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:
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 the border between the USA and Canada, among other places, before leaving the mainland in Newfoundland again. The eclipse then ends in the North Atlantic.
If the weather cooperates, the eclipse can be seen for the longest time in the mountains of Mexico's Sierra Madre Occidental: The sun will there be eclipsed for almost four and a half minutes.
As the eclipse can be seen from the easily accessible United States of America, affordable accommodation and flights are likely to have long since been booked - but we can expect a great deal of coverage on social media, which should provide us in Europe with numerous images and live streams. Only from the westernmost regions of Europe will we be able to catch a glimpse of a sun that is only eclipsed by a few percent; this eclipse will remain unobservable from Central Europe.
Annular Eclipse on October 2nd, 2024 in South America and the Pacific
For the second eclipse of this year, we have to leave Europe, too: There is a rare annular eclipse on October 2nd, 2024 – unfortunately, the shadow of the moon passes over larger land areas only in the South of South America, otherwise this event can be seen only from the southern parts of the Pacific Ocean. One of the few islands from where it can be seen is the Easter Island, besides that, there are few good spots for observing it. In contrast to a total eclipse, the Sun's corona will not be visible in october, and the Sun will be so bright during the maximum eclipse that you still need a safe solar filter to lok at it. Large parts of South America can at least witnes a partial eclipse.
A partial solar eclipse will not be visible from Europe again until March 29th, 2025, and a total solar eclipse will finally be visible from Spain again in August 2026. So there's still plenty of time to plan your 2026 summer vacation!
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First, as always, the warning:
Never look directly into the sun without a suitable filter! Otherwise you risk serious eye damage or even blindness. Always use a certified sun filter in front of the lens of the camera or telescope, or use certified solar viewers when observing with the naked eye.
Safe observing
If you are travelling to see a Solar eclipse please always take appropriate safety precautions when observing or imaging the Sun. A popular accessory for safely watching a solar eclipse are the "wearable" [product sku="solarviewer" style="imgright"] which reduce the sun light intensity by 99,999% and also give 100% UV- and IR-protection. If you have any concerns or questions about safely observing or imaging these events please contact one of our authorized Baader Planetarium dealers or ourselves.
You can easily build a pair of lens filters yourself from [product sku="astrosolarsafety" style="imgleft"] and cardboard, or you can use ready-made [product sku="asbf"], that are mounted onto the lenses and additionally secured with Velcro. An interesting alternative are the Celestron EclipSmart binoculars, in which the solar filters are permanently installed right from the factory.
If possible, use a sufficiently high tripod to observe in a relaxed manner: Through the solar filter you will only see black until you have the sun in the field of view. Therefore, it is not easy to find the sun in the sky! With a tripod, you can observe in a much more relaxed way and also have your hands free to protect your eyes against stray light. Ten times magnification is also about the limit to which you can hold binoculars steady in your hands.
For the best quality, you should use a [product sku="astf"] owners of lens telescopes can also use a Herschel wedge.
On the sun, on the other hand, the solar granules become visible at higher magnification in addition to the sunspots: a network of countless gas bubbles over 1000 km in size that rise from the boiling interior of the sun, much like in a pot of boiling water. It becomes even clearer with the [product sku="solarcontinuumfilter" style="imgright"] in addition to the AstroSolar Filter; it raises the contrast even.[br]
Photography
You can also mount a solar filter in front of a telephoto lens; the same safety instructions apply as for observation with the naked eye or through binoculars/telescope. As long as you photograph the entire sun, you can use the same film as for visual observation (i.e. filter factor ND5). The weakere [product sku="astrosolarfoto" style="imgright"] is only for when you want to photograph details on the sun with long focal lengths (usually with eyepiece projection or a Barlow lens) and a video module.
If you use manual mode, a low ISO and short exposure times, plus a medium aperture (around f/8), then most lenses will produce the sharpest images – at smaller apertures (f/16, f/32) the exposure times only increase unnecessarily and the image sharpness is no longer optimal; at open apertures (f/1.8, f/3.5 or similar) the lens will also not work at the best possible sharpness. A tripod is obligatory with these focal lengths, a remote shutter release (or the self-timer) is highly recommended.
Take a series of exposures and take a few test shots in advance, then you can also see when the lens is sharpest and which exposure times work best – you can then use these values directly during the eclipse. With a bit of luck, the autofocus will also work; you have the best chance if you can set the focus point manually. From 200-300mm focal length, the sun is imaged large enough to be interesting.
On telescopes with a focal length of 1-2m, the sun fits best on the sensor; but for this you should start preparing early. You can find a lot of information about solar observation at https://astrosolar.com/en/information/
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.
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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 the first day of summer for us in the Northern Hemisphere. It is the first day of winter (winter solstice) in the Southern Hemisphere.
September 22 - Autumnal Equinox: at 12:44 UTC is the first day of autumn in the Northern Hemisphere and the first day of spring (vernal equinox) in the Southern Hemisphere.
