deepskydave.bsky.social @deepskydave.bsky.social · 28/09/2026Bob Fera and Steve Mandel have imaged a very faint object, the Squid Nebula, Ou 4, in Cepheus. This extremely faint apparition is entangled with the brighter HII region catalogued as Sharpless 2–129, and is a challenge even for astroimagers. Enjoy! 0646
deepskydave.bsky.social @deepskydave.bsky.social · 25/09/2026Here’s a Friday shot of the great globular cluster M3 in Canes Venatici by John Chumack. The cluster contains some half a million stars and lies at a distance of about 34,000 light-years. Inside the cluster, a planet would have a sky full of bright stars. Enjoy! 000
deepskydave.bsky.social @deepskydave.bsky.social · 23/09/2026Just north of Orion’s middle belt star, Alnilam, lie three obscure reflection nebulae, IC 426 (upper left), IC 423 (lower right), and IC 424 (just above 423). These little blobs represent clouds of matter reflecting the light from nearby stars. Image by Chris Schur. 010
deepskydave.bsky.social @deepskydave.bsky.social · 22/09/2026The Crab Nebula, M1, is the first entry in Charles Messier’s list of nonstellar astronomical objects. It is here captured really nicely by John Chumack, and shows the beautiful details that can be seen in a large scope when viewing a young supernova remnant. 000
deepskydave.bsky.social @deepskydave.bsky.social · 21/09/2026Please enjoy my latest Off-World Podcast, “Why Amateur Astronomy Matters More Than Ever,” with my friend and the Editor-in-Chief of Sky & Telescope, Diana Hannikainen. We had a great conversation! www.youtube.com/watch?v=cP3c...youtube.comFrom Saturn to Sky & Telescope: Diana Hannikainen’s Journey Through AstronomyYouTube video by Off-World with David Eicher 010
deepskydave.bsky.social @deepskydave.bsky.social · 18/09/2026On July 26 James Kevin Ty captured this amazing prominence on the Sun, capturing great activity on the star that powers our lives. Enjoy! 010
deepskydave.bsky.social @deepskydave.bsky.social · 17/09/2026One of the most celebrated dark nebulae in the sky, the Horsehead Nebula in Orion is centered in this spectacular portrait taken by Richard Whitehead. Enjoy! 110018
deepskydave.bsky.social @deepskydave.bsky.social · 16/09/2026Check out one of the most alluring edge-on galaxies in the sky, NGC 891 in Andromeda. This shot by John Chumack shows its dust lane quite nicely from a distance of 27 million light-years. Enjoy! 010
deepskydave.bsky.social @deepskydave.bsky.social · 16/09/2026On September 10 Mark Johnston captured a wavy feature on the Sun that appeared almost like a question mark. How unusual is this kind of solar phenomenon? Enjoy! 011
deepskydave.bsky.social @deepskydave.bsky.social · 15/09/2026A portion of the Christmas Tree Nebula, NGC 2264 in Monoceros, the Fox Fur Nebula was here captured by Bob Fera and Steve Mandel. It lies about 2,350 light-years away and is an active region of star formation. Enjoy! 0203
deepskydave.bsky.social @deepskydave.bsky.social · 14/09/2026From the astronomical catalog of Rodgers, Campbell, and Whiteoak, from 1960, comes RCW 85 in Centaurus. This is a beautiful and often overlooked emission nebula that has been imaged nicely by Bob Fera and Steve Mandel. Enjoy! 000
deepskydave.bsky.social @deepskydave.bsky.social · 11/09/2026Check out John Chumack’s image of the supernova in NGC 7331, designated SN 2026 aaiv, captured on September 7 when the new star was glowing at magnitude 13.5. The supernova is marked with a line showing its location. Enjoy! 0495
deepskydave.bsky.social @deepskydave.bsky.social · 10/09/2026A study in depth of field: The globular cluster NGC 288, bottom, lies some 29,000 light-years away. The galaxy NGC 253, at top, lies 11 million light-years away, some 379 times more distant. Image by Chris Schur. 010
deepskydave.bsky.social @deepskydave.bsky.social · 09/09/2026Barred spiral galaxy NGC 1808 lies in the deep southern sky in Columba, and shines at magnitude 9.9. It lies some 42 million light-years away and is here captured beautifully by Bob Fera and Steve Mandel. 110715
deepskydave.bsky.social @deepskydave.bsky.social · 08/09/2026A wide-field shot by Bob Fera and Steve Mandel depicts central Cygnus, including the scattered, large emission nebulae catalogued as IC 1318, the bright star Sadr at upper left, and the strange Wolf-Rayet nebula NGC 6888 at lower right. A nice window into the galaxy! 031
