‘A fleeting vacation from terrestrial concerns’: readers’ best stargazing photos
‘Stargazing gave me something to do when I was out of school’
This photo of the Whirlpool galaxy was taken from my backyard in Commack, New York, over the course of two nights in mid January, 2021. Stargazing has helped me throughout the pandemic because it gave me something to do during the many months I was out of school and home during the summer. I used my Orion 150mm telescope and a dedicated astrophotography camera to take many long exposure images which are stacked together and edited to get the image that you see here. My sighting made me even more curious about the universe and everything that’s in it. It made me realise how small we are when you consider just how large these objects are. Brandon Berkoff, 15, Commack, New York
‘The pandemic gave me an opportunity to try a new hobby in astrophotography’
I took this image of the California nebula over five nights from 25 February to 8 March, 2021, from my garden. The California Nebula (NGC 1499) is an emission nebula located in the constellation Perseus. Named after the nebula’s resemblance to the US State of California, it is extremely large. This nebula is extremely faint and difficult to observe visually, but the beautiful structure can be observed through astrophotography. It lies at a distance of around 1,500 light years from Earth. The distinct red glow is caused by the nearby hot, blue-white star Xi Persei that can be seen in the top right of the image.
Since I left home to study theoretical physics, I have not had much opportunity to indulge in stargazing. However, the pandemic gave me an opportunity to try a new hobby in astrophotography. It’s becoming a bit of an addiction. I never thought I would be able to capture images like this, even with a dedicated camera and mount. I am in awe of the beauty of these structures in the night sky, and the seemingly unimaginable forces required to construct them. Benjamin Leather, 24, theoretical physics PhD student at University College Dublin, Billingsley, Shropshire
‘I’m fortunate to live near enough to dark skies’
My photo captures the majesty of a rocket – the Starlink Falcon9 – launching from Cape Canaveral, shown in a long-exposure against the backdrop of the Milky Way. It was captured in the early hours of March 14, 2021 from Titusville, Florida and the Mosquito Lagoon. Note that it is a com
posite of a Milky Way frame captured from the same position and camera angle just before the long exposure for the rocket. The launch was just before astronomical twilight; a few minutes later and the rising Sun (frame left) would have made this shot impossible. Everything just worked for this shot.
I’m extremely fortunate to live near enough to dark skies. The sense of wonder and perspective I get from simply looking up is sometimes indescribable. It’s all a fleeting vacation from our real terrestrial concerns. This sighting gave me a moment of pause, as I know that astronomers are feeling a lot of concern over the increasing numbers of satellites in orbit. My hope is that reasonable regulations are implemented for mega-constellations, and that the conversation around this can proceed based on data. Michael Seeley, 50, fundraiser, Melbourne, Florida
‘I love observing the moon’
This picture was taken in March from my garden in Stockport. I love observing the moon mostly. A 10” Dobsonian telescope gives you a perfect view. I started doing astronomy 24 years ago, when I first sighted Comet Hale-Bopp. The astronomy community has grown during the pandemic as everyone has been going online more. Since lockdown started I have gained more virtual friends and do a lot of Zoom meetings with the Doncaster Astronomy Society, as well as broadcasting on Astro Radio. I have started presenting the weather for astronomy, which is another hobby I love. Sonia Turkington, 34, personal customer advisor for healthcare, Stockport
‘Some of the clearest views I have ever had’
My picture of the SpaceX Crew-1 Dragon docked to the International Space Station (ISS) was recorded on 18 November 2020. It was captured using open source satellite tracking software I created specifically for the purpose of making it easy to track the space station at high magnification. SatTracker operates by initially locating the space station based on its orbital elements, the time, and the observer location. The user then clicks on the space station in a viewfinder video window and the program will automatically perform corrections to keep the space station in the view of the telescope, even at high magnification.
On 18 November, ISS was predicted to pass right by the planet Jupiter as seen from a field not far from my house. Right on time, ISS flew right by the planet and allowed me to capture and stack the image of the station. Right after it passed by Jupiter, I engaged my software to continue following ISS. I recorded several minutes of video of the space station that night as it continued to rise in the sky, culminating almost directly above me. The steady air that night provided some of the clearest views I have ever had of ISS. You can clearly make out each individual solar panel, the gaps between each panel, and the white SpaceX Dragon vehicle docked to the front of the station (at about the 8 o’clock position in the image). Scott Ferguson, 39, neuroscientist, Sarasota, Florida
‘Stargazing is a perfect way to keep the mind sharp’
This photo was taken on 26 February 2021, from Cambridgeshire. The moon was around 96% illuminated that night, almost at a full moon. I have been fascinated with all things to do with space and the universe ever since I watched the film Apollo 13 (1995) as a kid, but I only got into stargazing seriously a year ago at the beginning of the first Covid lockdown, in 2020, when I decided to invest in my own entry level telescope, an 8” Newtonian reflector on a Dobsonian style mount.
Stargazing has been great for the pandemic – it is a perfect way to keep the mind sharp, constantly learning new things such as constellations and problem solving when you want to try out a new piece of equipment, or learn how to utilise your telescope with a camera to take a picture. There has been a big rise in the community of stargazers and amateur astronomers on social media websites such as Twitter, congregating online and sharing pictures and information with each other every time there’s an astronomical event, such as the great conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn back in December 2020. Chris Warsap, 24, film graduate, Cambridgeshire
‘Where there’s a great conjunction, there’s a geek with a tripod’
This photo, taken on 26 December 2020, in Dietisberg, shows the recent great conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn. I had to wait five days after the planets were closest before the sky was clear enough for a photo. But where there’s a great conjunction, there’s bound to be a geek with a camera tripod. Always a bit of a downer when you find the perfect spot and someone else has got there first. It was on top of a very small hill, so I’d have to either talk to them or go somewhere else. As an unsociable introvert, I found a third option and sneakily made him a part of the photo.
I’m most interested in transient events like eclipses, conjunctions, and comets. I have very fond memories of standing in an hours-long and freezing-cold queue when a student in the 80s, waiting to glimpse Halley’s comet through an old telescope at the Royal Observatory. Everyone who’d seen it came past and said it wasn’t worth standing in line for, but we’d all waited so long already that we stuck around and did eventually catch a fuzzy glimpse of the comet through the telescope. They were right – it wasn’t worth waiting for. But the camaraderie in the queue is what I remember now. Ross Bennie, 54, college lecturer, Wünnewil, Switzerland
‘The astronomy community is supportive and encouraging’
This image of the Orion nebula was taken in March 2021, from my backyard at home. In January this year I decided to take up astrophotography as a new hobby, something I knew nothing about but had always had a keen interest in. I have only viewed and photographed the moon and the Orion Nebula so far. I can’t wait to get onto some new targets. After I bought my telescope and equipment it all stayed in the box for more than three weeks as I didn’t know how to put it together. With the lockdown it wasn’t possible to go to an astronomy club meeting or to see anyone in person to get any help. I turned to the internet and found advice in online forums and groups. The astronomy community is so supportive and encouraging, especially to beginners like me. I was surprised to find very few women involved in the hobby though. I’m not sure why that is. Alison Bailey, 41, music teacher, Long Eaton, Nottingham
‘There were columns and spikes moving around – a magical dance’
This image was taken on 2 March, at 8pm until midnight, from the top of Ben Vrackie. Aurora borealis can be seen from Scotland roughly between September and April. Favourable conditions happen quite often, but the ever-changing Scottish weather makes it unpredictable. It took me nearly three years to see a decent show of the northern lights. In Pitlochry it was rather cold and a bit foggy due to temperature inversion, but 800 meters above, the conditions were just perfect. Windless, cloudless and with millions of stars on a pitch black sky. Well, almost pitch black, as a greenish glow was clearly visible. There were columns and spikes slowly moving around, rising and then fainting only to become brighter again – a magical dance. After some time, a separate arc has developed much higher on the sky. It was white when observed with naked eye, but on the photos showed a lovely deep red hue. The show was on for much of the night, although after moonrise it became bleak and very faint. Pawel Blaszak, Pitlochry, Scotland
‘Stargazing been a source of strength and hope during these times’
This photo taken in March 2020, just prior to the lockdown in the Isle of Skye. The sky had a green hue to it, which I thought to be light pollution. When I showed my B&B host the photo, she told me that the northern lights were out that night, according to their neighbourhood Facebook page. It was quite a nice surprise as I never expected to see the aurora borealis within the UK.
I work as an ICU nurse in one of the biggest hospitals in London, so was affected both physically and mentally especially at the peak of the first wave as our area was hit quite badly with so many sick Covid patients. The short city escapes I did (when lockdown permitted) were precious to me. Stargazing is what I look forward to the most and I try to schedule my trips on days with clear skies. It’s been a source of strength and hope during these times. Maria Theresa, 31, ICU research nurse, south east London