Tag: telescope

Amateur Astronomy Gains Fans Who Bond Through Their Shared Love of the Starry Night

One evening, viewers of a virtual “star party” hosted from central Illinois got a glimpse of their host’s passion for the night sky when the patterned group of stars known as the constellation Orion the Hunter came into view. The regular Friday night gatherings of amateur astronomers observing celestial objects are hosted by Dr. John…


Scottish Stargazer Captures Jaw-Dropping Scenes of Outer Space With His Telescope From His Own Backyard

A space fan in Scotland has captured some jaw-dropping astrophotography depicting the heavens above—from the comfort of his back garden. Bryan Shaw, 28, spends hours tracking the night sky to produce stunning images of nebulas and star clusters many millions of light-years away. He sets up his specialized telescope at his home in New Cumnock,…


Backyard Aussie Stargazers Win Top Prize

A group of mates and a former mine worker with eyes on the stars have won top honours in the National Australian Convention of Amateur Astronomers. The contributions of the two amateur astronomy projects have been so significant that both were awarded the 2022 Page Award on Saturday. The first went to the team called…


Astrophotographer Snaps Hi-Resolution Solar ‘Mosaic’ Using Over 300,000 Shots From Telescope in His Backyard

There’s only so much beauty in the heavens that the human eye can capture. That’s why astrophotographer Andrew McCarthy trains his telescope and camera skyward from his backyard in Florence, Arizona—usually at night—to take in spectacular shots of stars, our silver lunar satellite orbiting overhead, or even the shimmering disk of the sun. The photographer…


NASA Nails Trickiest Job on Newly Launched Space Telescope

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.—NASA aced the most complicated, critical job on its newly launched space telescope Tuesday: unrolling and stretching a sunshade the size of a tennis court. Ground controllers cheered and bumped fists once the fifth and final layer of the sunshield was tightly secured. It took just 1.5 days to tighten the ultra-thin layers…


NASA’s Revolutionary Space Telescope Launched From French Guiana

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, built to give the world a glimpse of the universe as it existed when the first galaxies formed, was launched by rocket early Saturday from South America’s northeastern coast, opening a new era of astronomy. The revolutionary $9 billion infrared telescope, hailed by NASA as the premiere space-science observatory of…


NASA Launches Revolutionary Space Telescope to Give Glimpse of Early Universe

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, built to give the world a glimpse of the universe as it existed when the first galaxies formed, was launched by rocket early Saturday from South America’s northeastern coast, opening a new era of astronomy. The revolutionary $9 billion infrared telescope, described by NASA as the premiere space-science observatory of…


NASA Confirms Next Friday for Webb Space Telescope Launch

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.—NASA is shooting for next Friday—Christmas Eve—to launch its newest space telescope. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson confirmed Friday that the James Webb Space Telescope will attempt to blast off on Dec. 24. A European Ariane rocket will provide the lift from South America’s French Guiana. The $10 billion Webb—considered the successor to the…


NASA’s Webb Telescope Promises an ‘Amazing Journey’ for Astronomy

WASHINGTON—It was finished years late at a cost far higher than planned, but NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope due for launch next week may usher in a new era in astronomy as it gathers information on the universe’s past, star formation, and whether planets beyond our solar system may be suitable for life. The orbiting…


Launch of New NASA Space Telescope Delayed After Incident

BERLIN—The European Space Agency says the launch of a new NASA telescope to replace the famed Hubble observatory is being postponed to allow experts to check the device for possible damage following an incident at its spaceport in French Guiana. The ESA said in a statement late Monday that technicians had been preparing to attach…