deepskydave.bsky.social @deepskydave.bsky.social · 04/09/2026The globular cluster M5 in Serpens holds some 300,000 stars, held together in a sphere by gravity. John Chumack’s image shows the group — if you lived on a planet inside it, your sky would be rich with bright stars. 020
deepskydave.bsky.social @deepskydave.bsky.social · 02/09/2026The vast clouds of gas that lie scattered across the galaxy: Bob Fera and Steve Mandel have captured the Lobster and Cat’s Paw nebulae in Scorpius, giving us a tremendous glance at the huge wall of stars that lies beyond our solar system. 0388
deepskydave.bsky.social @deepskydave.bsky.social · 01/09/2026Chris Schur’s beautiful new wide-field shot of a portion of Sagittarius and Serpens shows an array of deep-sky objects, including the Eagle and Omega nebulae and the Small Sagittarius Star Cloud. Take a look at this rich area directed close to the center of our galaxy! 031
deepskydave.bsky.social @deepskydave.bsky.social · 31/08/2026Here’s another beautiful shot from Thursday night showing the lunar eclipse, as recorded by Chris Cook — visible as a 96% eclipse from Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Enjoy! 084
deepskydave.bsky.social @deepskydave.bsky.social · 30/08/2026Enjoy this great Milky Way video shot by Vannessa Gressieux at the 2026 Grand Canyon Star Party, the largest star party in the United States. 020
deepskydave.bsky.social @deepskydave.bsky.social · 28/08/2026This wonderful shot of last night’s lunar eclipse was taken by Adrian Bradley in Michigan, and shows the beautiful color of the eclipse very well. My friends and I saw the eclipse from Kitt Peak National Observatory, or rather saw it without any cloud from the base of the mountain. Enjoy! 031
deepskydave.bsky.social @deepskydave.bsky.social · 27/08/2026While Comet 220P/McNaught has faded to 10th magnitude, Chris Schur’s shot shows it still displays the parabolic envelope around its head and a fan-shaped tail 2° long, as imaged on August 25. Enjoy! 020
deepskydave.bsky.social @deepskydave.bsky.social · 26/08/2026Look at this beautiful shot of Comet 220P/McNaught taken by John Chumack on August 19, showing a fantastic visitor from the outer solar system! 042
deepskydave.bsky.social @deepskydave.bsky.social · 25/08/2026Chris Schur has captured the nice emission nebula Sharpless 2-135 in Cepheus, which lies in a field that also contains the open clusters Berkeley 95 (upper left) and NGC 7261 (bottom), and the famous variable star Delta Cephei, at the left edge. 000
deepskydave.bsky.social @deepskydave.bsky.social · 24/08/2026Check out this beautiful loop prominence recorded on August 21 by Mark Johnston near Phoenix, Arizona. Just a beautiful look at the active energy emanating from the Sun that powers our solar system. Enjoy! 050
deepskydave.bsky.social @deepskydave.bsky.social · 21/08/2026Check out this beautiful eclipse composite created by Constantine Emmanouilidi on August 12 from Penafeil, Spain — a breathtaking capture! Happy Friday. 654557
deepskydave.bsky.social @deepskydave.bsky.social · 20/08/2026Chris Schur captured the unusual comet 220P/McNaught as it cruised along in Cetus on August 15, 2026. At the time it shone at about 7th magnitude and was undergoing an eruption in brightness. 020
deepskydave.bsky.social @deepskydave.bsky.social · 19/08/2026Recently Manuel Guerrero created this striking image of a portion of our Sun’s disk, the source of energy in the solar system and the cause of why you are here. Enjoy! 030
deepskydave.bsky.social @deepskydave.bsky.social · 18/08/2026Totality on August 12 imaged by Jamie Cooper from Mirador El Toro, Majorca, Spain — a memorable eclipse to be sure. 051
deepskydave.bsky.social @deepskydave.bsky.social · 18/08/2026Here’s a cool composite sent me by Carlos Hernandez showing the occultation of Earth by the martian moon Deimos, as imaged by the Perseverance rover on July 2, 2026. Enjoy! 041
deepskydave.bsky.social @deepskydave.bsky.social · 16/08/2026Another shot of the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, the world’s tallest church, at 566 feet. An extraordinary building to tour. 020
