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Steve Brown - astronomy and astrophotography

@sjbastro.bsky.social

3K followers 860 following 1.6K posts

Amateur astronomer and astrophotographer, including Sirius, meteors, noctilucent clouds and aurora. Articles and pictures published in books and magazines. Been on TV and radio talking about astronomy. Always need more sleep.

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Steve Brown - astronomy and astrophotography @sjbastro.bsky.social · 10d

The #Astronomy highlights thread for October 2025:

There is a good meteor shower visible this month in Moonless skies in the shape of the Orionids. Comet C/2025 A6 (Lemmon) may also be a nice astrophotography target in the evening sky.

#Astrophotography #Stargazing

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Reposted by Steve Brown - astronomy and astrophotography

ange garrod @angegarrod.bsky.social · 36m

Moon moods.

89.4% Waning Gibbous gibbous moon 9th in to 10th October 2025

#moonwatch #wonders #astronomy
@virtualastro.bsky.social

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Steve Brown - astronomy and astrophotography @sjbastro.bsky.social · 1h

A near-complete skeleton found on Dorset's Jurassic coast has been identified as a new species of ichthyosaur, a type of prehistoric marine reptile that once ruled the oceans. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Fossil found on UK coast is unique 'sword dragon' species

Scientists say the newly discovered species of marine reptile probably met a grisly end.

www.bbc.co.uk

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Steve Brown - astronomy and astrophotography @sjbastro.bsky.social · 12h

Clearish for me at the moment but due to cloud over later, so probably not going to catch this one.

Steve Brown - astronomy and astrophotography @sjbastro.bsky.social · 13h

The #Moon occults some of the stars in the Pleiades open cluster from around 05:15 UT (06:15 BST) tomorrow morning. The brightening dawn sky reduces the visibility of the event as the occultation progresses. #Astronomy

Stellarium graphic showing the Moon close to the Pleiades open cluster on the morning of 10 October 2025.

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Steve Brown - astronomy and astrophotography @sjbastro.bsky.social · 15h

The faint comet C/2024 E1 (Wierzchoś) is close to the star Gamma Herculis (Nasak Shamiya III) this evening. Look to the west as soon as it gets dark. The comets sets around midnight. One for #astrophotography. #Astronomy

Stellarium graphic showing the location of comet C/2024 E1 (Wierzchoś) in the constellation of Hercules on 9 October 2025.

Steve Brown - astronomy and astrophotography @sjbastro.bsky.social · 21h

I use something similar for my widefield astro work. I've found budget tripods like this are just as stable as more expensive models.

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Steve Brown - astronomy and astrophotography @sjbastro.bsky.social · 21h

Nice one. Glad you've managed to capture it. You've got the colour and bit of the tail nicely. Good to capture an early image of it to compare to what it will look like in a couple of weeks.

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Reposted by Steve Brown - astronomy and astrophotography

David Blanchflower BSc @davidbflower.bsky.social · 22h

Comet C/2025 A6 (Lemmon). 9 October 2025. 🔭 🧪 🎨 #astrophotography #SciArt #photography #StormHour #ThePhotoHour

A green comet at centre. Numerous star dots.

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Steve Brown - astronomy and astrophotography @sjbastro.bsky.social · 21h

The Nobel Prize for Chemistry has been awarded to Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson, and Omar M Yaghi for their work on metal-organic frameworks, which could tackle some of the biggest problems on Earth, including capturing carbon dioxide to help tackle climate change. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Chemistry Nobel awarded to three scientists for their work on metal organic frameworks

The winners of the prestigious science prize were announced by the Nobel committee in Sweden.

www.bbc.co.uk

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Steve Brown - astronomy and astrophotography @sjbastro.bsky.social · 21h

Nice capture. The tail seems to be developing well.

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Reposted by Steve Brown - astronomy and astrophotography

Peter Lewis @peterlewis55.bsky.social · 23h

This morning's capture of Comet C/2025 A6 (Lemmon)
The comet will make its closest pass to Earth on October 21, 2025, at a distance of about 55 million miles (89 million kilometres).
#astronomy #astrophotography @stormhour.com @photohour.bsky.social

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Steve Brown - astronomy and astrophotography @sjbastro.bsky.social · 23h

So you have nothing to say about the alien spaceship flying fast Mars and delivering organic compounds to seed the planet before activating its nickel-based warp drive to travel to the next solar system? Curious... 😉😄

Steve Brown - astronomy and astrophotography @sjbastro.bsky.social · 23h

Huh, typical Gen-Z take! 😉

Steve Brown - astronomy and astrophotography @sjbastro.bsky.social · 1d

I have cloudy skies but take a look if it is clear for you this evening: The annual #Draconid meteor shower is visible this year until 10 October in the northern hemisphere and will peak on the evening of 8 October. #Astronomy #Draconids www.bbc.co.uk/weather/arti...

