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Observable comet count is 1957
Current exoplanet count is 6298
Current longitude II of the GRS is 90°
Today Monitor
Mars: January 16, 2025
Jupiter: January 10, 2026
Saturn: September 21, 2025
Uranus: November 21, 2025
Neptune: September 23, 2025
Evening: August 15, 2026 at 45.9°E
Morning: January 3, 2027 at 47.0°W
Morning: December 7, 2025 at 20.7°W
Evening: February 19, 2026 at 18.1°E
Morning: April 3, 2026 at 27.8°W
Evening: June 15, 2026 at 24.5°E
Morning: August 2, 2026 at 19.5°W
Evening: October 12, 2026 at 25.2°E
Morning: November 20, 2026 at 19.6°W
January 3: 225,130 mi (362,312 km)
November 24: 224,170 mi (360,768 km)
December 24: 221,667 mi (356,740 km)
given for 00:00 UT
| Date | Size | Age | Angle | Phase |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Apr 2026 | 30.89' | 24.94 | -6.797° | ![]() |
| 14 Apr 2026 | 31.37' | 25.94 | -6.885° | ![]() |
| 15 Apr 2026 | 31.85' | 26.94 | -6.540° | ![]() |
| 10 May 2026 | 30.42' | 22.51 | -7.002° | ![]() |
| 11 May 2026 | 30.85' | 23.51 | -7.546° | ![]() |
| 12 May 2026 | 31.34' | 24.51 | -7.695° | ![]() |
| 13 May 2026 | 31.86' | 25.51 | -7.381° | ![]() |
| 14 May 2026 | 32.37' | 26.51 | -6.565° | ![]() |
| 22 May 2026 | 32.03' | 5.17 | 6.635° | ![]() |
| 23 May 2026 | 31.56' | 6.17 | 7.101° | ![]() |
| 24 May 2026 | 31.11' | 7.17 | 7.159° | ![]() |
| 25 May 2026 | 30.71' | 8.17 | 6.868° | ![]() |
| 07 Jun 2026 | 30.39' | 21.17 | -7.053° | ![]() |
| 08 Jun 2026 | 30.79' | 22.17 | -7.626° | ![]() |
| 09 Jun 2026 | 31.25' | 23.17 | -7.834° | ![]() |
| 10 Jun 2026 | 31.75' | 24.17 | -7.603° | ![]() |
| 11 Jun 2026 | 32.25' | 25.17 | -6.885° | ![]() |
| 19 Jun 2026 | 32.20' | 3.88 | 6.768° | ![]() |
| 20 Jun 2026 | 31.68' | 4.88 | 7.364° | ![]() |
| 21 Jun 2026 | 31.18' | 5.88 | 7.508° | ![]() |
| 22 Jun 2026 | 30.71' | 6.88 | 7.253° | ![]() |
| 23 Jun 2026 | 30.31' | 7.88 | 6.670° | ![]() |
| 05 Jul 2026 | 30.48' | 19.88 | -6.530° | ![]() |
| 06 Jul 2026 | 30.82' | 20.88 | -7.017° | ![]() |
| 07 Jul 2026 | 31.21' | 21.88 | -7.189° | ![]() |
| 08 Jul 2026 | 31.64' | 22.88 | -6.986° | ![]() |
| 18 Jul 2026 | 31.76' | 3.60 | 6.894° | ![]() |
| 19 Jul 2026 | 31.25' | 4.60 | 7.142° | ![]() |
| 20 Jul 2026 | 30.77' | 5.60 | 6.982° | ![]() |
| 21 Jul 2026 | 30.35' | 6.60 | 6.469° | ![]() |
| 19 Nov 2026 | 30.64' | 9.71 | -6.939° | ![]() |
| 20 Nov 2026 | 31.11' | 10.71 | -7.238° | ![]() |
| 21 Nov 2026 | 31.62' | 11.71 | -7.063° | ![]() |
| 01 Dec 2026 | 31.73' | 21.71 | 6.670° | ![]() |
| 02 Dec 2026 | 31.32' | 22.71 | 6.898° | ![]() |
| 03 Dec 2026 | 30.93' | 23.71 | 6.823° | ![]() |
| 04 Dec 2026 | 30.59' | 24.71 | 6.497° | ![]() |
| 16 Dec 2026 | 30.14' | 6.96 | -6.743° | ![]() |
| 17 Dec 2026 | 30.53' | 7.96 | -7.511° | ![]() |
| 18 Dec 2026 | 30.98' | 8.96 | -7.903° | ![]() |
| 19 Dec 2026 | 31.49' | 9.96 | -7.840° | ![]() |
| 20 Dec 2026 | 32.03' | 10.96 | -7.269° | ![]() |
| 29 Dec 2026 | 31.92' | 19.96 | 7.182° | ![]() |
| 30 Dec 2026 | 31.41' | 20.96 | 7.556° | ![]() |
| 31 Dec 2026 | 30.94' | 21.96 | 7.540° | ![]() |
| Date | Size | Age | Angle | Phase |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 06 Apr 2026 | 29.57' | 17.94 | 6.680° | ![]() |
| 07 Apr 2026 | 29.51' | 18.94 | 6.724° | ![]() |
| 08 Apr 2026 | 29.52' | 19.94 | 6.480° | ![]() |
| 20 Apr 2026 | 33.00' | 2.51 | -6.607° | ![]() |
| 21 Apr 2026 | 32.84' | 3.51 | -6.460° | ![]() |
| 03 May 2026 | 29.54' | 15.51 | 6.518° | ![]() |
| 04 May 2026 | 29.46' | 16.51 | 6.605° | ![]() |
| 05 May 2026 | 29.44' | 17.51 | 6.405° | ![]() |
| 17 May 2026 | 33.33' | 0.17 | -6.476° | ![]() |
| 18 May 2026 | 33.34' | 1.17 | -6.448° | ![]() |
| 30 May 2026 | 29.51' | 13.17 | 6.463° | ![]() |
| 31 May 2026 | 29.43' | 14.17 | 6.568° | ![]() |
| 13 Jun 2026 | 33.11' | 27.17 | -6.427° | ![]() |
| 14 Jun 2026 | 33.36' | 28.17 | -6.531° | ![]() |
| 26 Jun 2026 | 29.56' | 10.88 | 6.527° | ![]() |
| 27 Jun 2026 | 29.45' | 11.88 | 6.652° | ![]() |
| 28 Jun 2026 | 29.41' | 12.88 | 6.490° | ![]() |
| 10 Jul 2026 | 32.49' | 24.88 | -6.447° | ![]() |
| 11 Jul 2026 | 32.86' | 25.88 | -6.669° | ![]() |
| 12 Jul 2026 | 33.13' | 26.88 | -6.449° | ![]() |
| 23 Jul 2026 | 29.74' | 8.60 | 6.610° | ![]() |
| 24 Jul 2026 | 29.56' | 9.60 | 6.784° | ![]() |
| 25 Jul 2026 | 29.47' | 10.60 | 6.664° | ![]() |
| 06 Aug 2026 | 31.97' | 22.60 | -6.454° | ![]() |
| 07 Aug 2026 | 32.28' | 23.60 | -6.764° | ![]() |
| 08 Aug 2026 | 32.55' | 24.60 | -6.663° | ![]() |
| 19 Aug 2026 | 30.03' | 6.27 | 6.582° | ![]() |
| 20 Aug 2026 | 29.77' | 7.27 | 6.838° | ![]() |
| 21 Aug 2026 | 29.60' | 8.27 | 6.792° | ![]() |
| 22 Aug 2026 | 29.52' | 9.27 | 6.456° | ![]() |
| 03 Sep 2026 | 32.04' | 21.27 | -6.743° | ![]() |
| 04 Sep 2026 | 32.20' | 22.27 | -6.729° | ![]() |
| 16 Sep 2026 | 30.00' | 4.86 | 6.742° | ![]() |
| 17 Sep 2026 | 29.76' | 5.86 | 6.785° | ![]() |
| 18 Sep 2026 | 29.61' | 6.86 | 6.531° | ![]() |
| 30 Sep 2026 | 32.24' | 18.86 | -6.599° | ![]() |
| 01 Oct 2026 | 32.32' | 19.86 | -6.660° | ![]() |
| 13 Oct 2026 | 30.13' | 2.34 | 6.547° | ![]() |
| 14 Oct 2026 | 29.88' | 3.34 | 6.667° | ![]() |
| 15 Oct 2026 | 29.68' | 4.34 | 6.483° | ![]() |
| 27 Oct 2026 | 32.60' | 16.34 | -6.403° | ![]() |
| 28 Oct 2026 | 32.75' | 17.34 | -6.553° | ![]() |
| 09 Nov 2026 | 30.10' | 29.34 | 6.404° | ![]() |
| 10 Nov 2026 | 29.88' | 0.71 | 6.566° | ![]() |
| 11 Nov 2026 | 29.70' | 1.71 | 6.425° | ![]() |
| 24 Nov 2026 | 32.95' | 14.71 | -6.524° | ![]() |
| 06 Dec 2026 | 30.03' | 26.71 | 6.414° | ![]() |
| 07 Dec 2026 | 29.82' | 27.71 | 6.594° | ![]() |
| 08 Dec 2026 | 29.65' | 28.71 | 6.474° | ![]() |
| 21 Dec 2026 | 32.55' | 11.96 | -6.593° | ![]() |
| 22 Dec 2026 | 32.99' | 12.96 | -6.555° | ![]() |
Source: NASA/GSFC
Source: apod.nasa.gov
Mirror: star.ucl.ac.uk
Sorry, currently unavailable.
Image/illustration credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU
2026-03-13 Exoplanets
On Feb 6, 2026, NASAs SPARCS Mission returned first images of an exoplanet, HD 71262, in both, near-UV and far-UV. SPARCS' mission is for monitoring flares and sunspot activity on low-mass stars about 30% to 70% the mass of the Sun which are likely to host rocky planets inside their habitable zones. Link to source 🔗
Image/illustration credit: astropical.space
2026-02-08 solar system
AR4366 stands out as the most active sunspot of early 2026, producing an extraordinary sequence of high‑energy flares and posing meaningful space‑weather risks as it faces Earth. Its behavior is characteristic of a highly unstable, rapidly evolving magnetic system capable of generating the strongest solar eruptions of the cycle. Ø71mm APO, IMX178 camera.
Backlog
No, we are not on Facebook but proudly on AstroBin with Mille Gracie to the author Salvatore Iovene:

If anybody is interested in the night life of bats, here is a funny 1-minute MP4 video (24MB).
The author's first steps into video editing. They are about Deepsky & Lunar imaging, Milky Way & Constellations, Solar System, Apollo Missions, Artemis II and LROC.
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| Constellation | Camelopardalis |
| Distance | 7.72 parsec (25.19ly) |
| Magnitude | 12.37 vis. |
| Spectral type | M4 V |
| Mass | 0.262 xSun |
| Radius | 0.275 xSun |
| Temperature | 3340°K |
| Known planet(s) | 1 |
Piscis Austrinids
15 Jul - 10 Aug, Peak: 7/28
Radiant: Star Chart, Rating: faint
Rana (23 Del Eri) in Eri [HIP 17378]
Distance: 29 light-years, Magnitude: 3.54
Delta (23) Eridani, or Rana, Latin for frog, is just under 30 light-years away in Eridanus. Being 3 times more luminous and measuring 2.327 times the radius of the sun, Rana is a subgiant with 1.33 solar masses which has almost depleted its hydrogen, now consuming helium as it expands. The star rotates slowly at 1 km/s.
Star Chart | DSS IR Image 🔗GJ 229 A (GJ 229 A ) in Lepus
Distance: 19 light-years, Magnitude: 8.1
Gliese 229 (Gl 229 or GJ 229) is a red dwarf about 19 light years away in the constellation Lepus. It has 58% the mass of the sun, measures 69% solar radii and exhibits a very low projected rotation velocity of 1 km/s at its equator. Gliese 229 A has a companion, B, in a mean distance of over 35AU with an orbital period of over 10,000 days, plus a Neptune mass planet, b, in 0.97AU orbiting A once in 471 days.
Star Chart | DSS IR Image 🔗

M45 (Open Cluster) in Taurus
Magnitude: 1.2
As one of the closest of star clusters, M45 is dominated by hot blue stars that have only formed within the last 100 million years. The 'Pleiades' are moving through a cloud of interstellar dust 440 light-years away,
Star Chart | DSS IR Image 🔗Aries (northern), area rank: 39

One of the 12 zodiac constellations which lies south of Andromeda with Triangulum in between. About 2,000 years ago it was the zero-point of the zodiac, however, nowadays, the vernal equinox is precessing towards Pisces.
Star Chart1P/Halley

Known since prehistoric times, comet 1P/Halley, with a 15km wide peanut-shaped nucleus, is the most popular short period comet returning every 75 to 76 years. The comet was named after English astronomer Edmond Halley, who determined the comet's periodicity. Halley's last perihelion occurred in 1986, next next is expected for mid 2061. In 1986, comet Halley has been imaged by ESA's Giotto and the multi-national Vega missions.
2010 CF19 (NEO)
Semi-major: 1.19425 AU, Size: 0.15 km

2010 CF19 is a 90 to 280 meters wide Apollo-type NEO Asteroid with a period of 1.31 years.
Iapetus (moon of Saturn)

Discovered in 1671, Iapetus is dark as coal on its leading hemisphere and bright on its trailing caused by a mechanism which is still unknown, probably thermal segregation. The second most notable feature of Iapetus is its equatorial ridge, a chain of 10km high mountains girdling the moon's equator.
UZ For c (in Fornax)
Mass: 7.7 xJup
SMA: 2.8 AU
Period: 1916.25 days
Category: Jovian
ESI: 0