Star Light Observatory

Clear sky last night. So let's have a look at Bode's Spiral Galaxy (M81), with another galaxy (M82) in the lower left corner of the field of view. This image was taken my stacking 423, 10 sec, images over 1hr 11 min time period using my Vaonis Vespera Pro telescope. Photo credit: Outer Rim Observatory, Colorado Springs, CO.

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March 2026 total lunar eclipse: Everything you need to know about the next 'blood moon' A total lunar eclipse on March 3-4, 2026, will be visible in North America and will be the last total lunar eclipse anywhere on Earth until New Year's Eve 2028-2029.

I received a Christmas Eve gift of mostly clear skies tonight. So the only thing to do was train the telescope on the Andromeda Galaxy (M31). Merry Christmas everyone who marvel at the night sky.

It has been touch and go with the high clouds; but a 15 min opening allowed a look at the Perseus Double Cluster (NGC 884/869) tonight.

The high clouds departed overhead; so I trained the Vespera Pro smart telescope on the Pleiades. Unfortunately, the high clouds returned and cut the photo capture process a little short. The Seven Sisters are always a joy to view in the winter sky using a pair of binoculars or a telescope.

What if you want to take a photo of an area of the night sky that is larger than your telescope's field of view? Well, you have your telescope system take a photo mosaic made up of multiple images linked together. That is what I tested using my Vaonis Vespera Pro smart telescope the other night on M42 in Orion. The total exposure time was only 15 mins.

Last night’s clear sky allowed the capture of some first images taken with a new smart telescope. The Orion Nebula, the Beehive Star Cluster, and a look at the heart of the Andromeda Galaxy were “first light” celestial objects for the Outer Rim Observatory’s Vaonis Vespera Pro telescope.

Recently, the observatory was open to show a class of 1st graders at Trailblazer Elementary, the observatory's telescope. We talked about how the telescope works and the need for a motorized telescope mount so we can track celestial objects in the sky. The students provided me some "alien" thank you cards for showing them the observatory.

Comet C/2025 K1 (ATLAS) splits into 3 pieces after a close brush with the sun (video) C/2025 K1 (ATLAS) has broken into three distinct pieces following its closest approach to the sun on Oct. 8.

News about comet C/2025 K1 (ATLAS)...

Comet C/2025 K1 (ATLAS) splits into 3 pieces after a close brush with the sun (video) C/2025 K1 (ATLAS) has broken into three distinct pieces following its closest approach to the sun on Oct. 8.

Aurora seen in Colorado Springs, CO this evening under clear skies due to recent Coronal Mass Ejection-CME that was directed towards the Earth.