Draconid meteor shower: Where to watch as cosmic display peaks

The Draconid meteor shower is visible this year until 10 October in the northern hemisphere. Elizabeth Rizzini explains how to watch it.

www.bbc.co.uk

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Steve Brown - astronomy and astrophotography @sjbastro.bsky.social · 1d

The minor #Draconids meteor shower peaks this evening. Unusually for a meteor shower, the best rates occur in the early evening as that is when the radiant is highest. With the bright Moon in the sky, you might only see 1 per hour. #Astronomy

Stellarium graphic showing the location of the Draconids meteor shower radiant point on 8 October 2025.

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Steve Brown - astronomy and astrophotography @sjbastro.bsky.social · 1d

Haven't seen many myself: An unusual number of ladybirds, swarming and clustering together in homes is being reported on social media this week. www.bbc.co.uk/weather/arti...

Why so many ladybirds are swarming UK houses

With social media reports of harlequin ladybirds invading UK homes this week, Elizabeth Rizzini explains why the weather means some ladybirds are on the move.

www.bbc.co.uk

Steve Brown - astronomy and astrophotography @sjbastro.bsky.social · 1d

Renewable energy overtook coal as the world's leading source of electricity in the first half of this year - a historic first, according to new data from the global energy think tank Ember. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Renewables overtake coal as world's biggest source of electricity

Developing countries lead the historic clean energy charge but the US and EU rely more on fossil fuels than before, a think tank study shows.

www.bbc.co.uk

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Steve Brown - astronomy and astrophotography @sjbastro.bsky.social · 1d

"Whatever happened to Putin's Communists?"
"He's over there..."
"Splitter!"

Steve Brown - astronomy and astrophotography @sjbastro.bsky.social · 2d

Dazzling supermoon illuminates skylines around the world: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Dazzling supermoon illuminates skylines around the world

From Paris to Taipei, this week's supermoon, also known as the Harvest and Hunter's moons, was captured in photos.

www.bbc.co.uk

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Steve Brown - astronomy and astrophotography @sjbastro.bsky.social · 2d

Can't wait! 😄

Steve Brown - astronomy and astrophotography @sjbastro.bsky.social · 2d

Captured something interesting a couple of days ago - colourful satellites. I've seen blue Starlinks before but not green and blue ones together. What's with the different colours? Apparently it's all to do with different coatings they have. More info in the ALT. #Astronomy #Space #Astrophotography

Two Starlink satellite trails, one green and one blue. They are passing through Gemini on 5 October 2025 at 04:35 UT. The bright stars above the green trail are Castor and Pollux. The bright object at the end of the blue trail is Jupiter. Taken with a Canon 600D and 50mm lens at 10s exp, 50mm fl, f/1.8, ISO-800.

I know that the blue ones are due to a coating on the newer 'Direct to Cell' satellites that is supposed to make them less visible in the night sky. Apparently the latest coatings have a green hue, meant to make them even less visible (I assume). Satellite mega constellations are the vermin of the sky but in some circumstances make for an interesting picture.

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Reposted by Steve Brown - astronomy and astrophotography

Peter Lewis @peterlewis55.bsky.social · 2d

'Supermoon' - The Harvest/Hunter Moon part 2! Now waning at 99.3% and fighting the clouds and aeroplane exhaust. #astronomy #astrophotography @stormhour.com @photohour.bsky.social

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Steve Brown - astronomy and astrophotography @sjbastro.bsky.social · 2d

If you want to spot comet C/2025 A6 (Lemmon) over the next two days, use the stars Dubhe and Merak in Ursa Major. Follow the line formed by the stars for about three times its length to locate the comet. From the UK, best viewed in the early hours using binoculars or a scope. #Astronomy #A6Lemmon

Stellarium graphic showing the location of comet C/2025 A6 (Lemmon) at 03:00 UT on 8 October 2025. The stars of the Plough asterism in the constellation of Ursa Major are labelled. A green arrow points from the stars Dubhe and Merak down and right towards the comet's location, which is marked and labelled. The comet will be in a similar position on the morning of 9 October.

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Steve Brown - astronomy and astrophotography @sjbastro.bsky.social · 3d

That is apparently how the world works 😁

Reposted by Steve Brown - astronomy and astrophotography

Peter Lewis @peterlewis55.bsky.social · 3d

'Supermoon' - the first of 3 this year. This evening's fantastic rising full Harvest Moon! Actually 100% about 04.45 tomorrow morning. Also rising into the 'Belt of Venus' #astronomy #astrophotography @stormhour.com @photohour.bsky.social

The Harvest or Hunter Supermoon. Currently just 362k miles from Earth. It is properly called a Perigee Moon.

Moon rising over the east of south London

The full Moon rising through the Belt of Venus which is an atmospheric phenomenon that appears as a pinkish or brownish glow in the sky right after sunset or just before sunrise. The glow is visible above the dark blue band of Earth's shadow, which rises on the horizon opposite the sun. The phenomenon is also known as the anti-twilight arch.

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