Month: April 2026

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Two super images of Jupiter taken by Simon Dawes on the 6th & 7th April 2026.

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HOT OFF THE PRESS - TAKEN THIS MORNING Comet C2025 R3 (Panstarrs) by Jim Burchell.

This fantastic image was taken using a Seestar S50 smart scope at 4:00 UTC 2026/04/12.

36x10 second stacked images.

The comet is currently in the constellation Pegasus; skimming through the Great Square of Pegasus.

Below is a link to finderchart for the comet based from Bexley.

https://in-the-sky.org/findercharts.php?obj=CK25R030&duration=28

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The Jellyfish Nebula IC443, taken on the 17/18th March 2026 by member Kevin Langford.

Kevin acquired this stunning image using an ES102ED, with a focal reducer, L-eNhance filter on a Pegasus NYX-101.

4.8hrs of exposures.

Link to Kevin's Flickr page.
https://flic.kr/p/2s6r8z8

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Two super deep sky images taken by member Neil Webster from St Mary Platt, Kent.

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M97 - The Owl Nebula and M108.  The Owl Nebula is on the left of the image and M108 on the right.

The Owl Nebula (M97) or NGC 3587 is a faint planetary nebula in the constellation Ursa Major, located approximately 2030 light-years away.  Discovered in 1781, it is famous for two dark, eye-like spots produced by a hollow, barrel-shaped inner shell, giving it an owl-like appearance through telescopes.

M108 (also known as NGC 3556, nicknamed the Surfboard Galaxy) is a barred spiral galaxy about 46 million light-years away from Earth. 

From the Earth, the galaxy is seen almost edge-on.

Neil acquired the image using an AA 115mm APO, EQ6 R, ZWO ASI294 MC, Optolong L Pro filter, Orion 50mm Guide Scope, and ZWO ASI290 MM Guide Camera.

Processed in APT, PHD, Nebulosity, and PS.

55 x 120s Subs, 30 x Flats/Bias, 29 x Darks.

06/04/2026

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M44 The Beehive Cluster/Praesepe (also known as NGC 2632 or Cr 189)

M44 is an open cluster in the constellation Cancer.

Image taken using an AA 115mm APO, EQ6 R, 0.79x Reducer/Flattener, ZWO ASI294MC, Optolong L Pro filter, Orion 50mm Guide Scope, and ZWO ASI290 MM Guide Camera.

APT, PHD, Nebulosity, PS

121 x 60s Lights, 30 x Flats/Bias/Darks.

07/04/2026

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Three stunning images of some Atmospheric Optics taken by members whilst out and about.

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This superb image was taken by Honor Wheeler using a phone camera whilst walking in Surrey on the 22nd March 2026.  The stunning image shows a Halo, Sundog, and Upper tangent arc.

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This super image was taken by Janice McClean also using a phone camera on the 22nd March 2026 (Janice & Honor were on a walk together at the time) showing the Halo, Sundog and Upper tangent arc.

The Sundog is on the left of the photos and the Upper tangent arc is the white line going across the top of the halo (the circle).

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A stunning image taken by Andrew Godden whilst on holiday in Malta on the 4th April 2026 using a phone camera of a Circumscribed halo with Parhelic circle.

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Four great images of the Waxing Crescent Moon taken on the 22nd March 2026. The Moon had an illumination of about 15% - this is the percentage of the Moon illuminated by the Sun.

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This image was taken by member George Buckberry using a Samsung smart phone set in normal mode.  You can clearly see detail of the Moon in the Earthshine.

Earthshine is the faint sunlight reflected from Earth that illuminates the otherwise dark portion of the crescent Moon.

For more info about Earthshine follow the link below.

https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/advice/skills/earthshine-moon-what-is-how-see-it

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The Moon taken again using a Samsung smart phone by George Buckberry but this time set in dark mode cleary showing the waxing crescent.

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The Moon by Neil Webster.

Neil acquired the image using an AA 115mm APO, EQ6 R, ZWO ASI290MM, and R/IR filter.

3 frames: each 90s x 33fps (best 20% selected).

Processed using Firecapture, AutoStakkert, PS, and Microsoft ICE

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Mare Crisium on the Waxing Crescent Moon by Neil Webster - It's lovely to see some detail of the crater.

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The Moon & Sun by member George Buckberry; both taken using a Dwarf 3 smart scope.

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