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Observing Guides

Hours after sunset 1 3 5 7 9 Pleiades (M45) — early, sets first California Nebula — needs dark sky Orion Nebula (M42) — the opener Rosette Nebula — mid-evening Leo Triplet — after midnight

What to Photograph in Winter: December to February

Orion is the obvious answer, and it is the right one. But winter hands a smart telescope four other targets that suit it beautifully, and one that will break your heart if you try it too early.

5 min read

Full Moon 31′ M31 core region very large M51 Whirlpool 11′ M82 Cigar 9′ M104 Sombrero 9′ × 4′ Apparent size, drawn to scale

What to Photograph in Spring: March to May

Spring is galaxy season, and galaxies are the hardest thing a smart telescope does. Here is which ones actually work, and how to set expectations before you point at Markarian's Chain.

4 min read

Target order → Integration needed Moon M42 Clusters M57 M31 Rosette M81/82 Veil M51 M33

Your First Ten Targets, in Order of Difficulty

A deliberate progression rather than a wish list. Each target teaches one thing, and doing them in this order means every night ends with something you can look at.

3 min read

Wavelength (nm), blue to red O III 501 Hg Na streetlight H-alpha 656 Shaded bands = what a dual-band filter lets through

What to Photograph in Summer: June to August

Short nights, warm air and the Milky Way core overhead. Summer is the season where a smart telescope's filter earns its money, and where twilight decides your whole schedule.

4 min read

Typical smart-telescope field M31 spans roughly 3° — about six full moons wide

What to Photograph in Autumn: September to November

Andromeda gets all the attention and deserves some of it. But autumn's real gift is a run of large, bright nebulae arriving just as the nights get long enough to use them properly.

3 min read

Transparency → Seeing → Poor / poor Bright clusters, the Moon, or an early night Poor seeing, good transparency Large nebulae — a good deep-sky night Good seeing, poor transparency Planets, the Moon, double stars Good / good Faint galaxies. Drive to the dark site.

Reading a Weather Forecast for Astronomy: Seeing, Transparency and Cloud

A clear-sky forecast tells you whether you can observe. Seeing and transparency tell you whether it is worth it. Two different numbers, two different disappointments.

3 min read

Whole-sky view — what a wide lens covers smart telescope field Four meteors, none of them in the box. That is the typical night.

Meteor Showers and Smart Telescopes: Use the Right Tool

A smart telescope is close to the worst possible instrument for photographing a meteor shower. Knowing why makes it easier to enjoy the best nights of the year properly.

3 min read