December 21 - Winter Solstice: occurs at 09:21 UTC. For us in the northern hemisphere it is the first day of winter and the first day of summer (summer solstice) for those in the Southern Hemisphere.
There are numerous “wide field” phenomena/events, such as the aurora during dark skies in wintertime, noctilucent clouds seen typically between end of May and beginning of August and many meteor showers that take place throughout the year that are worth looking out for. These are always fun to watch – with the surprise element being that we don’t exactly know how “active” a display will be. They certainly keep us on the edge of our seat…or comfy recliner!
You don’t need any special astronomy equipment such as a telescope or binocular to view these displays - you just need your eyes! However, its a good idea to have chair to sit on or a recliner/sun lounger so you can lie back to see a lot of the sky comfortably as you may be outside for a long while (especially for the meteor showers)! It can also be cold so you could also get yourself under a duvet or inside sleeping bag to keep warm – just don’t get too comfy though and fall asleep and miss the event happening above you! For meteor showers you can find out more in Celestron’s guide to observing meteor showers.
If you want to take photographs of a display and to try and capture meteors as they streak across the sky, a camera set on a long(ish) exposure with a wide angle or standard lens, mounted on a sturdy tripod such as the [product sku="2451020" style="imgleft"] is all you need (a remote shutter release may be useful too). For more details on imaging meteor showers a good introductory guide can be found here.
Below are the dates for the peak of the main meteor showers for 2024:
January 3,4: Quadrantids. Shower with up to 40 meteors per hour, but a waning gibbous may make fainter meteors less visible.
April 22, 23:Lyrids. The full Moon will interfere this shower affecting the visibility of fainter meteors.
May 6,7: Eta Aquarids. An active shower and nearly new moon will allow for fainter meteors to be seen.
August 12, 13:Perseids. A popular shower in early autumn. This year a first quarter moon means some fainter meteors may be harder to see. However with the Moon setting after midnight, the rest of the night will have dark skies allowing for fainter ones to be seen.
October 7:Draconids. This is a minor shower (about 10 meteors per hour) and the moon will be near first quarter so will not significantly interfere.
October 21, 22: Orionids. This popular and well observed meteor shower is produced by dust left behind by the famous Halley’s comet. The waning gibbous Moon will affect visibility of fainter meteors in the latter part of the night.
November 17, 18:Leonids. A near full Moon will mean a bright sky and only the brighter meteors will be visible.
December 13, 14:Geminids. This meteor shower is often considered to be the king of the meteor showers. However this year a near full Moon means only the brighter ones will be visible.
Currently a few comets are worth keeping an eye on as they may become bright enough for binocular (e.g. Celestron SkyMaster 20x80) or small telescope (e.g. Celestron NexStar 130 SLT) observation with two possibly becoming naked-eye comets. If the comets develop long tails often a wide field telescope such as the [product sku="2300095" style="imgright"] or Celestron 8” RASA astrograph are ideal to capture as much of the comet as possible.
The new [product sku="c2Swan"] which allows only light from the two brightest carbon bands (511nm & 514nm) to pass through allowing structures in the gas tail to become more noticeable may be a useful filter accessory to have at hand.
62P/Tsuchinshan: reached perihelion on December 25 2023 and is closest to Earth on January 29 when it is expected to be mag ~9.5so will be a binocular/telescope object.
144P/Kushida: This may become visible in medium/large binoculars based on some predictions but many predict it to be faint.
C/2021 S3 PanSTARRS: Visible in the northern hemisphere after perihelion on February 14 2024 the comet may become a ~7 magnitude object and visible in binoculars.
Comet 12P/Pons–Brooks: Reaches perihelion on 21st April 2024 low in the western sky below the Hyades in Taurus and not far from Jupiter where it could be ~4.2 magnitude. This is one to really keep an eye on You can read more about this comet in our recent article.
C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan–ATLAS: Perihelion on 27 September and is best seen in the October early evening western sky where it may possibly be a naked-eye object.
[br]More details about comets, including their brightness and position in the night sky, can be found on the SkyLive website here.
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The Moon
The Moon is a fantastic celestial target for beginners and well-seasoned astronomers of any age and experience. It will continue to make its appearance in our night sky through 2024 where it will present its regular waxing and waning phases.
Binoculars such as the popular Celestron 15x70 SkyMaster, which have 15x magnification and 70mm aperture objective, are still relatively light-weight to be hand held, will show many surface features in detail compared to the naked eye. Even through a small starter telescope the Lunar views are impressive with many craters, mountain ranges and “seas” being easily visible.
The Moon’s brightness can be overpowering especially around the time of full Moon which can mean observing it through a telescope can be uncomfortable. The use of [product sku="neutraldensity" style="imgleft"] can help cut down the brightness and make observing the Moon more comfortable. Another useful accessory that can help is a [product sku="polarizingdouble" style="imgright"] which can vary the amount of light entering the eyepiece from 40% down to 1% (ideal for when the Moon is at its brightest) by simply rotating filter barrel. Although these filters are primarly used in telescope eyepieces, Celestron’s new SkyMaster Pro 7x50, 15x70 and 20x80 ED binoculars have a filter thread on each ocular eyepieces to accept 1.25” filters - a unique feature!
