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Messier 27: The Dumbbell Nebula
Meet M27 – the very first planetary nebula ever discovered in astronomical history! (spotted back in 1764 by Charles Messier)
Located roughly 1,300 light-years away in the constellation Vulpecula, this expanding gas cloud spans about 2 to 3 light-years across.
Back with more; from top to bottom:
North America Nebula (C20)
Sol (our sun)
The Pinwheel Galaxy (M101)
More backyard astro in galaxy season. This is M101 (NGC 5457), the "Pinwheel Galaxy" in the constellation Ursa Major (Big Dipper). It's over 21 million lightyears away from us. M101 is almost twice the size of our galaxy, the Milky Way, with over a trillion star systems. Imaging notes: This is from the April 8, 2026 astro session in my backyard, Apertura CarbonStar 150 imaging Newtonian (600mm FL, f/4), ZWO ASI715MC camera (gain 0), ZWO AM5 EQ mount, 160 2-minute subs stacked in PixInsight, no calibration frames. #astrophotography #astronomy #galaxy #nightscape
I made my partner dinner last night (which is every night), and out of nowhere she goes, 'We should ride our bikes down to the point and look at the stars.' I almost fell over! We headed out, and I got to show her Jupiter, her moons, and the Orion Nebula. It was a pretty rad night. It was windy off the Pacific but the sky was gorgeous.
The Bubble Nebula (NGC7635) with the Scorpion Cluster (M52)
August Hunter's Moon as seen from East York tonight
The 2024 Perseid meteor shower. (August 11th to 12th)
The Perseids are supposed to peak on the night of Sunday/Monday this year. So if sky conditions are good and there isn't much outdoor lighting around you, relax for a few hours outside and watch the meteors.
No binoculars or telescope necessary! This is a naked eye event – though you don't have to get naked for it.
The Perseids are the best predictable meteor shower you can see in the Northern Hemisphere.
These links provide additional info.
It's time again for the annual August meteor-shower fest, the Perseids. This year's display should be a beauty with only minor moonlight.
It was Aurora Borealis all over Friday night, thanks to the severe geomagnetic storms caused by the sun's really active phase (solar maximum). Here are some of my shots from our backyard. First time to see the aurora this further down south.
Notes:
Aurora Borealis, May 10-11, 2024
Devon, UK
Nikon D5600
Tokina 11-16mm
I used incandescent white balance to kick out the ugly glow from light pollution and also to prioritize the cooler colours.
A bit of a timelapse below:
