Baader Planetarium Blog Posts
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M31 in only 4,5 hours
This entry was posted on January 14, 2020 Last modified on February 27, 2024.
THE STORY: An M31 that fell from the sky The Andromeda galaxy is an object seen by every amateur astronomer, either with own eyes or as an image. I was particularly fascinated to image our magnificent neighboring galaxy with the RASA 8" - Rowe-Ackermann Schmidt Astrograph (#822252, € 2195,-) under a perfectly dark sky. This was one of the reasons why my way led me to La Palma for one week in October 2019, to do my images at the Athos Centro Astronómico (www.athos.org). The QHY 163M camera is a perfect fit on the RASA 8" in terms of field size and pixel scale for M31. For a monochrome camera, the Baader FCCT (Filter Changer Camera Tilter) for RASA 8" and QHY cameras (various versions available) (see...
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Field report by Ian Aiken: The Baader 2" Cool-Ceramic Safety Herschel Prism Mark II
This entry was posted on April 16, 2024
When it comes to astronomical accessories, first impressions can be just as important as the technical specifications. The Baader 2" Cool-Ceramic Safety Herschel Prism Mark II – (Visual / Photo) (various versions available) is no exception. In this blog our customer Ian Aiken is going to list some of the key features that he has read in promotional material, from observations he has made and from his own experience using this product. My name is Ian Aiken and I live in the North East of England in the United Kingdom, which experiences a temperate maritime climate characterized by mild summers and cool winters. Cloudiness can vary throughout the year and it feels like I only get 20 usable clear nights per year at my Bortle...
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Solar Eclipses 2024
This entry was posted on February 8, 2024 Last modified on February 27, 2024.
For years our colleagues have been hunting for the next solar eclipse in the most remote places in the world. See e.g. our previous blog posts on AstroSolar.com: 2015: Solar Eclipse Adventrue in Svalbard 2016: Solar Eclipse on the Molucca Islands 2017: "Great American Eclipse" 2019: Solar Eclipse in Chile We can look forward to two solar eclipses in 2024! Total Solar Eclipse in America on April 8th, 2024 Map of the eclipse on April 8th, 2024. Source: wikipedia.org Observers in Central and North America can look forward to a total solar eclipse on April 8th, 2024. It will start in the western Pacific; then the moon's shadow will move fast to the north-east. It will cross Mazatlan in Mexico and the Niagara Falls on...
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A quick look at the sky in 2024
This entry was posted on January 23, 2024
As we are now into 2024 we thought it would be interesting to give you a quick summary of the year ahead in our sky. Equinoxes and Solstices The Earth’s seasons change on four specific days each year. We have two solstices where the Sun appears to be at its lowest and highest points in the sky in December and June respectively, and two equinoxes where the length of day and night are similar in April and September. The equinox and solstice dates for 2024 are: March 20 - Spring Equinox: Occurs at 03:06 UTC and is the first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere and the first day of autumn in the Southern Hemisphere (autumnal equinox). June 20 - Summer Solstice: Will take place at 20:51 UTC and is...
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QHY 5-III-678M vs. QHY 5-III 178M: Key Enhancements and Differences
This entry was posted on December 8, 2023 Last modified on February 27, 2024.
Luc Cathala made a comparison between QHY 5-III-678M CMOS Camera (#1931036 , € 410,-) and the QHY 5-III-178M.The QHY 5-III-678 M/C can be considered as an improved version of its earlier QHY 5-III 178M. Like the Sony IMX 178, Sony's new IMX 678 sensor is a 1/1.8-inch back illuminated (BSI) sensor. However, compared to the IMX 178, it has higher resolution (smaller pixels) and higher QE, as well as increased sensitivity in the near-infrared (NIR) spectral range. In addition, the QHY 5-III-678 M/C camera modules have some improved features. Review by Luc Cathala: Since I was a child, the night sky has always fascinated me. I bought astronomy magazines from time to time. In mid-December 2002 a friend lent me his Celestron 6. That night...
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Event review in 2023
This entry was posted on November 29, 2023 Last modified on February 28, 2024.
2023 was an eventful year for Baader Planetarium with numerous international events and trade fairs. Our commitment to the astronomical community and our endeavor to always offer the latest and best products in the field of astronomy have taken us as far as London and Bremen. In this blog post, we want to review the impressions we have gathered this year. From the European AstroFest in London to the SpaceTech Expo in Bremen, we presented our latest innovations and proven solutions to a global audience. European AstroFest London, February 3rd - 4th, 2023 We attended the two day event at the Kensington Conference and Events Center with our UK representative. The event featured 3 floors of exhibition space showing the latest astro-gear from a range...
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Baader Photometric Filters: Dark nebulae appear in a new light
This entry was posted on December 4, 2023 Last modified on February 27, 2024.
Combination of photometric and RGB filters to highlight dark nebulae Photographing dark nebulae is a fascinating challenge for astrophotographers, often posing difficulties due to the low brightness and high contrast between celestial objects and dark nebulae. This often requires the use of different techniques and exceptionally dark skies to bring out fine details in the dark nebular structures. In this test report, we examine the photographic results and the effectiveness of the combination Baader SLOAN/SDSS (ugriz') Filter Set – photometric Baader SLOAN/SDSS (ugriz') Filter Set – photometric (various versions available) und Baader RGB Filter Set – CMOS-optimized (various versions available) to evaluate its effectiveness in improving contrast and detail, as well as enhancing them in all their colorful glory, while maintaining natural color reproduction. Equipment...
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Queen's Anniversary Prize Award for the Open University UK
This entry was posted on November 27, 2023 Last modified on February 27, 2024.
We would like to congratulate the Open University (OU) who was recently announced as one of the winners of the prestigious 2023 Queen's Anniversary Prize for their OpenSTEM (Science, Technology Engineering & Mathematics) Labs. These online distance learning laboratories allow students to undertake and participate in experimental work at any time 24/7 remotely from anywhere in the world and cover topics including computing, health and astronomy. The prizes are granted biennially by the UK Monarch and are the highest national honor awarded in Higher Education in recognition of world-class excellence and achievement. The OU operate two robotic observatories at the Observatorio del Teide on the island of Tenerife as part of its OpenSTEM Labs initiative called COAST (COmpletely Autonomous Service Telescope), and PIRATE (the Physics...
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Observe comet 12p/Pons-Brooks now
This entry was posted on November 23, 2023 Last modified on February 27, 2024.
New comets with unusual behavior are constantly making the headlines. However, an "old acquaintance" is currently approaching with powerful show effects. Comet 12p/Pons-Brooks has an orbital period around the sun of 71 years and was observed probably in China around 700 years ago. It is currently approaching its closest point to the sun again, which it will reach on April 21st, 2024. It will be closest to the Earth on June 2nd, 2024 before disappearing into the outer reaches of the solar system for another 71 years. As it slowly heats up while approaching the sun, the comet has shown several outbursts of brightness in recent months, which experts explain as ice volcanism (cryovolcanism). During this process, ice heats up under the surface, sublimates (becomes...
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From Relic to Modern Observatory: The Story of my "Antique" Baader Dome
This entry was posted on November 22, 2023 Last modified on February 28, 2024.
Note from Baader Planetarium: The following article was kindly provided to us by Christoph B. for publication. Discover this 2.1M Classic Slit Dome also on our World Map Background My journey to establishing my own observatory began with an extraordinary heirloom, a Baader observatory dome over 30 years old, carrying its own remarkable history. This dome had been in the possession of Mr. Ernst Blättler (✝) for decades, who had donated it to his club, the Astronomical Society of Zürcher Oberland (AGZO), some years ago. Until his old age, he was active as a passionate demonstrator. A few years ago, however, the club expressed the desire to operate a modern dome with the latest technology, which could be remotely operated by the club members. Therefore,...
Recent Posts
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M31 in only 4,5 hours
This entry was posted on January 14, 2020.
Last modified on February 27, 2024.
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Field report by Ian Aiken: The Baader 2" Cool-Ceramic Safety Herschel Prism Mark II
This entry was posted on April 16, 2024.
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Solar Eclipses 2024
This entry was posted on February 8, 2024.
Last modified on February 27, 2024.
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A quick look at the sky in 2024
This entry was posted on January 23, 2024.
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QHY 5-III-678M vs. QHY 5-III 178M: Key Enhancements and Differences
This entry was posted on December 8, 2023.
Last modified on February 27, 2024.
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