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Stella-Luna Observatory

@stellalunaobs.bsky.social
97 followers 97 following 345 posts

A personal observatory in Medina, Ohio. Interested in astronomy, solar observations, astronomy outreach, astrophotography, science.

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Stella-Luna Observatory @stellalunaobs.bsky.social · 44m
Saturn early on "opposition day" was a bright yellowish "star" to the unaided eye. To the telescope, however, it shown in all its glory. Recently discussed in astronomy circles was the dark blotch and distorted Cassini Division line (left-hand side here) within the ring system;
The planet Saturn appears here at a jaunty angle and in warm color tones, with hinds of cloud banding on the planetary body.. Its nearby moons are not visible in this image. The "spoke" or disruption mentioned in the post appears as a dark blotch or smudge in the ring plane on the left side of the planetary disk. The portion of the Cassini Division near that blotch also appears to be disrupted; the detail gives observers an interesting detail to follow as it eventually fades.
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Kevin M. Gill @kevinmgill.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
150 Seconds of City Light - A stack of 10 images, 15 seconds each, taken by Anil Menon aboard the International Space Station on September 20th. flic.kr/p/2sDNZ95
Streaks of light from stars (above) and city lights (below). Steaks are interrupted periodically during breaks in the exposures. The atmosphere appears green. Some components of the ISS are seen at the edges.

NASA/ISS/JSC/ESRS/University of Texas at El Paso/Anil Menon/Kevin M. Gill
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Stella-Luna Observatory @stellalunaobs.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Not the best day for solar observation but the "magic" of narrow-band imaging and image stacking actually worked a bit of a miracle! Region 4535 near the western limb (right), and 4544 below and to its left. Numerous prominences were also present. #astronomy #sun #solarastronomy
Not the best day for solar observation -- seeing was terrible with passing clouds also making a contribution -- but the "magic" of narrow-band imaging and image stacking actually worked a bit of a miracle! SWPC reports Solar activity at "very low" levels and that both active regions currently numbered showed some decay: Region 4535 near the western limb (right), and 4544 below and to its left. The active regions appear as light-colored patches in our image. Numerous prominences were also present and several large filaments are distributed to the Solar quadrants.
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Michelle @michelleroy78.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Why "hemorrhoids" aren't called "asteroids" is a total mystery to me. I mean, come on scientists.
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CosmicRami 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ @rami.spaceaustralia.com · 30/09/2026
Yeah, um, I think the words I am looking for here are "JFC" This is what Sydney's skies would look like tonight under these conditions.
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Stella-Luna Observatory @stellalunaobs.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Our Sun has been at generally low activity levels, of late. Today, September 29, 2026, only one of the Solar active regions displayed sunspots — AR4535. Via hydrogen-alpha light, 4535 appears as a bright patch in the sea of chromosphere plasma, shown here in false color. #astronomy
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Ars Technica @arstechnica.com · 28/09/2026
arstechnica.com
Boeing "incredibly excited" to serve as nation's only astronaut transportation
We couldn't provide detailed pricing to the CLD suppliers."
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Paul Voosen @voosen.me · 28/09/2026
New Horizons is now *three days away* from shutting off its two heliophysics instruments, simply because NASA has not provided the $2M in funding it had promised to the mission last year or this year. There is no science basis for shutting these off. Our earlier coverage:
science.org
NASA’s New Horizons mission may shut down two instruments over lack of funding
Decision risks “incalculable loss” of data from the edge of the Sun’s influence, scientists say
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Stella-Luna Observatory @stellalunaobs.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Image of the Full Harvest Moon, processed to enhance the ejecta ray networks that mark some of the newer craters. September 27, 2026.
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Stella-Luna Observatory @stellalunaobs.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Beautiful blue skies this morning, though seeing was a bit shaky, allowed Solar observing at long last! NO sunspots were visible today. Plentiful prominences to observe, however, including a rather sturdy looking one at about the nine o'clock position on the Solar disk -- the eastern limb.
A full-disk image of the sun, recorded in hydrogen-alpha light, displays several long filament structures as well as prominences around the rim of the disk. A large prominence is situated at about the nine o’clock position on the disk — the eastern limb. September 18, 2026. By James Guilford.