The popular time for observing the Moon is around the times of waxing crescent to first quarter and from third quarter to waning crescent when shadows are cast and the Moon is not at its brightest (and not at or around its full phase as the Moon, Earth and Sun are in line so very little shadows are cast meaning Lunar detail is not as contrasty (and the Moon is very bright too)).
Here are a small selection of Lunar features to observe:
Other features: Vallis Alpes, Rupes Recta, Lunar Appenines, Hadley Rille
Now the fun part is to find out where the above features are on the Moon and go and observe them through your telescope or binoculars for yourself!
The dates for the main phases of the Moon can be found here for the city of Munich for the year ahead.
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The Planets
To see or image a planet in any detail you need a telescope. Celestron offer a very wide range to suit all budgets from manually operated to app-enabled and fully computerized/GoTo instruments. For planetary (and Lunar observers), a refractor, Maksutov Cassegrain or Schmidt Cassegrain optical design are popular choices which are available on different types of mount. Given the large choice of telescopes, if planetary study is of interest to you and if you need any advice on what to choose, contact one of our helpful authorised Celestron dealers or ourselves. Our recent article about which telescope apertures are best for different celestial objects should be useful too.
For planetary and lunar observing Baader Planetarium offer their Classic Ortho and Plossl eyepieces and 1.3x/2.25x barlow. The Ortho eyepieces are available in focal lengths of
[product sku="2954106"] (high power),
[product sku="2954110"] and
[product sku="2954118"] with a 32mm Plossl [product sku="2954132"].
These high-quality eyepieces have a 52° apparent field of view (50° for the Plossl), and are parfocal meaning little or no refocussing being necessary when swapping to a different Classic Ortho/Plossl eyepiece. To further increase the magnification of these eyepieces the unique [product sku="2956185"] can be used.
A really useful accessory to go alongside these is the [product sku="2957010"] which allows you to quickly and easily change between eyepieces (and magnification) by simply rotating the turret rather than having to keep removing and replacing the different eyepieces in the telescope focuser. The Q-turret is also available with the Classic Ortho/Plossl as a complete package ([product sku="2957000"]).
Colored filters can be beneficial for planetary observing. They can help increase the contrast of planetary features through selective filtration. For example, a red filter can be ideal to help observe features on the red Martian surface and the use of a yellow filter can help enhance cloud bands on Jupiter and Saturn. The [product sku="colorfilterset" style="imgleft"] have a double 7-layer anti-reflection coating and are planeoptically polished so that they do not impair the image quality even at the high magnifications required for planetary observation. The filters (blue, light blue, green, yellow, red, orange) are available individually or as a set in 1.25" and 2" sizes.
For those interested in studying the planets the following information about their visibility may be of interest. The second half of 2024 offers the best time to view the planets in our solar system.[br]
Saturn through a Celestron 11" SCT around time of opposition at high magnification in order to show how the planet's rings appeared in 2023 (L), 2024 (M) and how they will appear in 2025 (R). By 2025 the rings will be edge-on.
Mercury: The innermost planet of our solar system can be difficult to see being so close to the Sun in the sky. The best time to try and view Mercury are the days around its Greatest Western or Greatest Eastern Elongation (our monthly sky guide will highlight favourable dates too). For 2024 the dates for these are:
Greatest Western Elongation: Jan 12, May 9, Sep 5, Dec 25 - low in the eastern sky before sunrise
Greatest Eastern Elongation: March 24, July 22, November 16 - low in the western sky after sunset
Venus: At the start of the year it is a morning object but gets closer to our Sun in the sky for the first couple of months. It is badly placed from March to August when it will then set around 45 minutes after sunset. From September its visibility improves and by December will set just over 3 hours after sunset.
Mars: The red planet is not well placed until late June/early July when it rises a couple of hours before the Sun. By November it will be well placed for observing or imaging and reaches opposition in January 2025.
Jupiter: At the beginning of 2024 Jupiter dominates the evening sky after sunset until just after midnight. By late March it will be low in the west after sunset. From April until July when it becomes a morning object with improving visibility as the months go by reaching opposition on December 7 and will be visible all night long.
Saturn: Saturn starts the year being an evening object but low in the west after sunset and better observed from August onwards. The planet is at opposition on September 8th and visible all night. It will be around 34 degrees above the (Munich) horizon when it crosses the meridian around midnight so is nicely placed for observing or imaging. It is also worth noting that the planet’s famous ring system will be more “closed” than in 2023 with them being edge-on in 2025.
Uranus: This planet is visible in the early part of 2024 until around late March. It will become better suited for observation from late August onwards and reaches opposition on 17 November.