deepskydave.bsky.social @deepskydave.bsky.social · 15/08/2026Extraordinary stained glass at the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain. 010
deepskydave.bsky.social @deepskydave.bsky.social · 15/08/2026Extraordinary stained glass at the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain. 000
deepskydave.bsky.social @deepskydave.bsky.social · 14/08/2026Today we visited the tallest church in the world, the Sagrada Familia, in Barcelona, Spain. Built 1882-the present, the church is mammoth, stretching 566 feet into the sky. It is a breathtaking sight, inside and out. 000
deepskydave.bsky.social @deepskydave.bsky.social · 14/08/2026The Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar in Zaragoza, Spain, is a mammoth structure that was primarily built between 1681 and 1872. Tradition says the first structure here was built following a visit by the biblical James. 000
deepskydave.bsky.social @deepskydave.bsky.social · 14/08/2026At our eclipse site, some of Spain’s celebrated grapes that make this region such a wonderful area for producing great wines. 000
deepskydave.bsky.social @deepskydave.bsky.social · 13/08/2026Our happy eclipse group in Spain following the viewing of a beautiful eclipse in the Spanish wine country. Thanks to everyone! 010
deepskydave.bsky.social @deepskydave.bsky.social · 12/08/2026Here’s a quick shot of the eclipse as we saw it during totality from the Astronomy Magazine observing site at Bodegas Finca La Emperatriz, a Spanish winery in La Rioja, Spain, between the towns of Burgos and Lagroño. Photo by DJE. 010
deepskydave.bsky.social @deepskydave.bsky.social · 10/08/2026This sculpture of Maria Isabel of Braganza, Queen of Spain, was produced in 1826-7, a commission by the King. Sadly, photography was not allowed in nearly all of the spectacular Prado Museum in Madrid, but that was at least good for the sales of their guidebooks. 010
deepskydave.bsky.social @deepskydave.bsky.social · 09/08/2026A stunning stained glass window in the Toledo Cathedral, Toledo, Spain, that caught our group’s eye. 020
deepskydave.bsky.social @deepskydave.bsky.social · 09/08/2026First constructed in 1088, Toledo Cathedral is considered the magnum opus of a Gothic style structure in Spain. Incredible, and packed with amazing artifacts. 000
deepskydave.bsky.social @deepskydave.bsky.social · 08/08/2026“The Burial of the Count of Orgaz,” by the great painter El Greco, 1586, in the Church of Santo Tomé, Toledo, Spain. A magnificent work. 000
deepskydave.bsky.social @deepskydave.bsky.social · 08/08/2026The historic city skyline of Toledo, Spain, and the Tagus River, as viewed by our group today. 000
deepskydave.bsky.social @deepskydave.bsky.social · 04/08/2026The Cygnus Superbubble contains arcs of nebulosity formed in the interstellar medium by hot blue stars. This image shows some, as well as the bluish supernova remnant G65.3+5.7. Chris Schur’s portrait reveals a rarely seen aspect of Cygnus. 020
deepskydave.bsky.social @deepskydave.bsky.social · 03/08/2026On July 23 John Chumack captured Comet 10P/Tempel as it moved across Capricornus. At the time the comet shone at about magnitude 8.5, and offered a nice, round coma and very slight tail. Enjoy! 000
deepskydave.bsky.social @deepskydave.bsky.social · 01/08/2026The central spine of the Milky Way photographed through a thicket of trees, dramatically presented by Vannessa Gressieux. Enjoy! 000
Reposted by @deepskydave.bsky.socialSecurityCatnip @securitycatnip.bsky.social · 01/08/2026It really did make a difference in my career. At the age of 15 “if David can do this….may I can also write and get published” was a very powerful thought. :) 011
deepskydave.bsky.social @deepskydave.bsky.social · 01/08/2026John and I at Vicksburg National Military Park in the midst of some of our research and writing, 1998. 000
deepskydave.bsky.social @deepskydave.bsky.social · 31/07/2026In the early days of publishing Deep Sky Monthly, at home in Oxford, c. 1979. 100
deepskydave.bsky.social @deepskydave.bsky.social · 30/07/2026The large spiral galaxy NGC 772 lies at a distance of 106 million light-years in the constellation Aries. Tony Hallas has produced an extraordinary portrait of a rarely imaged galaxy. 08212