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Space Telescope Science Institute @stsci.edu · 15/09/2026
#NASARoman activated the Wide Field Instrument—a 300-megapixel infrared camera that will allow it to explore wide swaths of the cosmos quickly. This test image captures the very first photons of starlight to reach the instrument—taken as an initial performance assessment: go.nasa.gov/4rg4qEc
At the top, a grid of 21 panels shows a series of blue images with tiny neon green and yellow circles. A larger image highlights a section of the grid with circular patterns, and an inset presents a detailed star-like diffraction pattern. The colors consist of blue, green, and yellow.
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American Astronomical Society (AAS) @aas.org · 14/09/2026
The American Astronomical Society today announced that Dr. Emily Levesque (University of Washington) has been confirmed as the next Editor in Chief of the AAS journals. 🔭https://aas.org/press/emily-levesque-named-editor-chief-aas-journals @publishing.aas.org
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Riding With Robots @ridingrobots.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
One of the many things about Pluto that is more interesting to me than whether it's called a planet or not.
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Stella-Luna Observatory @stellalunaobs.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Trying out monochrome rendering of today's Solar image, recorded in hydrogen-alpha light. It's not as "flashy" as the bright orange versions we usually do but a different level or set of details is presented. I'm adding the false color edition for comparison. #solar #astronomy #astrophotography
A white light rendering of the hydrogen-alpha view of the sun. It shows surface textures, filaments, and magnetic disruptions of the chromosphere, as well as prominences around the rim of the disk. Imaged September 14, 2026 by James Guilford.A false color rendering of the hydrogen-alpha view of the sun. It shows surface textures, filaments, and magnetic disruptions of the chromosphere, as well as prominences around the rim of the disk. Imaged September 14, 2026 by James Guilford.
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Steve Brown - astronomy and astrophotography @sjbastro.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
If you have a very good southwest horizon early this evening, 14 September, you might be able to spot the 14% lit crescent #Moon just to the left of bright planet Venus. The viewing window is very short though as the pair are rapidly setting. View around 19:30 BST (18:30 UT). #Astronomy
Stellarium graphic showing the 14% lit crescent Moon to the left of Venus at 19:30 BST (18:30 UT) on 14 September 2026.
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Ars Technica @arstechnica.com · 11/09/2026
All that’s required is a compromised website, a fake CAPTCHA overlay, and the inclusion of a single terminal command.
arstechnica.com
ClickFix attacks infecting PCs and Macs are going viral
Simplicity—combined with the difficulty of getting stuff done—makes ClickFix ideal.
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Ars Technica @arstechnica.com · 11/09/2026
There is an expanding consensus among AI executives and biosecurity researchers that the use of this technology in biology needs to be secured and regulated as models become more advanced.
arstechnica.com
Claude users found ways around safeguards for bioweapons research
Some dangerous biology looks much like legitimate research, complicating AI safeguards.
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Robert "The Bobby Yaga" McNees @mcnees.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
This is shocking to hear! Einstein kept a picture of Maxwell on his office wall and admired him more than any other scientist. Every fall I teach a whole course about his work. This is like hearing that Westminster Abbey might be purchased so a new car rental place can built on Newton’s grave.
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US National Gemini Office @usngo.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
This week’s image is of the comet C/2025 K1 ☄️! Gemini’s GMOS-N captured this image, where you can see the comet's main body right beside two fragments that broke off! Check out the 🧵 for another paper. #Astronomy 📸 in thread
A color image of Comet C/2025 K1 set against a dark space background dotted with scattered red and blue stars. The comet features a bright, glowing central core (the parent body) with a broad, diffuse white tail sweeping diagonally toward the lower left. Just behind the bright main core, faint, smaller glowing fragments are visible, illustrating the comet breaking apart as it travels through space.
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European Space History @eurospacehistory.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
#ThisWeek in 2007, the NASA/ESA/ASI Cassini spacecraft took this close-up of saturnian moon Iapetus on 10 September. This mountainous terrain reaches 10 km in height along the unique equatorial ridge of the moon 🧪🔭 www.esa.int/ESA_Multimed... @science.esa.int @carolynporco.bsky.social @esa.int
This stunning close-up shows mountainous terrain reaching about 10 km in height along the unique equatorial ridge of Iapetus. The view was acquired during Cassini's only close flyby of the two-toned Saturn moon. 