Neptune: This outer planet will be best seen from around late July onwards where it reaches opposition on 21 September.
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The Sun
Our Sun continues on its journey ever closer towards Solar maximum in 2025. So far this we have had some very nice large sunspots and sunspot groups as well as some very nice prominences so the lead up to maximum looks exciting. There has also been some amazing auroral displays during 2023 with some visible in Germany.
It is always important to mention that when viewing or imaging the Sun requires extreme care and the use of proper, safe solar filters. If you have any concerns or questions about safely observing or imaging our Sun please contact one of our authorized Baader Planetarium dealers or ourselves.
For white-light Solar views (a popular way of studying the Sun), you can observe the dark sunspots, faculae and solar granulation. Baader Planetarium offer their AstroSolar film so you can make your own Solar filter. Alternatively, there are ready-made AstroSolar filters which use their AstroSolar film but fitted in a specially designed robust metal housing for fitment onto small camera lenses, binoculars, spotting scopes and telescopes. A new model of the ever popular [product sku="SafeyHerschelMarkii" style="imgright"], to be used on refracting telescopes, was released in 2023 with features including a shorter overall length and integrated rotation mechanism for polarising filters for easy image brightness adjustment.
You can find more about the Baader whitelight (and H-alpha and CaK) solar productshere.
To find the latest views of our Sun and how active it is, a really good resource is the GONG near-real time data website which displays images of the Sun from a number of Solar observatories around the world in different wavelengths.[br]
The Solar and Lunar eclipses that take place this year are listed below. If you are travelling to see a Solar eclipse please always take appropriate safety precautions when observing or imaging the Sun. A popular accessory for safely watching a solar eclipse are the "wearable" [product sku="2459294"] which reduce the sun light intensity by 99,999% and also give 100% UV- and IR-protection. If you have any concerns or questions about safely observing or imaging these events please contact one of our authorized Baader Planetarium dealers or ourselves.
March 25 - Penumbral Lunar Eclipse visible throughout Asia, Australia and parts of eastern Europe. However, with this type of eclipse, the Moon will darken just slightly.
April 8 - Total Solar Eclipse. The path of totality will begin in the Pacific Ocean with it being observable in parts of central Texas up to Indiana and into Maine. This will be a popular celestial event with many people from all parts of the world converging along the line of totality to experience this total solar eclipse.
September 18 - Partial Lunar Eclipse taking place during the early morning throughout most of Europe and Africa and visible from Germany. See here for more information.
October 2 – Annular Solar eclipse. The annular eclipse visible in southern Chile and Argentina.
A detailed guide to eclipses visible in 2024 and beyond can be found on the Time and Date website.
If you need help selecting, using or have any questions about a Baader Planetarium accessory, please contact one of our authorized Baader Planetarium dealers or ourselves who will be happy to answer your questions.
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 of suppliers and retailers.
Our portion of the Widescreen Centre booth dedicated to a selection of Baader Planetarium products
Baader Planetarium were invited to be part of the event by Dr Simon Bennett and Elena Kostyaeva from The Widescreen Centre.
On Saturday, March 11th, the one-day Practical Astronomy Show (PAS) took place at the Kettering Conference Center in the heart of England. Alongside the trade exhibition there are also a number of free talks spread across the day.
We were pleased to be part of this event and we had on display for show and demonstration a range of our accessories including
as well as the 10Micron GM2000 HPS II mounted on its heavy but very sturdy Centaurus II tripod.
We found lots of interest particularly aimed at our AstroSolar ready-made filters, the ClickLock adaptors and [product sku="2961590"] and the new [product sku="SafeyHerschelMarkii"].
10Micron GM2000 HPS II all set up on its Centaurus II tripod
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Conference: Astronomy Conference and Assembly of Delegates of the Swiss Astronomical Society in Brugg-Windisch, April 1st, 2023
On April 1st we took part in the astronomy conference for all members of SAG-SAS sections, as well as professional and youth groups and the interested public. There, in cooperation with our official general importer/distributor of our products for Switzerland, Engelberger AG, we showed a selection of our Baader, PlaneWave & 10Micron products.
Celestron StarSense Explorer series at Engelberger AGStaff member of Baader Planetarium, showing PlaneWave DeltaRho 350 & 10Micron GM2000 HPS II mount set up on Centaurus tripod
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ATT in Essen, May 13th, 2023
The ATT is a trade fair especially for amateur astronomers, which we enjoy attending every year. It is the largest event of its kind in Europe. [br]
Watch a time-lapse video of how we set up our booth (timelapse on the day of the show unfortunately didn't work due to complications) as well as some nice highlights.[br]
At this year's ATT we offered - in addition to our online list - interesting bargains directly for sale: including eyepieces, remaining stocks of Baader Narrowband beginner filters, various accessories, Celestron binoculars, spotting scopes, telescopes and much more.
At the 38th ATT, in addition to our standard product range, we presented
ATT-TeamPlaneWave CDK 500, consisting of CDK20 astrograph & L-500 mountBaader 8" Triband SCT & PlaneWave DeltaRho 350 on L-350 mountTEC APO 140 FL & Celestron 11" EdgeHD on 10Micron AZ2000 HPSAstrophotography set: Baader APO 95/580 Travel Companion with Steeldrive focuser, M68 system & QHY600 + QHYCFW3QHY camerasIMP85 - Instrument Multi Port 85 Adaption with QHY camerasBaader Solar filtersCelestron Cometron FirstScope with ASSF 80 AstroSolar filterBaader 9,25" Triband-SCTBaader H-alpha filterI & Baader APO with solar accessoriesCheching the filter bandwidths with the DADOS spectrographBaader filtersCelestron RASA 8" + QHY268M & FCCT II on 10Micron GM1000 HPS mount with Aries tripod10Micron GM3000 HPS on Baader BHP steel column with TEC Apo 180 FL & Celestron RASA 36cm Celestron telescope kitsCelestron spotting scopesCelestron innovations with StarSense autoguider, dew heater rings and systemsCelestron binoculars wiht the new Skymaster Pro ED binocularsBaader Narrowband CCD beginner filter at the bargain boothBaader bargain sale at ATTPlaneWave telescopes & mounts on Baader booth
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Space-Comm Expo UK, June 7th - 8th, 2023
Space-Comm Expo is an annual UK-based two-day exhibition held at the Farnborough International Conference Centre (the home of pioneering aviation history) where the space sector industry meets, networks and does business. In addition to the exhibition, there is a full conference programme of lectures given by world-class expert speakers.
We were present at this year's Space-Comm Expo, showcasing PlaneWave- and 10Micron products, Baader domes as well as observatory installations, that can be used for a wide range of scientific applications that include space situational awareness (SSA), laser communication and astronomy. Baader Planetarium specializes in manufacturing advanced Ground Station Domes for SLR (Satellite Laser Ranging), SSA (Space Situational Awareness), and Lasercom applications alongside fully integrated turnkey Optical Observatories. More information can be found on: baader.space
Dr. Lee Sproats and Michael Risch, Baader Planetarium staff member
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National Astronomy Meeting (NAM), July 3rd - 7th, 2023
ABK – Astronomieböre in Bad Kreuznach, September 30th, 2023
After the successful start of the ABK - Astronomie-Börse in Bad Kreuznach - in October 2022, the fair took place for the second time this year on September 30th, and we were represented with Baader and Celestron for the first time with an information booth.
Baader Planetarium & Celestron boothPlaneWave CDK 14" on10Micron GM2000 HPS II & Centaurus tripodSolar setup: 10Micron AZ1000 on ARIES tripod with Baader APO 95/580 Travel Companion & Baader SunDancer II, TZ-4S, MaxBright II and D-ERF energy protection filterBaader adaptor systems (UFC, M54. M45, ClickLock)Celestron booth, including Celestron RASA 11" on CGX mount & QHY 600 camera as well on the table Celestron RASA 8" with Baader FCCT II
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Fall event Video Sauter in Munich, November 3rd - 4th, 2023
With top offers on site and many new products, we were represented with Celestron at Foto-Video Sauter in Munich on 03.11 and 04.11.2023 and presented, among other things, the photo machine with f/2: Celestron RASA 8" astrophotograph on AVX mount, the StarSense Explorer Technology with the new StarSense Explorer Dobsonian series, as well as a complete digiscoping setup with the Baader Hyperion Zoom eyepiece, and Celestron binoculars and spotting scopes.
Celestron spotting scopes including Regal M2 and Hummingbird micro spotting scopeCelestron StarSense Explorer 102 DXCelestron RASA 8" on AVX mount
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In-house exibition Photo Universal / Fernrohrland in Fellbach near Stuttgart, November 10th - 11th, 2023
Wir attended on 10.11 and 11.11.2023 the in-house exhibition of Photo Universal / Fernrohrland in Fellbach near Stuttgart with Celestron. There we presented various Celestron innovations, such as the StarSense Dobson, the StarSense Autoguider and proven binoculars and telescopes, including the RASA astrophotographs.[br]
Ceelstron RASA 11 & StarSense Exlporer 8" DobsonianCelestron Regal M2 spotting scope & binoculars, StarSense Autoguider & heating ringsCelestron RASA 11 with QHY600 on CGXmount
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AstroShow Cesena, Italy, November 11th - 12th, 2023
PlaneWave CDK14 & L-350 Direct Drive Mount on Baader Heavy Pillar modal steel columnBaader Instrument Multi Port IMP85 with QHY KamerasBaader Triband-SCT for Sun and Deep-Sky & Baader adaptor system (M68, M54, M48, UFC, ClcikLock)Johannes Baader, CEO Baader PlanetariumBaader Hyperion & Morpheus eyepiecesBaader Ultra Narrowband & L-RGB filters, Baader Herschel Prism Mark IIBaader Solar filtersAstro-Physics Starfire on 10Micron mount & pillarTEC Apo 140 FL with 10Micron GM1000 on Pegasus tripod
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SpaceTech Expo Europe in Bremen, November 14th - 16th, 2023
From November 14 to 16, 2023, we attended Space Tech Expo Europe with high-quality instruments for the space industry. We presented the first PlaneWave DeltaRho 500 in Europe, mounted on an L-500 Direct-Drive mount. Additionally, we showcased the very first brandnew 10Micron AZ2500 Direct-Drive mount, which completes the line of the larger 10Micron AZ DDS mounts and is specifically designed for high performances required in satellite tracking, laser communication and other demanding applications.
