astrophotography

Philip Plait Bad Astronomy Metsavainio Cygnus

A deep, deep photographic dive into the Cygnus the Swan

By Phil Plait 3 months ago

StDr 56, a possible planetary nebula in the constellation of Triangulum. It’s about the same size as the full Moon on the sky. Credit: Robert Pölz, Marcel Drechsler, Xavier Strottner

So what the heck is StDr 56?

By Phil Plait 9 months ago

The Antennae Galaxies, a pair of colliding spiral galaxies 45 million light years away. Credit: NASA/ESA/ESO/NAOJ, Rolf Olsen and Federico Pelliccia

Going deep on colliding galaxies

By Phil Plait 1 year ago

The comet C/2020 F3 NEOWISE rising over the village Spicheren, France on 07 July, 2020. Credit: Dr. Sebastian Voltmer

How to see NEOWISE, the best and brightest naked-eye comet in years

By Phil Plait 1 year ago

The total solar eclipse of July 2, 2019 over the ESO’s La Silla astronomical observatory in Chile. You can see the shadow of the Moon on the sky itself, a lopsided curve due to perspective. The “star” to the lower left is actually the planet Venus.

From Earth and from space, the wonder of a total solar eclipse

By Phil Plait 2 years ago

The Orion Nebula, one of the closest large star-forming regions in the galaxy. Credit: Adam Block/Steward Observatory/University of Arizona

A Block of Orion

By Phil Plait 2 years ago

The lunar swirl Reiner Gamma (Reiner crater is on the right), showing the lovely if baffling pattern on the lunar surface. Scientists are now confident these swirls are due to magnetism affecting solar wind erosion. Credit: NASA LRO WAC Science Team

FOLLOWUP: I saw the Lunar Swirl!

By Phil Plait 3 years ago

Sagittarius is a richly populated area of the sky, evidenced by this stunning image of nebulosity and stars… and a visitor. Credit: Roberto Colombari

A planet and a blooming trifid by a lagoon

By Phil Plait 3 years ago

An arc of gas betrays the motion of Vela X-1 through the galaxy; the star is plowing through gas and creating a bow shock. Credit: Rolf Olsen

Vela X-1 is plowing its way through the galaxy

By Phil Plait 3 years ago

The galactic center, a crowded metropolis of stars and dust. Credit: ESO/VVV Survey/D. Minniti & Acknowledgement: Ignacio Toledo

My god. It is full of stars.

By Phil Plait 3 years ago