Above the middle of the image can be seen a place where an impact has exposed the bright ice beneath the dark overlying material. Image scale is 23 m per pixel (pic: NASA/JPL/SSI)
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Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans @astroroyalscot.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
Well I think I am liking this new +ve PM! In response to @sarahrussellmp.bsky.social on Jodrell: "there must be a way to save #JodrellBank and I give her a commitment at this dispatch box - we will find it" Brilliant Burnham! Can you now save all the other epic projects that have also been cut 🙏🔭
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Prof Gavin Yamey MD MPH @gavinyamey.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
Letter from 130 bioethicists condemns the “unwarranted, ill-advised, & frankly bizarre vendetta against a scientist, Dr. Anthony Fauci, rather than making a sincere effort to learn from the painful experiences of the pandemic to improve national preparedness” bioethicstoday.org/blog/an-open...
bioethicstoday.org
Blog - An Open Letter of Support for Anthony Fauci from the Bioethics Community - Bioethics Today
As individuals concerned with ethics in science, medicine, and public health, we wish to express our dismay at the approach taken by Senate leaders to
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Joel @itsjoels.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
This is the letter kids got at the end of Dolly’s Imagination Library. I defy you to read this and not cry.
Sorry, I can’t type that.
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Stella-Luna Observatory @stellalunaobs.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
A quick look at our Sun today revealed several active regions, including 4513 at the Earth-facing center of the Solar disk. “Solar activity reached moderate levels” according to the SWPC, “due to M-class flare activity from Region 4513….” One flare sent a CME Earthward, expected here Thursday!
The Sun in white light appears as a gray disk with a smattering of sunspots running diagonally across from lower left to upper right.
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Dr. Ryan French @ryanjfrench.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
Even small solar flares can be beautiful. Here is a video of today’s moderate #SolarFlare, displaying mesmerising ‘coronal rain’ and ‘supra-arcade downflows’!
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Stella-Luna Observatory @stellalunaobs.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
A large and beautiful prominence bloomed over Sun’s western limb this morning! It appeared to change shape during our brief observation window. A active region with a history of flares has rolled into view from the eastern Solar edge.
The prominence appears as a spray of filaments spewing from the rim of the solar disk — much like a decorative water fountain. This image was recorded in hydrogen-alpha light, false color added in processing.A group of sunspots near the eastern solar horizon. This image was recorded in white light, false color added in processing.
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Paul Byrne @theplanetaryguy.com · 18/08/2026
THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE WHEN YOU SLAM A ROCKET INTO THE MOON New images just dropped from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, showing the crater formed by a SpaceX Falcon 9 upper stage when it hit the Moon on 5 August 2026. The new crater is 18 m across and 3 m deep.
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Stella-Luna Observatory @stellalunaobs.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
Late start due to Sun clearing trees later meant roiled air and only fair seeing this morning. Observed several active regions, all in the western hemisphere, no sunspots in the eastern hemisphere, and all were confined to the solar equatorial area. This solar cycle appears to be fading away.
A square image depicting a section of the sun's western hemisphere, the solar rim curving from top to bottom of the right-hand portion of the frame. Two large sunspots are seen at center, a group of smaller sunspots with light colored disruptions around them, are near the horizon in the uppoer right-hand area of the solar image.
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Doug Clow @dougclow.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
With the solar eclipse coming up on Wednesday evening it’s good to draw people’s attention to this useful and timeless* explainer of different astronomical phenomena. * since 2014 in its original Twitter form
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Stella-Luna Observatory @stellalunaobs.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
Mare Imbrium, the Sea of Showers, as it appeared during Moon’s Last Quarter phase on the morning of August 5, 2026. The distinct crater with spidery ejecta lines radiating from it is Copernicus. With a diameter of about 711 miles, Imbrium is one of the largest craters in the Solar System. #MoonJoy
As described in the post. This is a monochrome image with Mare Imbrium occupying most of the upper area, and Copernicus crater located near center at the lower third of this portrait-oriented picture. Imbrium appears as a large, round, flat area with a few craters in it, but most of it is smooth looking, dark lava material. A bright arc of mountain tops on the right-hand rim of the crater/sea helps define the overall shape.
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CosmicRami 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ @rami.spaceaustralia.com · 06/08/2026
This is really *neat* work .... (see last repost for media article). Here is the Nature paper. I flog this point often but ..... We absolutely take it for granted that there is a "Sun" in our sky, but it is always good to remember that you actually live (relatively) close to .... a friggen star!
nature.com
Ubiquitous Kelvin–Helmholtz instabilities driving plasma mixing on the Sun - Nature
High-spatial-resolution observations of the solar photosphere reveal a far more complex and dynamic solar scene than previously observed and show that ubiquitous Kelvin–Helmholtz instabilities drive p...
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Stella-Luna Observatory @stellalunaobs.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
It is quite excellent! #Voyager
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ESO @eso.org · 28/07/2026
The conclusion of a century-long quest 😲 Our VLT obtained firm evidence that Betelgeuse, a red supergiant star in the Orion constellation and one of the most famous stars in the night sky, is not alone! 🔭 🧪 1/4
A collage of various astronomical images. The background image shows a wide view of a starry night sky, with blue lines connecting the stars of the Orion constellation. An inset image zooms into the star Betelgeuse, showing its orange surface. A second inset shows a bright companion next to the star. Image by ESO/M. Montargès et al. Background: N. Rissinger (skysurvey.org).
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Stella-Luna Observatory @stellalunaobs.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
The national synchrotron source, a laser facility and a particle accelerator are under threat of closure unless cash is found. Among the sites at risk looks to be the UK’s Jodrell Bank Observatory and its iconic Lovell radio telescope. www.nature.com/articles/d41...
nature.com
The existential choice facing UK physics facilities: commercialize or close
The national synchrotron source, a laser facility and a particle accelerator are under threat of closure unless cash is found.
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Stella-Luna Observatory @stellalunaobs.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
Taking advantage of a respite between wildfire smoke and clouds, we set up the hydrogen-alpha solar telescope and captured some images. Seeing was remarkably good, considering the recent hubbub; while haze may have impacted transparency somewhat this morning, the atmosphere was steady.
A full disk image of the sun as recorded in hydrogen-alpha light. Several filament features are visible, and the solar rim is lined with numerous small prominences, spicules, and at about the three o'clock position on the disk, an impressive prominence. July 20, 2026This is an inverted (positive/negative) false-color view of the western Solar limb showing several filaments in detail, the roiling chromosphere, and an impressive prominence at the limb in the lower right-hand portion of this image. Recorded in hydrogen-alpha light, July 20, 2026. James Guilford
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Stella-Luna Observatory @stellalunaobs.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
Dodging clouds, dealing with building heat, this image was worth the frustrations! This is the Waning Crescent Moon, 31% illuminated, at 11:05 AM EDT, July 9, via Askar 103APO telescope, ZWO ASI183MM Pro camera, IR Pass filter, processed in Pixelmator Pro. Yes, delighted!
Earth's Moon appears as a gray crescent against a black background in this image recorded during the daytime. A filter and a simple Levels adjustment in Pixelmator Pro produced the dramatic result. Lunar seas dominate the northern half of the image, while the heavily-cratered south is highlighted along the terminator.
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Stella-Luna Observatory @stellalunaobs.bsky.social · 09/06/2026
The negative, or inverted rendition of one of Monday's morning moonshots. I like these because, well, they're an unusual way to view astronomical images and some of the more delicate details show a bit better -- I mean just look at those ejecta rays around the craters! #moonjoy #moon #astronomy
As described in the post, this image of the northwest quadrant of Earth's Moon shows the image as a photographic negative -- amber in color, not blue as in a previous post. Ejecta rays are especially visible around Crater Kepler, near the center of this picture.
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Stella-Luna Observatory @stellalunaobs.bsky.social · 08/06/2026
Lunar Blueprints. A quick imaging session this morning resulted in some interesting views of our nearest neighbor in space. These images were recorded at about 8:00 AM EDT resulting in the blue skies of Earth tinting and softening Lunar features. #MoonJoy #bluemoon #daytimemoon #moon #astronomy
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Princess Vimentin PhD | Cancer Biologist @princess-vimentin.bsky.social · 06/06/2026
"Mix politics and science, you get politics. You kind of lose everything else." -Francis Collins
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NSF–DOE Rubin Observatory @rubinobservatory.org · 05/06/2026
Welcome to #RubinInFocus: a new series exploring the complex tech behind the NSF–DOE Rubin Observatory! 🔭🧪 First up: this sci-fi-looking structure is Rubin's giant calibration screen. But what does a giant glowing wall actually do in an observatory? 👇 🧵
An ominous blue donut-shaped ring surrounded by a thin red ring glows ominously in the dark to the left. To the right, Rubin's large steel telescope mount structure is barely visible, softly illuminated by the glow.
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Heidi B. Hammel @hbhammel.bsky.social · 05/06/2026
The Planetary Society created a fact sheet and action alert about the recent OMB proposal that would, among other things, insert politics into the proposal review process across science. More discussion here: www.planetary.org/articles/whe...
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Rae Radford @raeradford.bsky.social · 06/06/2026
Absolutely, what a feeling... #BookSky
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Stella-Luna Observatory @stellalunaobs.bsky.social · 04/06/2026
Active Region 4455 exploded on 2026/06/02, with several flares sending multiple corornal mass ejections Earthward. This image, in hydrogen-alpha light, shows the Region with several white areas called plage, and a large sunspot. Lines and curves are magnetic field lines outlined in Solar plasma.
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Stella-Luna Observatory @stellalunaobs.bsky.social · 28/05/2026
Solar activity levels were officially reported to be at low levels but today's Sun was offering some excellent views. A large area of prominence activity on the southwest Solar limb was visually dominant. We were able to image earlier in the quiet morning today due to the higher Sun clearing trees!
Full disk image of Earth's Sun shows numerous prominences around the rim of the circle. A good-sized pointed prominence is located at about the 11 o'clock position while a large area of prominence activity is seen at about the 3:30 spot. Today only a few skinny filaments were occupying the solar disk. Sun in hydrogen-alpha light, May 28, 2026, monochrome image with false color applied.
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Stella-Luna Observatory @stellalunaobs.bsky.social · 08/05/2026
It seems every time we attempted to finalize edits, the software essentially threw up! So before finalizing this one, we made a screen capture and I’m glad! Numerous spicules can be seen along the rim, and the prominence itself has an unexpected dynamical look. #solarobserving #solarastronomy #sun
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Stella-Luna Observatory @stellalunaobs.bsky.social · 08/05/2026
Difficult to image but fascinating to watch as involved, this dynamic prominence. It was on the northeastern Solar limb and, we think, collapsing during our observing run. It’s the first time we’ve noticed changes in such a feature in real time. Cloudy days ahead. #solarastronomy #solarobserving
A glowing, splash-shaped feature on the edge of the arc of this solar image is the prominence described in the post.Inverted image (dark for light / light for dark) shows details of the prominence discussed in the post.
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Tom Sutcliffe @tds153.bsky.social · 30/04/2026
Well I was thinking of going to the gym this morning. Hardly seems worth it now.
Times headline, beneath a picture of an exploding planet. 
“Universe 'may end trillions of years sooner than expected'
Scientists have predicted the cosmos could meet its fate in just 19.5 billion years'time, collapsing inwards to a single point in a 'Big Crunch'”
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Stella-Luna Observatory @stellalunaobs.bsky.social · 25/04/2026
“Keivan Stassun, a physicist and astronomer at Vanderbilt University, who has been a board member since 2022 said he had personally received confirmation from a third of the board members that they had been terminated by the boilerplate emails, which provided no reason.” wapo.st/3P3DSY2
wapo.st
Trump ousts National Science Board members
Members of the independent board that guides the National Science Foundation said they received a notice from the White House that their position was being terminated.
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Valorie Nichols @meadowdays.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
Happy National Library Week! 💙📚
Support these data centers: SCHOOLS, LIBRARIES, BOOKSTORES
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Stella-Luna Observatory @stellalunaobs.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
“International Dark Sky Week is hailed as a global celebration of the night and a call for less light pollution. In some cities internationally, local governments are trying to find a solution to lighting … better serve critical wildlife ecosystems and humans alike.” www.pbs.org/newshour/sho...
pbs.org
Cities turn streetlights red to protect nocturnal ecosystems
International Dark Sky Week is hailed as a global celebration of the night and a call for less light pollution. In some cities internationally, local governments are trying to find a solution to light...
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