We integrate these and many more products into our turnkey observatories or our optical ground stations for SLR / SSA / Lasercom. More details can be found on: baader.space
Johannes Baader, CEO Baader Planetarium & Eric Blackhurst, PlanWave Instruments Vice President of Sales & MarketingPlaneWave Delta RHO 500 f/3 telescope on PlaneWave L-500 Direct Drive Mount10Micron AZ2500 DDS MountBaader AllSky dome model
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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 Innovations Robotic Telescope Explorer) which we are proud to support.
These are used for OU teaching and astronomical research including monitoring of variable sources, exoplanet studies and near-earth asteroids.[br]
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 icevolcanism (cryovolcanism). During this process, ice heats up under the surface, sublimates (becomes gaseous), expands and breaks through the surface in an eruption. In the process, dust and even more ice is carried away, the comet's coma expands and it becomes brighter. The comet is currently at 9m and is therefore visible and easy to photograph in small amateur telescopes with an aperture of approx. 10cm or more. Here you can find a finder chart, the comet is ideally located near the bright star Vega in Lyra https://theskylive.com/12p-info
12P showed a "black stripe" in its coma during the last eruptions, so that it somewhat resembled the famous "Millenium Falcon" from Star Wars. In the latest outburst a few days ago, it changed its appearance again. As the images by Michael Jäger show, a curved black stripe and a light stripe are visible. There is also a "knot" which could be an area of dense dust or a broken-off piece of the comet.
Be that as it may, this activity makes us sit up and take notice, because such an outburst near the sun would probably make the comet easily visible to the naked eye. Barely two weeks before the closest approach to the sun, on April 8th, 2024, there is also the possibility of seeing it with the naked eye during the total solar eclipse in the USA. But even before that, it will be an interesting observation object for binoculars, small telescopes and certainly also a nice photo object for astrophotographers. It is worth keeping an eye on comet Pons-Brooks from now on, the chances of further large outbursts of brightness in the coming weeks and months are not bad!
We have completed a whole range of new adapters for our M54 system and are happy to present them to you herewith. A M54 filter and quick-change system, compatible with the entire Baader M54 system, is in preparation.
Tool for tension-free mounting and dismounting of hard-to-reach 2" Baader filters with milled grip crown.
Suitable for all mounted Baader 2" filters with Low Profile Filter Cell (LPFC) - fit not guaranteed for older filters. Not suitable for filters of other manufacturers without grip crown or with unknown mount diameters.
We now offer Maxbright® II Binoviewer-Sets with two Classic Ortho / Plössl Eyepieces each (for the price of one pc). These are ideal for planetary observation with the highest resolution.
[product sku="2456467"]
[product sku="2456468"]
[product sku="2456469"]
[product sku="2456470"]
Saturday March 11th saw the welcome return of the one-day Practical Astronomy Show (PAS) which was held at its usual venue at the Kettering Conference Centre located in the heart of England. The event hosts a large number of retailers and manufacturers and the event is free for the public to attend. Alongside the trade exhibition there are also a number of free talks spread across the day. Exhibitors usually set up the day beforehand, but storm Larisa hit large parts of the UK on the Thursday and Friday with heavy snow and cold temperatures leading to treacherous travel conditions for some (including our UK representative). Luckily all exhibitors who planned to attend did so and the weather improved considerably for the public attendees to the show on the Saturday.
Our stand with our accessories and 10Micron mount
The GM2000 HPS II all set up on its Centaurus II tripod
There was already a big queue outside the venue just before the doors opened at 9am and it was busy all day even between the free-to-attend talks and up to near the time the exhibition closed at 5pm. A lot of discussions and questions were had about a wide range of our accessories "across the board", but we found lots of interest particularly aimed at our AstroSolar ready-made filters, the ClickLock adaptors and our [product sku="2961590"] and the new [product sku="SafeyHerschelMarkii"] which features our new 7.5nm Continuum filter and a rotation mechanism for easy image brightness adjustment when using polarising filters. The GM2000 also drew a lot of interest leading to lots of questions about its capability as well as that of its smaller GM family relative - the GM1000.
The event was a great success with extremely good attendance overall (despite the worry of the British weather prior to the event) and with a great atmosphere. We look forward to being part of PAS in 2024.
2" wedge prism according to Herschel - one-sided Phantom Group® anti-reflective coating, with ceramic solar finder and 2" ClickLock® eyepiece holder
Integrated rotation mechanism for polarising filters – the best method for brightness adjustment in visual solar observation and solar photography in white light
Stepless brightness adjustment is made possible in combination with the optional [product sku="2408342"] and the included Neutral Density Filter. The polarizing filters are not included in the scope of delivery
Including the [product="2961581] for an uncompromisingly sharp solar image
S58 dovetail and Safety Kerfs on the 2" nose-piece, New 3-point adjustment system preset in the factory
Available in visual and photographic versions, please choose from dropdown[br]
Single filter (unstacked!), shows finest solar details in calcium K (Cak) lightFor solar photography only in combination with enclosed AstroSolar photo film ND3.8 or an Herschel prism
Enhanced contrast matched to quantum efficiency and s/n ratio of typical CMOS cameras.
Reflex-Blocker™ coatings, for maximum immunity to retro-reflection from nearest auxiliary optics, even under the most adverse conditions
Identical filter thickness to existing standards, with utmost care for homofocality
Reflex-Blocker™ hard coated and planeoptically polished – with sealed coating edges (Life-Coat™)
Blackened edges all around, with filter-lead-side-indicator in the form of a telescope-sided black outer rim
Supplied with AstroSolar photo film ND 3.8, size: 200 x 290 mm - for pre-filtering sunlight
The calcium filter Gen-II must NOT be used in the light path WITHOUT pre-filtering.
Visual observation is not possible with the calcium filter, as the eye is practically blind in this part of the spectrum. Never point the telescope directly at the sun with only the calcium filter (without an additional attenuation filter).
H-alpha filter with 20 nm FWHM (CWL 656.3 nm), thus excellently suited for visual use at night - and photographically with CCD and CMOS cameras at telescopes with all f-ratios. Warning: this filter alone is not suitable for direct viewing of the sun!
With new, highly effective UV/IR block coating from 300 nm to 1400 nm
Similar to the Super G filter in O III, the 20 nm H-alpha filter is an outstanding high-contrast deep-sky H-alpha/red filter for RGB applications, optimised for all colour CCD and CMOS chips. It enables high-contrast images of H-II regions (e.g. North America nebulae) even from light-polluted environments.
Front-Reflex-Blocker™ hard coated and planeoptically polished – with sealed coating edges (Life-Coat™)[br]
O-III Super-G filter with 9 nm FWHM and a maximum transmission of 97%.
For visual and photographic observation of planetary nebulae and supernova remnants, even with small telescopes
Can be used as a "Super-G filter" replacement for RGB photography. While regular G-filters suffer from bad seeing due to air turbulences, the narrow range of 9 nm passes less thermal noise, i.e. sharper images. Nevertheless, the transmission window is large enough not to be considered a pure narrowband filter.
CMOS-optimized coating technolog with much steeper slopes of the filter passband - for increased contrast, longer life and to avoid reflections.[br]
Ring for dovetail for the [product sku="1324005"] to connect, rotate and change large cameras, spectrographs or visual accessories, as well as to the Securfit system rem and with adapters of the 2" and M68 system respectively.
The European AstroFest returned to its usual London home last weekend, the first since 2020 which took place just before the start of the global pandemic.
AstroFest banner outside venue - taken early doors before the crowds arrived
This two day event was held at the Kensington Conference and Events Centre on Friday 3rd and Saturday 4th February. The event featured 3 floors of exhibition space showing the latest astro-gear from a range of suppliers and retailers. Over the two day event a total of 16 talks were given by astronomers and space scientists, including historian Professor Allan Chapman and Queen lead guitarist (and astronomer) Brian May.
Baader Planetarium were invited to be part of the event by Dr Simon Bennett and Elena Kostyaeva from The Widescreen Centre and our UK representative attended on our behalf. We had a portion of their booth, located in a prime spot near the main ground floor entrance outside the large lecture theatre, which was dedicated to a wide selection of our products.
Thursday was the usual "set up" day which was done in good time ready for the opening. Friday dawned and many were unsure of how well that day would be attended as there was a continuation of industrial action by rail workers. As opening time drew nearer, a long line of attendees formed waiting to get in and overall it was a nice steady day. Saturday was, as is usually the case, a lot busier.
Our portion of the Widescreen Centre booth dedicated to a selection of Baader Planetarium products
It was great to be back to this event and and we do look forward to being part of AstroFest 2024....but wearing softer more comfortable shoes!
The new year begins with a new comet that may even be visible to the naked eye
Comet C/2022 E3 ZTF is coming close to the Sun for the first time in certainly 50,000 years, and on Thursday, January 12, it will come about as close to our central star as the Earth. It has been tracked by amateur and professional astronomers for several months now. It has now about 7th magnitude, so it is observable with common binoculars and even smaller telescopes. However, the currently three-degree-long plasma tail and a short dust tail fan shown in recent photos will not yet be seen visually with small optics. But that will change soon. The well-known comet photographer Michael Jäger sent us an impressive animation and a beautiful color image of the comet on Jan. 4 and writes about it:
We now have maximum activity at the ion tail. It does not come closer to the sun. But it has been shown that on some days the ion tail activity is increased. Whether this is a consequence of the solar wind only, we do not know yet. I could already document a rotation of the tail (attachment GIF from 2.1. with 11" RASA and QHY600, duration 2 hours), the (color) image is from 4.1. 5.00 UT LRGB 40 min (RASA and QHY 600)
After the comet gets a nice bit closer to Earth, it should not only become faintly clear. Also I expect a further increase of the tail brightness with lengths around 10 degrees (if the activity does not decrease). After Jan. 15, when the moonlight is no longer so distracting, we'll know more about what to expect at the end of the month.
Background: When ZTF comes close to Earth at the end of January to about 0.28 AU (i.e. only about 1/3 of the distance Earth/Sun), it is freshly warmed up from the solar passage two weeks before. Most comets are most active just then. A lot of ice evaporates on the warmed surface and carries dust with it. The dust tail, which is more impressive to the naked eye than the blue plasma tail, will grow. Also, the viewing geometry will improve somewhat.
The new visitor from the outer reaches of the solar system will certainly not be as impressive as the last beautiful visible comet, C/2020 F3 NEOWISE in July 2020. But ZTF has the advantage that it is very high and optimally easy to find in the northern sky. It wanders between Big and Little Dipper, and this in the new moon time, when the sky is very dark. These lucky circumstances will surely help many beginners among amateur astronomers to their first comet observation - if the weather plays along. Try your luck, the best viewing conditions are during the nights at the end of January! The viewing map will help you.
Photographically, the comet is easy to capture with telephoto lenses, but tracking and about a minute of exposure time is definitely required to get an acceptable photo.
Since the comet is expected to be at the limit of visibility to the naked eye, you should seek out as dark a location as possible - ideally, the Milky Way or at least all seven stars of the Little Dipper constellation should be visible.
The free Celestron SkyPortal app will help you search with the naked eye. Via Search => Brightest Comets you can also find C/2022 E3 (ZTF) and display it on the map. When you hold your smartphone up to the sky, the map moves with it, so you can easily find its position.
Binoculars will help you find it. If you have a dark location, a 7x50 is ideal because it provides the brightest image and can still be used hands-free with seven times magnification. The Celestron Cometron 7x50 FernglasCometron 7x50 Binoculars offer excellent value for money. Under somewhat brighter skies, it is better to reach for a model with slightly higher magnification or smaller aperture - this will darken the sky background somewhat. Inexpensive binoculars that are also well suited for nature observation are the UpClose G2 10x50 - Porro or the UpClose G2 7x35 - Porro. The SkyMaster 12x60 with twelvefold magnification and 60mm aperture is especially designed for twilight and astronomy, at this magnification a tripod like the TrailSeeker Tripod oder the larger [product sku="2451020" style="imgleft"] is worthwhile; you will also need the Baader Bino-Stronghold binocular mount, so that you can also look at the sky with the binoculars.
The above mentioned Porro binoculars have the wide body of classic binoculars and are therefore cheaper than the narrower roof edge binoculars - but the latter are the ideal companions if you often go hiking and space is also important. The 8x42 models (Outland X 8x42, Nature DX 8x42, Nature DX 8x42 ED, TrailSeeker 8x42 , TrailSeeker ED 8X42, Granite 8x42 and Regal ED 8X42) are good all-purpose binoculars and differ in optical and mechanical quality – there is a model for every requirement.
StarSense Explorer DX 102AZIn a telescope, bright comets regularly disappoint – they can become so large that they completely fill the field of view. Therefore, it depends on a large field of view and low magnification – your local dealer will be happy to advise you. If you have no experience with telescopes, the devices of the StarSense Explorer series are a good choice: Here, the cell phone helps you find the targets, and you don't have to get familiar with eienr computer controls or orientation in the sky.
Filters for comet observing are not easy to find, also because not every comet behaves the same. You can find out more in this (german only) article: www.baader-planetarium.com/de/blog/kometen-filter
For imaging the same applies as for normal deep sky astrophotography, except that short exposure times are preferred. Optimal is of course a QHY color camera in combination with a fast astrograph like the Advanced VX (AVX) 800 RASAAdvanced VX (AVX) 800 RASA – but also with a DSLR attached to the telescope or piggybacked with a fast lens you have good chances.
We wish good luck with the comet hunt at the beginning of the year! And who knows, maybe ZTF appeared 50,000 years ago at its last visit even closer and more spectacular at a much darker night sky. One can only try to guess, how a comet appearance must have affected our ancestors and the Neanderthals, which stayed together on earth at this time.
You can explore the position and movement of the comet in the solar system here in a 3D representation, below is an example screenshot of the position on January 16:
