I love visual observation but so much is invisible to the eye here. I never appreciated just how much is electronically visible till I joined the 'smart' club.
Londoner. Lots of varied interests including natural wildlife of all kinds, astronomy, global travel, music, culture, sport and entertainment. Family Man. I share my photos. Politics free zone.
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I love visual observation but so much is invisible to the eye here. I never appreciated just how much is electronically visible till I joined the 'smart' club.
Aurora (as forecast yesterday) was a 25% chance today and clouds was a 95% chance!
The First Moon of Autumn (Meteorologically)! Waxing Gibbous at 64.6% #astronomy #astrophotography @stormhour.com @photohour.bsky.social
Visual astronomy is still the best. It works on social media if you show your equipment!
Clinging on to dear life!
I dry the heads and store over winter
The last Sunflower made it to the end of August - just! Time to go to seed! @photohour.bsky.social #Sunflowers
If you know the LOTR you'll get the links!
Watching Lord of the Rings - Return of the King - on the Sky LOTR channel. So I set the Dwarf to capture the Wizard and Elephant Trunk nebulae (Geddit?). 45 minutes each! This smart scope lark is too easy! #astronomy #astrophotography #StormHour #PhotoHour
I only got into this 'stupid hours' lark when I retired. Back in the day it would have been impossible
Busy week 😴?
Oh I gave up as it disappeared behind the trees!
The last Moon of (Meteorological) summer! 55% Waxing Gibbous is incredibly low (barely 10% altitude) and just clearing my hedge. Wishing you a happy autumn! #astronomy #astrophotography @stormhour.com @photohour.bsky.social
Zoomed in view of the main region and a key to the spots from spaceweather.com #astronomy 2/2
It's a Sunday #Sun Day! Lots of active sunspots facing Earth and giant group AR4197 has 50 of them alone. Watch this spaceweather! #astronomy #astrophotography @stormhour.com @photohour.bsky.social 1/2
Oh, I bet it looks like a right old messier!
If you value your sleep it's a must. I did spend time setting up EQ, lining up the scope, working out target elevations (and potential obstacles) and test shooting first before doing the schedule so it wasnt quite just press a few buttons!
Thanks.
How close is Venus to it? I'm assuming it's not passing through it like Mars did earlier this year.
The colours of the universe! 8 hours of smart shooting overnight. Great to wake up and see what this little scope has captured and here they are now I've processed them. I've added AI descriptions in ALT so blame that if you disagree 🤣 #astronomy #astrophotography #StormHour #PhotoHour
🙂
Indeed!
Thanks, cheers, same to you!
Same weather here!
Thunderstorms at Sunset. Colours of the clouds and the Moon! Happy Friday evening all! @stormhour.com @photohour.bsky.social #astronomy #astrophotography @metoffice.gov.uk
Micro Moon! The 35% waxing crescent is currently at Apogee eg the point in the Moon's orbit when it is farthest from Earth eg approx 405,000 km (252,000 miles). #astronomy #astrophotography #StormHour #PhotoHour
I've not seen that report but there's so much misinformation that I wouldn't believe anything till it has been verified by trusted experts!
The Sun is alive again! 100+ spots. According to spaceweather.com 'A phalanx of large sunspots is facing Earth .... forecasters estimate a 65% chance of M-class solar flares and a 15% chance of X-flares solar flares during the next 24 hours' #astronomy #astrophotography #StormHour #PhotoHour
It was fine from 2am last night. Not so good right now!
The pictures taken by McCartney between late 1963 and early 1964. Images show the band being snapped by photographers in Paris, and their appearance on the BBC's Juke Box Jury, which pulled in a record 23 million viewers. There are also shots of them backstage at some of their earliest gigs. 2/2
Fan of the 'Fab Four'? A free exhibition of 'Beatlemania' era photos taken by Paul McCartney went on display in London today (till 4 October) in Mayfair. It shows the Beatle's fame and fortune through the lens of McCartney's 35mm Pentax camera. @photohour.bsky.social #Beatles #PaulMcCartney 1/2
Easter? Your ALT comments got it! Cracking image.
The Heart and Soul Nebulae neighbours - captured this morning. When we get more than a couple of hours clear sky I'll try and get both in a single wider field image. #astronomy #astrophotography @stormhour.com @photohour.bsky.social
Too complex a thought!
Ah, Fireworks!
I doubt that's the reason smart scope users like it! Seeing a trillion stars on your phone certainly is!
The Andromeda galaxy (M31) must be the most popular target for 'smart' scopes from what I've seen here. Taken on Sunday night, this is my third shot and the longest so far. 4 hours of 60 second exposures in EQ mode. #astronomy #astrophotography @stormhour.com @photohour.bsky.social
Thanks Chris
Thanks
Thank you. It's been beautiful 😍
Thank you
🙏
Haha, my family bought me a scope once and that kick started my interest. I told them it's a one way street to financial ruin!
I can't remember!!
Cheers Kev
Very good!
Thanks Dom!
Thank you Catherine. Even in the middle of all the activity, I had my eyes to the sky!
👍🙂
Thanks David, young at heart and bones!
Thanks Kevin. It's a milestone!
It's my birthday today. A very significant one. A fabulous three day family & friends celebration has come to a close. So clear last night before bed & dream time I had to set my scope on the California Nebula. #CaliforniaDreaming #astronomy #astrophotography @stormhour.com @photohour.bsky.social
Not artificial in the slightest! Like any photo it has been processed but everything is real!
The Nebula is next in a week or two's time from my location. Unless I chop a tree or two first!
The Horsehead and Flame Nebulae on my first anniversary on Bluesky (check my pinned post)! The pair of deep-sky objects located in the constellation Orion at last are now high enough for an hour of Dwarf smart scope shooting 4-5am #astronomy #astrophotography @stormhour.com @photohour.bsky.social
I'm a rank amateur in comparison with your wife and have never owned a decent camera in my life (I describe myself as a snapper) but it's amazing what a little bit of prep and practice can achieve.
Thanks. One of my favourites.
The sky was unexpectedly brilliantly clear when I got home late last night so I stuck my Dwarf scope out and waited till the Seven Sisters came out to play! #astronomy #astrophotography @stormhour.com @photohour.bsky.social
That's a lovely photo. FWIW, the 'Belt of Venus' would be in the west ie opposite the rising Sun.
I got an earlier than planned train home. I like Proms that finish before 9.30 AND I don't feel short changed!
Nitwit or Dragonfly? A few turned up yesterday and didn't mind my phone intrusion! @photohour.bsky.social #Dragonfly #FawltyTowers
Great actor, great dramatic roles, still Superman 🤣
Sunday Morning. I may be away from home with only my phone but never stop looking up! Beautiful blue sky and the ever reliable Moon looks down on us! #astronomy #astrophotography @stormhour.com @photohour.bsky.social
As long as someone else pays for it?
A quick way to get your state pension?
Friday night's Moonrise! 53.3% third quarter. Goodnight all! #astronomy #astrophotography @stormhour.com @photohour.bsky.social
Good morning! Friday's 'Perigee' Moon to greet us. Looking down on us from Close by and waning at 60.5% #astronomy #astrophotography @stormhour.com @photohour.bsky.social
Good luck to David then!
I've no issue. I still wouldn't enter into a commercial arrangement with him. Would you?
🤣
Have you looked at this person's profile? Hmmmm!
At the moment, it's not recommended to go there because of a high risk of kidnapping and violent crime in the northern regions and Guayaquil City
At the time it seemed quieter and fresher. Quito was definitely older and with more character.
We ended up at Guayaquil before going home.
Yeah, we did a day trip from Quito. We'd have stayed overnight if not for the need to move on to the Galapagos.
A fantastic place to visit!
Definitely!
www.threads.net/@peterlewis5...
I last used Threads over 2 years ago. My account is still live with 65 followers. I wonder if they miss me or followed over here?
Mine was little better at 5am by which time the two planets were almost impossible to see in the light!
I'd sign anything in agreement!
I awoke at 5am (not deliberately) but there was Mr Moon to greet me! 72.9% waning gibbous. #astronomy #astrophotography @stormhour.com @photohour.bsky.social
Red Sky at Night? 30 minutes after Sunset! @metoffice.gov.uk @stormhour.com @photohour.bsky.social
I think it was bad when Neowise was around. Roughly the same area but during the awake period!
For me, I could only see them by standing on my front drive as they rise above the houses and trees opposite, hence my post of me standing in my dressing gown with my tripod. Fortunately it was before my neighbours woke up!
That's neat. Coincidentally, I did something similar for yesterday's meeting over on X a few moments before this popped up - you got them in proper darkness which eluded me!
Headed over here and just boomed overhead in Sutton!
Agree, or even a Dodo!
The Pelican Nebula captured overnight. Can you see how it got its name? #astronomy #astrophotography
Slept this one out! Too many recent all nighters have taken its toll - fortunately the smart scope was on duty overnight so let's see if it picked anything up!
Good Mooning everyone from the heat haze of London. Another scorcher today! 81.7% waning gibbous to wake up to. #astronomy #astrophotography @stormhour.com @photohour.bsky.social
It would be a great story to tell for sure. More chance of becoming Pope!
Understand that. Now people laugh at us!
No, the snails and slugs have a good go though!
Just for you Ann!
Crikey! Obviously they don't have snails and slugs there!
The last standing Sunflower! Every year I grow these giants from seed. Despite the heat/drought/thunderstorms they usually survive till the end of August. Most have now gone to seed so this straggler has a big job to do! @photohour.bsky.social #Sunflowers
Just checked today's forecast for Iceland and Majorca. Of course it means little but I'd steer clear of the first for a number of reasons, great place though it is.
Haha, sure you want to join? The eclipse hunter brigade seem very obsessed!
You're very welcome Ann. The best way to appreciate stuff like this is to just look up.