Category Archives: Astrophotography

On Wednesday (Dec. 7), skywatchers around the world were treated to a celestial show as the full moon eclipsed Mars in the night sky.

The rare event, known as a lunar occultation, refers to one celestial body — in this case, Mars — appearing to disappear or hide behind another — in this case, the moon. This occultation was particularly noteworthy because Mars was at opposition, meaning Earth was directly between it and the sun, making the Red Planet appear particularly bright in the night sky. 

Related: See Mars at opposition in these free webcasts tonight (Dec. 8)

Fifty years ago, on December 7, 1972, NASA’s Saturn V rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, carrying the last of the Apollo-era astronauts to walk on the lunar surface. 

Apollo 17—the sixth and final mission of NASA’s history-making initiative to land human explorers on the moon—was a scientific breakthrough: During their 75-hour lunar stay, crewmembers Eugene A. Cernan, Ronald E. Evans, and Harrison H. Schmitt collected rare types of lunar rock and samples of “orange soil,” or regolith, that once formed in a lunar volcanic eruption, indicating that the moon’s past eras of geologic activity lasted longer than previously thought—which recent research has confirmed. But their most influential observation quickly became a milestone in our culture: With the help of one iconic photo, the mission vastly changed the way humans view our space environment. 

About five hours into the crew’s moon-bound journey, the shrinking sphere of our world drew someone’s gaze (it’s still up in the air which member of the three-person crew was responsible) to the window. Upon seeing the beautiful, brightly illuminated Earth, a particularly astute astronaut grabbed hold of the onboard Hasselblad film camera and began snapping. Among those images was the one now known as the Blue Marble shot, the first photograph ever taken of the planet in its entirety. 

The once-in-a-lifetime shot showcases the African continent, which is almost completely visible and backed by the swirling blue ocean. Above it, chaotic, wind-swept clouds dot our atmosphere. This was Earth as humanity had never seen it before, richly detailed and alight with life.

Easily one of the most recognizable space images ever made, Blue Marble is the only picture of the entire, round Earth taken by human hands to date. It and those first few stunning images of our planet went on to inform how official space agency photographers arrange shots of Earth and other celestial bodies, and influenced the way we take and share images of space today. 

Travis Rector, an astronomer at the University of Alaska Anchorage and an astrophotographer, someone who takes photos of space phenomena in their free time, believes that all astronomers of his generation were especially inspired by the beauty of early space-age photos. “They were our first high-quality views of exotic worlds like Mars and the moon, turning these dots in the sky into real worlds we could imagine visiting in person,” he says. “The Blue Marble photo is especially important because not only does it show the spectacular beauty of our world but also its limits.” 

[Related: How scientists colorize Hubble’s deep space photographs]

Those limits are all the world’s resources, like the food, air, and water that sustain us, he says. Yet in celebrating Apollo 17’s 50th anniversary, how has humanity’s ability to capture otherworldly beauty evolved since we began heading to the stars? 

When Blue Marble is compared to modern high-resolution pictures of Earth and other celestial entities delivered by satellite, or by the Artemis program’s soon-to-be-returning Orion spacecraft, for example, the difference a few decades of technological advancement makes is palpable. In fact, the advent of more powerful cameras, able to take photos in infrared, X-ray, and other light that our eyes cannot see, is a major influence on our expectations about what the universe looks like. 

The second factor, Rector notes, is “better data-processing and image-processing software.” As every iteration of spacecraft improved, camera-equipped craft have taken many of the daring space images that adorn our nerdiest space merchandise. And humanity has only gotten better at sending and receiving data from its most distant space explorers. Though Apollo often sent back grainy black and white video from the moon, according to NASA, the Artemis II mission will transmit ultra high-definition video from lunar orbit.

Such incredible technicolor is a far cry away from when the Voyager missions, twin crafts that are now celebrating their 45th mission year, were sent to space with what would be now rudimentary 800×800 pixel digital video cameras. “For comparison, the Wide Field Instrument that will fly on the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is a 300-megapixel camera,” Rector says. He imagines that the technology we use to take high-resolution images of space might still evolve as cameras get better at measuring light without the need for filters, noting that it “will open up all sorts of new ways to make color composite images of space.”

[Related: 2021’s best space photos are out of this world]

Astrophotography has become a beloved staple across social media, the final product of which is often featured on hundreds of dedicated websites, and emblazoned on clothing, book covers, and space-inspired posters. And as the first of NASA’s next-generation lunar missions comes to an end, the returned stills and videos gifted us by Orion have already cemented their place as some of the most absorbing snapshots to ever come out of a space program. 

Apollo 17’s famous photo marked the end of an era in human spaceflight. It ended up being a hallmark in the history of space photography,

It’s a fitting tribute to human exploration of the moon—a feat that was once deemed impossible.

Humans have always been restless creatures who hold an innate drive to explore everything from Earth’s diverse landscapes to the planets in our solar system. And what better place to survey the night sky than at Taylor Observatory and Norton Planetarium in Lake County?

Housed in the same location, Taylor Observatory is located just outside of town, past Kelseyville High School and up the road from Kelseyville Elementary School. As visitors approach the facility, hills frame the observatory’s dome that can’t be missed as it’s silhouetted in the night sky.

A $5 donation gives visitors access to both the observatory and planetarium.

Although viewings from the large scope at Taylor Observatory are temporarily on hold, while the observatory waits for a new telescope to arrive, there’s still plenty to see. For those anxious to start stargazing, there’s another way to observe space. Weather permitting, visitors can view celestial sights through an array of smaller telescopes outside the observatory.

Before guests step up to the smaller telescopes, experts give a short astronomy lesson in a 36-seat classroom where the facilitator shares up-to-the minute space-goings-on. Next, guests mosey to the Norton Planetarium which is just out the door from the classroom and the observatory. Once inside the planetarium, guests take a seat and recline. The lights are then lowered and a star projector shines on the spacious ceiling of the 20 foot high dome.

Taylor Observatory was the brainchild of then-Assistant Superintendent of Schools for Lake County Robert Taylor in the 1970s, who helped fund the construction for the observatory. Then in 1985, the planetarium was built on land owned by the elementary school in Kelseyville.

The planetary is named after Evelyn Norton, who taught astronomy and operated the facility until she retired in 2004. Later, fundraising by Kelseyville Rotary Club, Ukiah Astronomical Society and the Lake County Amateur Astronomer Club helped with renovation costs for much-needed updates.

Taylor Observatory is owned by the Lake County Office of Education and programs offered to the public are facilitated by Friends of Taylor Observatory. The organization aims to enhance astronomy-related Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education for Lake County’s K-12 students.

“When you look at the three dimensions of science learning, I believe that the Taylor Observatory helps build connections across disciplines and explore and engage with technical/engineering practices,” said Lake County Superintendent of Schools Brock Falkenberg.

Passionate about science

Many Friends of Taylor Observatory board members have a background in science or astronomy, which helps with program planning. All board members volunteer their time.

William Haddon, Ph.D., was board member president from 2011 to 2022. His work helped ensure first-rate STEM resources for Lake County students. He also oversaw installation of the Nieman Star Deck and the purchase on and 18-inch Teeter Dobsonian telescope, which was custom-made, to view Deep Sky Objects.

Eduardo Alatorre became involved at the observatory in 2011 when he won a telescope through the Friends of Taylor Observatory’s Future Astronomer program. He has since joined the board and became vice president of communications for Friends of Taylor Observatory.

He has also lectured at the Sonoma County Astronomical Society and Ukiah Latitude Observatory along with working at the Lake County Office of Education as an observatory assistant in 2013.

Alatorre spent most of his life in Kelseyville and spent a few years in Mexico where he sharpened his skills learning to read and write in Spanish. Currently, he’s studying geology at UC Davis.

“Growing up, my father would encourage my sister and me to read as much as possible. He would take us to the Lakeport Library and encourage us to check out as many books as possible,” he said.

Now, he directs the Friends of Taylor Observatory Spanish language program. He said he would love to see more events in Spanish in the future because they are important for the community.

“I remember going to a museum with my parents and having to translate exhibits or a few words of what the tour guide said. I could tell my parents felt awkward whenever I stopped translating because I was focused on something I found interesting,“ he said. ”I believe that providing a space for parents to bring their children while also understanding what is going on will result in a better experience for everyone.”

Creating better future

In 2018, former county Supervisor Jim Steele launched the Dark Skies Initiative, which works to protect the night sky from light pollution for future generations, as an official policy in Lake County. Since then, Calpine, a geothermal company, has been making improvements to the lighting at their facility to comply with the county-wide policy.

© Provided by Khaleej Times
File photo

The UAE skies will dazzle with one of the most spectacular meteor showers that is set to peak on December 14-15 night. Residents will have the chance to view the Geminids Meteor Shower, the biggest and the last meteor shower of the year, according to the Dubai Astronomy Group.

The Geminids Meteor Shower are pieces of debris that enter our planet’s atmosphere at speeds of up to 70 km per second, vaporising and causing the streaks of light we call meteors. The spectacular meteor shower has been known to produce over 150 meteors per hour at its peak, although light pollution and other factors mean that in reality, the actual number visible is far less.

Geminids meteors appear to radiate from near the bright star Castor. However, the actual source of the shooting stars is a stream of debris left behind by asteroid 3200 Phaethon, making this one of the only major showers not to originate from a comet.

Residents can catch the spectacle on Wednesday, December 14 and Thursday, December 15. However, this year, there may be interference from the 70 per cent illuminated moon, which will outshine fainter meteors.

Dubai Astronomy Group CEO Hasan Al Hariri said people don’t need any special equipment or skills to view a meteor shower. All that is needed is a clear sky and a secluded viewing spot away from the city lights.

Residents planning to go out in the desert to watch the meteor show should carry warm clothes as it can get very cold in the open.

Dubai Astronomy Group is hosting a special event on December 14 at Al Qudra in Dubai. The event will take place from 8pm to12am and it will also include the observation of Moon, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn with a telescope; astrophotography session; sky mapping; naked-eye observation of the meteors, and more.

Tickets for the event start at Dh70. For more details go to www.althurayaastronomycenter.ae/geminids-meteor-shower-2022

With the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), 2022 was a spectacular year for astronomy and astrophotography. Since the moment it was announced, both the scientific community and the public were excited about the new possibilities in space exploration that would come with this new telescope. In the end, the JWST exceeded expectations and gave us some incredible images of neighboring planets and far away galaxies.

From its first Deep Field image—which gave us a crystal clear view of galaxy cluster SMACS 0723—to a marvelous picture of auroras on Jupiter taken with its Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam), we’ve been privy to a visual feast of colors, shapes, and activity beyond the confines of our atmosphere. The photos taken by the JWST have challenged what we thought we knew about space while making us fall in love with it all over again every time.

As for independent astrophotographers, 2022 also brought some unique chances for them to take their craft to the next level. From Paul Cheyne’s beautiful image of the Milky Way glittering over the famous Racetrack Playa in California’s Death Valley to Dane Smith’s one-in-a-lifetime picture of both the Milky Way and an eclipse within the same frame to Andrew McCarthy’s collage of the phases of the last lunar eclipse of 2022, it’s clear astrophotographers have been actively capturing and creating this past year.

As a reminder of how absolutely stellar 2022 has been for photographers and space lovers, scroll down and check out some of the best astrophotography of the year. (You can also click on each image to read more about it.)

With the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope, 2022 was a monumental year for astronomy and astrophotography.

 

Pillars of Creation

 

Tarantula Nebula

 

Spiral Galaxy NGC 628

 

Butterfly Nebula

 

Jupiter’s Auroras

 

Neptune (Clearest Image Ever Taken)

 

Eye of God

 

Close-Up of Sun’s Surface

 

Square-Shaped “Dust Shell” Ripple Rings

 

Cartwheel Galaxy

 

James Webb Space Telescope’s First Deep Field

 

As for independent astrophotographers, 2022 also brought some unique chances for them to take their craft to the next level.

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos.

Related Articles:

Remastered Images Celebrate Nasa’s Iconic Apollo Missions From 50 Years Ago

Solar Telescope Captures Stunning Close-up Pictures of the Sun’s Surface

NASA’s JunoCam Shares Stunning Rendering of Jupiter’s “Frosting-Like” Clouds

James Webb Telescope Gives Us Our Clearest View of Neptune in Over 30 Years

Capture the Atlas has published its annual Northern Lights Photographer of the Year selections, which feature the best photos of the aurora borealis or australis captured from around the world.

Capture the Atlas is a travel and photography blog that helps others plan their trips and improve their photography. The blog’s main focus is landscape and astrophotography, and its articles include photography guides, tutorials, and inspiration.

The full 25-photo Northern Lights Photographer of the Year collection features images taken from around the world in countries like the United States, Canada, Finland, Norway, Denmark, Iceland, Russia, Greenland, and New Zealand, by photographers of 13 different nationalities.

Dan Zafra, editor of Capture the Atlas, curates these photos throughout the year and says he looks not only for images taken by some of the most renowned photographers but also for new talents and for new locations where the Northern Lights haven’t been photographed before. Additionally, the quality of the images, the story behind each shot, and the overall inspiration that it provides are the main factors for consideration. This 2022 edition includes unique images like the Northern Lights captured in a glacier cave that recently collapsed in Alaska and in rare locations across Denmark and Michigan.

Below are 15 of the photos selected this year with associated descriptions written by the photographers. The full collection available to peruse on Capture the Atlas.

“Elves’ House” – Asier López Castro

On my last trip to Iceland, I decided to try my luck in one of its most iconic locations, a magical place for any landscape photographer.

It snowed the day before, and the air mixed the fallen snow with the fine sand, making the textures on the ground incredibly beautiful. Then the sky did the rest.

The biggest problem in photographing this kind of scene is the limited information you get for the foreground since the exposure times are usually short (between 2 and 10 seconds) in order to capture the shape of the Aurora. That’s why I was forced to take pictures with different settings for the foreground and the sky.

“Nordic Quetzal” – Luis Solano Pochet

This rare red Aurora that shined after a powerful solar event in Iceland reminded me of the iconic tropical bird of my home country: the Quetzal. It was a dream come true!

I had to take a vertical panorama to frame the action since my 14mm lens wasn’t wide enough to capture the grandeur of this Aurora. It was hard to process and edit these images because of how unreal they seemed to me with the unique red color. It made me think of all the myths and legends that this natural phenomenon must have awakened in ancient civilizations. I am grateful to have been there, and I will always carry the experience in my heart.

“Under a Northern Sky” – Rachel Jones Ross

The northern sky is utterly fascinating.

We have all heard stories about the land of the Midnight Sun: in the summer, the sun doesn’t really set, and in the winter, nights are long with no sun, or very little sun at all. But there are also 3-4 days each month when the moon doesn’t set (circumpolar) and 3-4 days each month when it doesn’t rise!

Before I left, I checked the moon calendar, and I was a bit disappointed to see that my visit would coincide with a waxing gibbous approaching a full moon. But on closer investigation, there were four nights when the moon didn’t make it above the horizon, and I had dark nights for shooting the Aurora!

“Michigan Night Watch” – Marybeth Kiczenski

Lady Aurora waits for no photographer or schedule. However, when I returned from Canada to Chicago, I was greeted by an Aurora forecast that was slated to be quite good (G1/G2 with a slight possibility of G3 conditions).

I decided to choose Point Betsie as my main location for this Aurora chase. I was greeted with quite heavy winds but a beautiful sunset and warm weather. It was super busy since it was a Friday, and there were good conditions for Auroras. It was fun to make some new friends, and we chatted while waiting for Lady Aurora to make an appearance.

Around 11:30pm, she made herself known. We cheered. We clapped. This is what makes all of it worth it! Afterward, we packed up and drove the three hours back to Martin, MI, to start work for the day. Ah, the life of an Aurora chaser!

“Nugget Point Lighthouse Aurora” – Douglas Thorne

Nugget Point Lighthouse is on the eastern side of New Zealand’s South Island. It rests above the famous rocks, which were named by Captain Cook because they looked like pieces of gold. The lighthouse is set on a precipice, where the ocean meets the sky. From here, you can get panoramic views of the southern seas, so it’s a photographer’s dream location.

I arrived here early one autumn morning to capture the Milky Way rising above the lighthouse. It was an image that I’ve planned to capture for a long time. However, I was greeted by a surprise visitor. The Aurora Australis began to glow, its beams blooming over the ocean. I quickly changed my approach and got excited as flashes of yellow and red began to appear in my frame.

Eventually, the Milky Way and the Aurora began to synchronize harmoniously, resulting in this image. I love the leading lines and the way the Milky Way surrounds the Aurora. Mostly though, I love that this wasn’t the picture I planned. It reminds me that sometimes the best shots happen unexpectedly. You have to take risks and go exploring because you just never know what you might come across.

“Towering Ice” – Virgil Reglioni

At high latitudes such as 71-degrees North on the eastern side of Greenland, the Aurora oval varies and slightly leans down. The Aurora is stronger here than at more southern latitudes due to the tilt of the magnetic north.

That night, the Aurora forecast predicted a KP 2 to 3, and with those conditions, it would have been easy to see the lights when looking north; however, we were facing southeast.

”Towering Ice” was captured from an icebreaker, meaning that the exposure time had to be quite short to avoid movement from the drifting and rocking vessel. The Aurora exploded above our heads, which also required a faster shutter speed, allowing me to freeze its movement.

Additionally, that night the full moon was shining light into the fjord, which was filled with giant icebergs.

“Inception” – Giulio Cobianchi

These are the Arctic nights that leave you breathless!

I decided to spend that night up in the mountains with one of the most beautiful views of the Lofoten Islands. My goal was to photograph a “double Aurora & Milky Way arc”, to add to my Aurora collection. I had been planning this pano for a couple of years, and finally, all the elements aligned.

It wasn’t completely dark yet when I began to see the faint Milky Way in front of me. I hoped that in the next hour, a faint Aurora would appear on the opposite side, creating an arc that would fit perfectly into the composition, and so it was! What a night!

Under the Milky Way, you can see the Andromeda Galaxy in the middle of the two arcs. A shooting star acts as the cherry on top, and above a colorful Aurora, there is one of the most beautiful constellations, the Big Dipper! To the north, you can still see the light of the sun, which had recently gone below the horizon.

“Spirits of Winter” – Unai Larraya

This year, I took a trip to the Finnish Lapland with the goal of capturing the elusive Northern Lights. However, the first few days in Kuusamo, where I stayed, were a bit disappointing due to the terrible weather conditions.

Day 3 looked promising with a KP6 and clear skies for the whole night. However, after being out all night, we didn’t see a single light, which was unusual.

The Aurora forecast for the next day didn’t look good, and the weather forecast showed that there would be some clouds. However, we wanted to photograph the Northern Lights so badly that even with an unpromising forecast and temperatures of -30ºC, we decided to give it a try. Finally, the magic happened, and I was able to photograph the Aurora Borealis! I was so happy to finally photograph the Northern Lights that I didn’t care about the cold; I just had a great time with my friends!

“An Explosion of Color” – Vincent Beudez

On this night, the Aurora forecast was very promising, but I was not expecting anything like this. It was cloudy all over Senja, where I was staying, so I had to drive a few hours to escape the clouds.

It was a really beautiful night, and I saw some “coronas” and Northern Lights to the south. However, what happened at 3am was totally unexpected. A huge red Aurora traveled across the southern sky (visible with the naked eye), while a spectacular Aurora exploded just above my head.

This was by far the most colorful night I’ve ever witnessed up there, and it was a rare event that I’m very grateful to have been able to see.

“The Light Upon Kerlaugar” – Jannes Krause

I was lucky enough to witness a fantastic KP 8 display on my trip to Iceland back in October. Not only that, but it was also my first time experiencing and photographing the Northern Lights.

Originally my flight back home was scheduled to depart about 12 hours before this intense solar storm, but as soon as I saw the perfect weather and Aurora projections, I knew that I just had to change my plans and extend my trip by an additional day. Things finally came together, and I couldn’t be more pleased with the images I got.

“Explosions of the Sky” – Kavan Chay

New Zealand is really a special place for astrophotography. The skies are beautifully dark, and there are so many interesting landscape features to take in. Despite this, I’ve never managed to capture an Aurora shot with an interesting foreground element prior to this moment.

Unfortunately, the Aurora activity is not as consistent compared to other forms of astrophotography, so I had to be patient.

It was a cold night when the alerts and posts from other excited Aurora chasers popped up online. I sent a quick message to a few friends and went out to this spot. I ended up spending some time here with a friend as the lights put on a show, but the display kicked it up a notch once he left. With the whole beach to myself, no pesky lights from other people or cars, the perfect weather and strong beams… I really couldn’t have asked for anything better.

It’s this exact shot that made me addicted to chasing Auroras, and I’ve had the privilege of enjoying this sight many more times since then, with hopefully more of these moments to come.

“Chasing the Light” – David Erichsen

As a kid growing up, chasing the Northern Lights had always been a mystical dream. Even though I’ve been lucky enough to witness quite a few shows over the last few years, it never gets old.

What’s not pictured in this shot are the several nights I wandered out to this cave in sub-zero temperatures waiting for just a hint of green to dance through this frozen window. After repeatedly striking out, I finally got another opportunity on a night following a huge G2 with clear skies.

I knew the recent CME (coronal mass ejection) might be strong enough to make this 2-hour midnight hike worth the journey. As I made my way out to the cave, my walk quickly became a full-on run as I saw the sky split open with magnificent color. Sadly, the ice cave collapsed on itself a couple months ago, which just shows that you have to chase every opportunity before it’s gone.

“Red Skies” – Ruslan Merzlyakov

Absolutely insane red pillars of the Aurora showed up above Limfjord, just a 3-minute drive from my house.

Many think that Denmark, being placed far away from the general Northern Lights activity, is not an ideal place to see the Aurora. This might be true, but there is always hope for magic during the darkest months of the year.

I have been photographing the night sky for more than 10 years, and I always try to inspire people to go outside to experience our wonderful night skies and explore the unknown.

The happiness you feel when watching the sky glow like this in your hometown is unforgettable.

“Auroraverse” – Tor-Ivar Næss

When the Northern Lights go crazy in the night sky, focusing on your composition is worth the utmost effort because there is so much happening so quickly.

Even for a seasoned photographer, it’s very hard to focus on enjoying the Aurora while photographing it.

“Polaris Dream” – Nico Rinaldi

I had dreamed about photographing the landscapes of Northern Russia for a long time, and this year it came true! There, you feel like you’re in the realm of snow monsters, in a landscape where the mountains and trees are dominated by ice and snow. That night, the Northern Lights put on an incredible show!

It was hard work to get to this place, since exploring this location and organizing logistics required a lot of time, effort, and the help of the friendly locals we found in our path. I only hope we can see the peace reestablished soon and re-connect with so many incredible people and landscapes on this plane

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Image credits: All photos individually credited and provided courtesy of Capture the Atlas.

By Linda Baier

Back in the fall of 2019, on a lonely stretch of highway 105 South in Mower County, photographer Jacob Schlichter captured the Milky Way in beautiful and stunning clarity. Now that photo will be displayed in the Rochester International Airport for the next nine months as part of the Arts Elevated Program.

The program is a partnership between Rochester International Airport (RST) and the Greater Rochester Arts and Cultural Trust. Its main purpose is to provide an enhanced airport experience, lift spirits, and provide comfort and care to customers through dynamic showcases of local and regional artists.

Periodically a call for art is released and anyone from Minnesota and the tri-state area can submit artwork. It has to be two-dimensional, original of any type of media, but surveys indicate that people prefer local and Minnesota images.

An artist can submit up to three entries, and each one is judged separately. The artwork is for sale and the program receives a commission if it is sold while on display.

Schlichter retains the ownership of the original photo and a giclee print is what will be displayed. He made the print himself with a wide-format printer, and will sign and number it. He plans on marking the special occasion in a unique way for the purchaser.

Schlichter’s photo that was chosen for display is aptly named “Highway 105.” He said that he scouted the area for a couple years before finding the right location. Most people will look at the photo and think that he used a computer program to achieve the end result. But that is not what he does, it is rather like a scientific experiment, and it is referred to as astro photography.

He used a star tracker (you can get a free app for your phone) to find out when the Milky Way would be in that exact location. He used a regular 35mm camera (no wide angle lens), a tripod and a remote shutter release. In its simplest form of explanation, the effect that you see is the result of a longer exposure.

Another of Schlichter’s photos was also selected and if the original photo is sold while on display the second one will take its place. They will be displayed in an area beyond the TSA entry point, so you have to be actually flying in or out of the airport to see it. When asked what the benefit was to having his art displayed, Schlichter said “the foot traffic and potential viewers of my art and just knowing that I’m doing some good for the surrounding area and sharing the natural beauty we’ve got going on down here.”

He is proud of being able to show others the beauty of south-central Minnesota and hopes people will resonate with his work. The two photos that were chosen are some of his favorite pieces from his entire collection of work.

From a young age he had an interest in astronomy, and in high school he started doing photography. When he found out that he could combine both of them he said it was “game over.” That is when he started doing astro photography as well as other techniques like light tracking photography. He is self-taught and doing this type of work is now a part of his business. He also has a clothing line that he markets, and is the Apparel Head for actor/musician Tommy Chong merchandise.

To see more photos from Schlichter visit: https://jacobthefox.com  and his fashion line can be found at GetSlicks.com.

Como es habitual en estas fechas preparamos un nuevo artículo para que no te pierdas nada de lo que se puede ver en el cielo en 2023. En este artículo repasaremos las efemérides astronómicas que podrás ver a simple vista o con tu telescopio.

Las fenómenos astronómicos de 2023 recogidos en este artículo están pensados para un observador en España si bien muchos de los eventos son visibles desde otras partes del mundo.

Eclipses en 2023

Este año se producirán 2 eclipses solares y 2 lunares.

El 20 de abril de 2023 se producirá un eclipse solar híbrido visible principalmente desde Australia, Nueva Guinea y Timor (donde se producirá el máximo). Un eclipse híbrido se produce cuando en algunos lugares se observa como un eclipse total y desde otros como uno anular. Este fenómeno ocurre cuando la Luna se encuentra a una distancia determinada y el tamaño aparente del Sol y de la Luna es muy parecido. El eclipse será total en casi todos los lugares y únicamente en unas pocas zonas al inicio y al final será anular.

El 14 de octubre de 2023 hay otro eclipse solar, esta vez anular, que será visible desde Estados Unidos, América Central, Colombia y Brasil.

El 5 de mayo de 2023 se producirá un eclipse lunar penumbral que será visible en África, Asia y Australia. En un eclipse penumbral solo la sombra exterior más tenue o penumbra oculta la Luna. Se trata de un eclipse muy sutil y apenas perceptible. En Europa este eclipse será visible solo en su finalización y cuando la Luna salga por el horizonte aquí en España ya estará acabando. En cualquier caso, como comentamos, un eclipse penumbral suele ser apenas perceptible.

El 28 de octubre de 2023 podremos observar desde España un eclipse lunar parcial. Este eclipse será visible desde Europa, África y Asia así como desde el este del continente americano. Será un eclipse de muy baja intensidad en la que una mínima porción de la Luna se verá eclipsada por la sombra de la Tierra pero este será el eclipse más interesante que podremos ver en España este año.

Lluvias de estrellas

Estas son las principales lluvias de meteoros que se pueden observar desde España. Este año las Cuadrántidas y las Eta y Delta Acuáridas será muy difícil poder observarlas por la presencia de la Luna. En cambio las Perseidas y Gemínidas se producen con fases lunares muy favorables.

Lluvia de meteoros	Fechas	Máximo (UTC)	Iluminación Lunar	THZ
Cuadrántidas	28 dic-12 ene	4 de enero	92%	110
Alfa Centauridas	31 ene – 20 feb	8 de febrero	92%	6
Líridas	14-30 abr	22 de abril	5%	18
Eta Acuáridas	19 abr-28 may	6 de mayo	99%	50
Delta Acuáridas	12 jul-23 ago	30 de julio	94%	25
Perseidas	17 jul-24 ago	13 de agosto	8%	100
Oriónidas	2 oct-7 nov	21 de octubre	39%	20
Leónidas	6-30 nov	17 de noviembre	18%	10
Gemínidas	4-17 dic	14 de diciembre	1%	150
Úrsidas	17-26 dic	22 de diciembre	81%	10

Oposiciones de planetas en 2023

Las oposiciones suponen la mejor oportunidad para observar los planetas ya que es cuando más próximos se encuentran a nosotros y, por consiguiente, los vemos más cerca. (Realmente el máximo acercamiento se produce en algunos casos unas horas o días antes de la oposición).

Las oposiciones de Marte se producen cada 2 años y 50 días. Como en 2022 hemos tenido oposición el 8 de diciembre eso significa que no volveremos a tener el planeta rojo en oposición hasta el 16 de enero de 2025, no obstante, los primeros días de 2023 todavía serán muy favorables para observar y fotografiar Marte ya que se encontrará relativamente cerca de nosotros.

La oposición de Júpiter se producirá el 3 de noviembre de 2023. Júpiter estará en ese momento a 595 millones de kilómetros de la Tierra y presentará un diámetro aparente de 49,4″. Será la segunda oposición más favorable de este planeta después de la de 2022, así que merecerá la pena dirigir nuestros telescopios hacia él.

La oposición de Saturno será el 27 de agosto de 2023, cuando el planeta se encontrará a 8.7630 u.a. de nosotros y presentará un diámetro aparente de 18,9″ y una magnitud aparente de +0,4. Cada año las oposiciones de Saturno serán más favorables, en 2030, por ejemplo presentará un diámetro aparente de 20,6″ y una magnitud de -0,4.

La oposición de Urano será el 12 de noviembre de 2023 con un diámetro aparente de 3,7″ y una magnitud de 5,6. No notaremos diferencia con respecto a las oposiciones de los últimos años.

La oposición de Neptuno será el 19 de septiembre de 2023 con un diámetro de 2,3″ y una magnitud aparente de 7,8. Al igual que Urano no notaremos diferencia con respecto a otras oposiciones anteriores y es que Neptuno es un planeta muy lejano y relativamente difícil de observar.

Conjunciones de interés en 2023

A continuación se indican algunas conjunciones de interés que se producirán en 2023, tanto planetarias como lunares, así como ocultaciones lunares.

Conjunciones planetarias

Fecha	Hora (TU)	Fenómeno
22 Enero	19h 36m	Venus 0.4° al S. de Saturno
15 Febrero	12h 20m	Venus 0.0° al S. de Neptuno
2 Marzo	9h 35m	Mercurio 0.9° al S. de Saturno
2 Marzo	10h 41m	Venus 0.5° al N. de Júpiter
16 Marzo	15h 07m	Mercurio 0.4° al S. de Neptuno
28 Marzo	14h 34m	Mercurio 1.5° al N. de Júpiter
31 Marzo	6h 10m	Venus 1.3° al N. de Urano
4 Junio	4h 41m	Mercurio 2.9° al S. de Urano
29 Octubre	17h 18m	Mercurio 0.4° al S. de Marte
28 Diciembre	2h 47m	Mercurio 3.6° al N. de Marte

Conjunciones lunares

Fecha	Hora (TU)	Fenómeno
1 Enero	22h 16m	Urano 0.7° al S. de la Luna (ocultación)
3 Enero	2h 42m	Las Pleiades 2.6° al N. de la Luna
3 Enero	19h 37m	Marte 0.5° al N. de la Luna (ocultación)
10 Enero	12h 55m	Regulus 4.6° al S. de la Luna
14 Enero	23h 14m	Spica 3.8° al S. de la Luna
18 Enero	10h 37m	Antares 2.1° al S. de la Luna
23 Enero	7h 21m	Saturno 3.8° al N. de la Luna
23 Enero	8h 18m	Venus 3.5° al N. de la Luna
25 Enero	5h 55m	Neptuno 2.7° al N. de la Luna
26 Enero	2h 03m	Júpiter 1.8° al N. de la Luna
29 Enero	4h 08m	Urano 0.9° al S. de la Luna (ocultación)
30 Enero	8h 38m	Las Pleiades 2.3° al N. de la Luna
31 Enero	4h 25m	Marte 0.1° al N. de la Luna (ocultación)
6 Febrero	19h 01m	Regulus 4.5° al S. de la Luna
11 Febrero	5h 40m	Spica 3.5° al S. de la Luna
14 Febrero	19h 17m	Antares 1.8° al S. de la Luna
18 Febrero	20h 52m	Mercurio 3.6° al N. de la Luna
19 Febrero	23h 58m	Saturno 3.7° al N. de la Luna
21 Febrero	18h 16m	Neptuno 2.5° al N. de la Luna
22 Febrero	7h 55m	Venus 2.1° al N. de la Luna
22 Febrero	22h 00m	Júpiter 1.2° al N. de la Luna (ocultación)
25 Febrero	13h 05m	Urano 1.3° al S. de la Luna
26 Febrero	15h 58m	Las Pleiades 2.0° al N. de la Luna
28 Febrero	4h 32m	Marte 1.1° al S. de la Luna (ocultación)
6 Marzo	1h 25m	Regulus 4.5° al S. de la Luna
10 Marzo	11h 23m	Spica 3.3° al S. de la Luna
14 Marzo	1h 31m	Antares 1.6° al S. de la Luna
19 Marzo	15h 22m	Saturno 3.6° al N. de la Luna
21 Marzo	6h 47m	Neptuno 2.4° al N. de la Luna
22 Marzo	0h 10m	Mercurio 1.8° al N. de la Luna
22 Marzo	19h 56m	Júpiter 0.5° al N. de la Luna (ocultación)
24 Marzo	10h 27m	Venus 0.1° al N. de la Luna (ocultación)
25 Marzo	0h 39m	Urano 1.5° al S. de la Luna
26 Marzo	0h 56m	Las Pleiades 1.9° al N. de la Luna
28 Marzo	13h 16m	Marte 2.3° al S. de la Luna
2 Abril	8h 40m	Regulus 4.6° al S. de la Luna
6 Abril	18h 01m	Spica 3.3° al S. de la Luna
10 Abril	7h 00m	Antares 1.5° al S. de la Luna
16 Abril	3h 49m	Saturno 3.5° al N. de la Luna
17 Abril	17h 24m	Neptuno 2.3° al N. de la Luna
19 Abril	17h 31m	Júpiter 0.1° al S. de la Luna (ocultación)
21 Abril	7h 05m	Mercurio 1.9° al N. de la Luna
21 Abril	13h 00m	Urano 1.7° al S. de la Luna
22 Abril	10h 26m	Las Pleiades 1.8° al N. de la Luna
23 Abril	13h 03m	Venus 1.3° al S. de la Luna
26 Abril	2h 18m	Marte 3.2° al S. de la Luna
29 Abril	16h 39m	Regulus 4.6° al S. de la Luna
4 Mayo	2h 11m	Spica 3.3° al S. de la Luna
7 Mayo	13h 44m	Antares 1.5° al S. de la Luna
13 Mayo	13h 07m	Saturno 3.3° al N. de la Luna
15 Mayo	1h 25m	Neptuno 2.2° al N. de la Luna
17 Mayo	13h 18m	Júpiter 0.8° al S. de la Luna (ocultación)
18 Mayo	1h 35m	Mercurio 3.6° al S. de la Luna
19 Mayo	0h 22m	Urano 1.8° al S. de la Luna
19 Mayo	19h 03m	Las Pleiades 1.8° al N. de la Luna
23 Mayo	12h 08m	Venus 2.2° al S. de la Luna
24 Mayo	17h 32m	Marte 3.8° al S. de la Luna
27 Mayo	0h 48m	Regulus 4.5° al S. de la Luna
31 Mayo	11h 22m	Spica 3.2° al S. de la Luna
3 Junio	22h 27m	Antares 1.5° al S. de la Luna
9 Junio	20h 23m	Saturno 3.0° al N. de la Luna
11 Junio	7h 46m	Neptuno 2.0° al N. de la Luna
14 Junio	6h 35m	Júpiter 1.5° al S. de la Luna
15 Junio	9h 54m	Urano 2.0° al S. de la Luna
16 Junio	2h 02m	Las Pleiades 1.8° al N. de la Luna
16 Junio	20h 38m	Mercurio 4.3° al S. de la Luna
22 Junio	0h 48m	Venus 3.7° al S. de la Luna
22 Junio	10h 09m	Marte 3.8° al S. de la Luna
23 Junio	8h 26m	Regulus 4.3° al S. de la Luna
27 Junio	20h 26m	Spica 3.0° al S. de la Luna
1 Julio	8h 28m	Antares 1.4° al S. de la Luna
7 Julio	3h 10m	Saturno 2.7° al N. de la Luna
8 Julio	14h 12m	Neptuno 1.7° al N. de la Luna
11 Julio	21h 21m	Júpiter 2.2° al S. de la Luna
12 Julio	17h 48m	Urano 2.3° al S. de la Luna
13 Julio	7h 46m	Las Pleiades 1.7° al N. de la Luna
19 Julio	8h 56m	Mercurio 3.5° al S. de la Luna
20 Julio	15h 12m	Regulus 4.2° al S. de la Luna
21 Julio	4h 00m	Marte 3.3° al S. de la Luna
25 Julio	4h 21m	Spica 2.7° al S. de la Luna
28 Julio	18h 21m	Antares 1.3° al S. de la Luna
3 Agosto	10h 26m	Saturno 2.5° al N. de la Luna
4 Agosto	22h 02m	Neptuno 1.5° al N. de la Luna
8 Agosto	9h 44m	Júpiter 2.9° al S. de la Luna
9 Agosto	1h 03m	Urano 2.6° al S. de la Luna
9 Agosto	13h 32m	Las Pleiades 1.4° al N. de la Luna
16 Agosto	21h 17m	Regulus 4.1° al S. de la Luna
18 Agosto	23h 07m	Marte 2.2° al S. de la Luna
21 Agosto	10h 49m	Spica 2.5° al S. de la Luna
25 Agosto	2h 41m	Antares 1.0° al S. de la Luna (occultation)
30 Agosto	18h 08m	Saturno 2.5° al N. de la Luna
1 Septiembre	7h 21m	Neptuno 1.4° al N. de la Luna
4 Septiembre	19h 47m	Júpiter 3.3° al S. de la Luna
5 Septiembre	8h 45m	Urano 2.8° al S. de la Luna
5 Septiembre	20h 39m	Las Pleiades 1.2° al N. de la Luna (occultation)
13 Septiembre	3h 20m	Regulus 4.1° al S. de la Luna
16 Septiembre	19h 20m	Marte 0.7° al S. de la Luna (ocultación)
17 Septiembre	16h 32m	Spica 2.4° al S. de la Luna
21 Septiembre	9h 03m	Antares 0.9° al S. de la Luna (occultation)
27 Septiembre	1h 29m	Saturno 2.6° al N. de la Luna
28 Septiembre	16h 59m	Neptuno 1.4° al N. de la Luna
2 Octubre	3h 19m	Júpiter 3.4° al S. de la Luna
2 Octubre	17h 15m	Urano 2.9° al S. de la Luna
3 Octubre	5h 38m	Las Pleiades 1.1° al N. de la Luna (occultation)
10 Octubre	10h 01m	Regulus 4.2° al S. de la Luna
14 Octubre	9h 33m	Mercurio 0.7° al N. de la Luna (ocultación)
14 Octubre	22h 47m	Spica 2.3° al S. de la Luna
15 Octubre	16h 17m	Marte 1.0° al N. de la Luna (ocultación)
18 Octubre	14h 30m	Antares 0.8° al S. de la Luna (occultation)
24 Octubre	7h 56m	Saturno 2.8° al N. de la Luna
26 Octubre	1h 23m	Neptuno 1.5° al N. de la Luna
29 Octubre	8h 14m	Júpiter 3.1° al S. de la Luna
30 Octubre	1h 53m	Urano 2.9° al S. de la Luna
30 Octubre	15h 42m	Las Pleiades 1.1° al N. de la Luna (occultation)
6 Noviembre	17h 39m	Regulus 4.2° al S. de la Luna
9 Noviembre	9h 30m	Venus 1.0° al S. de la Luna (ocultación)
11 Noviembre	6h 28m	Spica 2.3° al S. de la Luna
13 Noviembre	13h 32m	Marte 2.5° al N. de la Luna
14 Noviembre	14h 39m	Mercurio 1.7° al N. de la Luna
14 Noviembre	20h 54m	Antares 0.9° al S. de la Luna (occultation)
20 Noviembre	14h 06m	Saturno 2.7° al N. de la Luna
22 Noviembre	7h 46m	Neptuno 1.5° al N. de la Luna
25 Noviembre	11h 14m	Júpiter 2.8° al S. de la Luna
26 Noviembre	9h 19m	Urano 2.8° al S. de la Luna
27 Noviembre	1h 14m	Las Pleiades 1.1° al N. de la Luna (occultation)
4 Diciembre	1h 59m	Regulus 4.0° al S. de la Luna
8 Diciembre	15h 25m	Spica 2.2° al S. de la Luna
9 Diciembre	16h 53m	Venus 3.6° al N. de la Luna
12 Diciembre	5h 27m	Antares 0.9° al S. de la Luna (occultation)
12 Diciembre	10h 55m	Marte 3.6° al N. de la Luna
14 Diciembre	5h 19m	Mercurio 4.4° al N. de la Luna
17 Diciembre	22h 01m	Saturno 2.5° al N. de la Luna
19 Diciembre	13h 16m	Neptuno 1.3° al N. de la Luna
22 Diciembre	14h 24m	Júpiter 2.6° al S. de la Luna
23 Diciembre	14h 54m	Urano 2.8° al S. de la Luna
24 Diciembre	8h 51m	Las Pleiades 1.0° al N. de la Luna (occultation)
31 Diciembre	10h 14m	Regulus 3.7° al S. de la Luna

Fases de la Luna y Superlunas

Luna nueva	Cuarto creciente	Luna llena	Cuarto menguante
		6 Enero	15 Enero
21 Enero	28 Enero	5 Febrero	13 Febrero
20 Febrero	27 Febrero	7 Marzo	15 Marzo
21 Marzo	29 Marzo	6 Abril	13 Abril
20 Abril	27 Abril	5 Mayo	12 Mayo
19 Mayo	27 Mayo	4 Junio	10 Junio
18 Junio	26 Junio	3 Julio	10 Julio
17 Julio	25 Julio	1 Agosto	8 Agosto
16 Agosto	24 Agosto	31 Agosto	6 Septiembre
15 Septiembre	22 Septiembre	29 Septiembre	6 Octubre
14 Octubre	22 Octubre	28 Octubre	5 Noviembre
13 Noviembre	20 Noviembre	27 Noviembre	5 Diciembre
12 Diciembre	19 Diciembre	27 Diciembre

El mayor perigeo lunar se producirá el 30 de agosto cuando la Luna estará a 357.181 km de la Tierra en fase de Luna llena lo que popularmente desde hace unos años se denomina «superluna».

Otras fechas a tener en cuenta

4 de enero: El Sol estará a su distancia mínima (147.098.872 km)

30 de enero: Máx. elongación occidental de Mercurio (25º)

20 de marzo: Equinocio de primavera a las 22:24

11 de abril: Máx. elongación oriental de Mercurio ( 19,5º)

28 de abril: XXV Congreso Estatal de Astronomía en Zaragoza (hasta el día 30)

29 de abril: Primer Día Internacional de la Astronomía.

5 de mayo: Día mundial del espacio.

29 de mayo: Máx. elongación occidental de Mercurio (24.9º)

4 de junio: Máx elongación oriental de Venus (45,4º)

21 de junio: Solsticio de verano a las 16:58

30 de junio: Día Internacional del Asteroide.

6 de julio: El sol estará a su distancia máxima (152.093.322 km).

10 de agosto: Máx. elongación oriental de Mercurio (27.4º)

22 de septiembre: Día Internacional de los Investigadores.

22 de septiembre: Máx. elongación occidental de Mercurio (17,9º)

23 de septiembre: Equinocio de otoño a las 08:50

4 de octubre: Inicio de la Semana Mundial del Espacio hasta el día 10.

21 de octubre: Noche Internacional de la Observación de la Luna. InOMN

23 de octubre: Máx. elongación occidental de Venus (46,4º)

23 de noviembre: Inicio de la Semana de la Ciencia hasta el día 12.

4 de diciembre: Máx. elongación oriental de Mercurio (21,3º)

9 de diciembre: Afelio del cometa 1P/Halley.

22 de diciembre: Solsticio de invierno a las 04:27