microns (red).
The 3.6-micron near-infrared data (blue) traces the distribution of stars, although the Spitzer image is virtually unaffected by obscuring dust and reveals a very smooth stellar mass distribution, with the spiral arms relatively subdued.
As one moves to longer wavelengths, the spiral arms become the dominant feature of the galaxy. The 8-micron emission (green) is dominated by infrared light radiated by hot dust that has been heated by nearby luminous stars. Dust in the galaxy is bathed by ultraviolet and visible light from nearby stars. Upon absorbing an ultraviolet or visible-light photon, a dust grain is heated and re-emits the energy at longer infrared wavelengths. The dust particles are composed of silicates (chemically similar to beach sand), carbonaceous grains and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and trace the gas distribution in the galaxy. The well-mixed gas (which is best detected at radio wavelengths) and dust provide a reservoir of raw materials for future star formation.
The 24-micron MIPS data (red) shows emission from warm dust heated by the most luminous young stars. The scattering of compact red spots along the spiral arms show wh
Abell 2146 Chandra X-ray Observatory, 23 July 2019. Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/Univ. of Waterloo/H. Russell et al.; Optical: NASA/STScI
Sagittarius A* Chandra X-ray Observatory, July 2001. Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/UMass/D. Wang et al.; Radio: SARAO/MeerKAT
Cygnus OB2 Chandra X-ray Observatory, January 2004 & March 2010. Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO/J. Drake et al; H-alpha: Univ. of Hertfordshire/INT/IPHAS; Infrared: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Spitzer
IIAPY 2019 winners
Into the Shadow László Francsics, Budapest, Hungary, 21 January 2019. Category: Our Moon (winner and overall winner) Equipment: Sony Alpha 99 camera, 250mm Newtonian, Sky-Watcher EQ6 mount.
Crescent Moon During the Day Rafael Ruiz, Morella, Castellón, Spain, 12 February 2019. Category: Our Moon (runner-up). Equipment: Sony ILCE-6300 camera, TMB 130 Super Planetary 130mm apo refractor, Sky-Watcher EQ6 mount.
Seven-colour Feather of the Moon Yiming Li, Dongguan, China, 28 July 2018. Category: Our Moon (highly commended) Equipment: Canon EOS 6D DSLR camera, 100mm lens.
The Watcher Nicolai Brügger, Lofoten, Norway, 9 March 2018. Category: Aurorae (winner). Equipment: Nikon D600 DSLR camera, 15mm lens.
Aurora Australis from Beerbarrel Beach James Stone, St Helens, Tasmania, Australia, 20 April 2018. Category: Aurorae: (runner-up). Equipment: Nikon D750 camera, 15mm lens.
The Return of Green Lady Ruslan Merzlyakov, Nykøbing Mors, Nordjylland, Denmark, 25 August 2018. Category: Aurorae (highly commended). Equipment: Canon EOS 6D DSLR camera, 24mm.
Shells of Elliptical Galaxy NGC 3923 in Hydra Rolf Wahl Olsen, Auckland, New Zealand, 21 May 2017–25 March 2018. Category: Galaxies (winner). Equipment: QSI 683wsg-8 camera, homebuilt 12.5-inch Serrurier Truss Newtonian, Losmandy G-11 mount.
Hydrogen Sculptures in The Large Magellanic Cloud Ignacio Diaz Bobillo, General Pacheco, Buenos Aires, Argentina, 12 January 2018. Category: Galaxies (runner-up). Equipment: Apogee Alta U16M camera, Astro-Physics 167mm apo refractor, Astro-Physics 1100GTO mount.
Andromeda Galaxy Raul Villaverde Fraile, Ocentejo, Castile-La Mancha, Spain, 12 August 2018. Category: Galaxies (highly commended). Equipment: Canon 550D camera DSLR Takahashi FSQ 106ED apo refractor, Sky-Watcher EQ6 mount.
A Little Fireworks Alan Friedman, Buffalo, New York, USA, 29 July 2018. Category: Our Sun (winner). Equipment: Point Gray Research Grasshopper camera, Astro-Physics Stowaway 90mm apo refractor, Coronado SolarMax 90mm filter, Astro-Physics mount.
The Active Area AR12714 Gabriel Corban, Bucharest, Romania, 19 June 2018. Category: Our Sun (runner-up). Equipment: FLIR Grasshopper GS3-U3-23S6M camera, Sky-Watcher Equinox ED120 refractor, Daystar Quark Chromosphere filter, Sky-Watcher EQ6 Pro mount.
The Sun – Atmospheric Detail Jason Guenzel, Milford, Michigan, USA, 9 December 2018. Category: Our Sun (highly commended). Equipment: ZWO ASI174MM-Cool camera, 4150mm lens, Explore Scientific AR152 refractor, Daystar QUARK filter, Celestron AVX mount.
Ben, Floyd and the Core Ben Bush, Hadrian’s Wall, Hexham, UK, 9 August 2018. Credit: People & Space (winner). Equipment: Nikon D810 DSLR, 24mm lens
Above the Tower Sam King, Wimborne, Dorset, UK, 9 October 2018. Category: People & Space (runner-up). Equipment: Nikon D850 DSLR, Sky: 70mm lens.
Cosmic Plughole James Stone, South Arm, Tasmania, Australia, 19 June 2018. Category: People & Space (runner-up). Equipment: Nikon D750 DSLR, 15mm lens
Death of Opportunity Andy Casely Sydney, Australia, 26 May–30 October 2018. Category: Planets, Comets & Asteroids (winner). Equipment: ZWO ASI290MM camera, Celestron C14 355mm Schmidt-Cassegrain, Celestron CGX-L mount
Black Saturn Martin Lewis, St Albans, Hertfordshire, UK, 2 August 2018. Category: Planets, Comets & Asteroids (highly commended). Equipment: ZWO ASI290MM camera, 444mm Dobsonian Newtonian, equatorial tracking platform.
Across the Sky of History Wang Zheng, Ejina, Inner Mongolia, China, 12 August 2018. Category: Syscapes (winner). Equipment: Canon EOS 5D Mark IV DSLR, 20mm lens.
Galactic Lighthouse Ruslan Merzlyakov, Hirtshals, Vendsyssel, Denmark, 12 November 2018. Category: Syscapes (runner-up). Equipment: Canon EOS 6D DSLR, 24mm lens, iOptron SkyTracker.
Flower Power Brandon Yoshizawa, Aspendell, California, USA, 7 October 2018. Category: Skyscapes (highly commended). Equipment: Nikon D750 DSLR, 50mm lens.
Statue of Liberty Nebula Ignacio Diaz Bobillo, General Pacheco, Buenos Aires, Argentina, 24 March 2018. Category: Stars & Nebulae (winner). Equipment: Apogee Atlas U16M camera, Astro-Physics 167mm apo refractor, Astro-Physics 1100GTO mount.
A Horsehead Curtain Call Bob Franke, Chino Valley, Arizona, USA, 12 January 2018. Category: Stars & Nebulae. Equipment: SBIG STF-8300M camera, Takahashi FSQ-106ED 106 mm apo refractor, Paramount MyT mount.
Stellar Flower Davy van der Hoeven (age 11), Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht, South Holland, Netherlands, 26 February 2019. Category: Young Astronomer (winner). Equipment: QSI 583ws camera, TMB92SS 92mm apo refractor, Sky-Watcher NEQ-6 mount
AR 12699 Sunspot Matúš Motlo (age 14), Plevník-Drienové, Trenčín Region, Slovakia, 11 February 2018. Category: Young Astronomer (runner-up). Equipment: ZWO ASI224MC camera, Celestron C9.25 235 mm Schmidt-Cassegrain, Baader AstroSolar filter, Sky-Watcher HEQ-5 Pro mount.
Daytime Venus Thea Hutchinson (age 12), London, UK, 9 December 2018. Category: Young Astronomer (highly commended). Equipment: ZWO ASI174MM camera, Celestron 11” EdgeHD Schmidt-Cassegrain, Celestron CGE Pro mount.
Van Eyck's Moon Casper Kentish (age 9), Ponthirwaun Ceredigion, Wales, UK, 30 October 2018. Category: Young Astronomer (highly commended). Equipment: Apple iPad 5th generation camera, Sky-Watcher Skyliner 200P Newtonian, Dobsonian mount, 3.3mm lens.
M31 Andromeda Galaxy Tom Mogford, Goult, France, 20 August 2018. Category: Young Astronomer (highly commended). Equipment: Canon 750D DSLR, Sky-Watcher Esprit 80ED triplet apo refractor, Celestron AVX mount.
The Jewels of Orion Ross Clark, Embleton, Northumberland, UK, 30 January 2019. Category: Best Newcomer (joint winner). Equipment: Canon EOS 450D DSLR, Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer mount, Canon EF 70-200mm lens.
Sky and Ground, Stars and Sand Shuchang Dong, Ningxia, China, 25 July 2018. Category: Best Newcomer (joint winner). Equipment: Canon EOS 5D Mark IV DSLR, 50mm lens.
Infrared Saturn László Francsics, Chilescope, Atacama, Chile, 26 August 2018. Category: Robotic Scope (winner). Equipment: ZWO ASI 174MM camera Chilescope T1 ASA 1000 mm Ritchey-Chrétien, Alt-Azimuth fork mount.
This month's deep-sky tour plan file can be imported into the Argo Navis Digital Telescope Computer using Argonaut software, a free utility available from Wildcard Innovations.Using Argo Navis with this month's deep-sky tour plan file, you can:
• display essential information from the Argo Navis database for each object
• slew your telescope to each object in the plan - requires a compatible mount.
• push your telescope to each object in the plan using the coordinates provided on the Argo Navis display.
To import this month's deep-sky tour plan file into Argo Navis using Argonaut software:
Download and save the file to your hard drive.
Run the Argonaut utility program and transfer the plan into your Argo Navis DTC.
This month's Deep-Sky Tour plan file is produced by Deep-Sky Planner 7 (see knightware.biz/dsp).
Deep-Sky Planner 7 astronomy software for Windows provides the tools you need to make your time at the telescope more efficient and enjoyable.
• sort the objects in the plan according to the best time and order to view each object.
• slew your ASCOM-compatible Go-To mount to each object in the plan - requires ASCOM software (free).
• show a sky chart centered on each object in the plan using one of the top planetarium software titles - requires TheSky, Starry Night, Redshift or Cartes du Ciel (free).
• record your observation in the open, non-proprietary observing log.
Details about Deep-Sky Planner and how to purchase can be found here.
Download the Deep-Sky Planner compatible file of this month's deep-sky tour observing plan file so that you can visit each object directly with Deep-Sky Planner. Save the file to your hard drive and double click it to open it in Deep-Sky Planner.
If you are one of the many astronomers who use the ASCOM driver EQMOD to control your ASCOM-compatible Go-To mount, you can use an add-on application called EQTOUR to call up various sets of sky tours like Messier, Caldwell, Globular Clusters and simply click on an object name to slew to it.
Details about the application and how to download it free of charge can be found here.
Download the EQTOUR compatible file of our monthly Deep-sky tour, so that you can visit each object directly from your EQMod control panel. We've also included a PDF document that explains the system and how to get it installed with your telescope setup.
Copy the .lst file from the folder that appears into the same directory as the EQTOUR application file, EQTOUR.exe, and follow the instructions in the link above.