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Observable comet count is 1957
Current exoplanet count is 6291
Current longitude II of the GRS is 90°
Today Monitor
Mars: January 16, 2025
Jupiter: January 10, 2026
Saturn: September 21, 2025
Uranus: November 21, 2025
Neptune: September 23, 2025
Evening: August 15, 2026 at 45.9°E
Morning: January 3, 2027 at 47.0°W
Morning: December 7, 2025 at 20.7°W
Evening: February 19, 2026 at 18.1°E
Morning: April 3, 2026 at 27.8°W
Evening: June 15, 2026 at 24.5°E
Morning: August 2, 2026 at 19.5°W
Evening: October 12, 2026 at 25.2°E
Morning: November 20, 2026 at 19.6°W
January 3: 225,130 mi (362,312 km)
November 24: 224,170 mi (360,768 km)
December 24: 221,667 mi (356,740 km)
given for 00:00 UT
| Date | Size | Age | Angle | Phase |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Apr 2026 | 30.89' | 24.94 | -6.797° | ![]() |
| 14 Apr 2026 | 31.37' | 25.94 | -6.885° | ![]() |
| 15 Apr 2026 | 31.85' | 26.94 | -6.540° | ![]() |
| 10 May 2026 | 30.42' | 22.51 | -7.002° | ![]() |
| 11 May 2026 | 30.85' | 23.51 | -7.546° | ![]() |
| 12 May 2026 | 31.34' | 24.51 | -7.695° | ![]() |
| 13 May 2026 | 31.86' | 25.51 | -7.381° | ![]() |
| 14 May 2026 | 32.37' | 26.51 | -6.565° | ![]() |
| 22 May 2026 | 32.03' | 5.17 | 6.635° | ![]() |
| 23 May 2026 | 31.56' | 6.17 | 7.101° | ![]() |
| 24 May 2026 | 31.11' | 7.17 | 7.159° | ![]() |
| 25 May 2026 | 30.71' | 8.17 | 6.868° | ![]() |
| 07 Jun 2026 | 30.39' | 21.17 | -7.053° | ![]() |
| 08 Jun 2026 | 30.79' | 22.17 | -7.626° | ![]() |
| 09 Jun 2026 | 31.25' | 23.17 | -7.834° | ![]() |
| 10 Jun 2026 | 31.75' | 24.17 | -7.603° | ![]() |
| 11 Jun 2026 | 32.25' | 25.17 | -6.885° | ![]() |
| 19 Jun 2026 | 32.20' | 3.88 | 6.768° | ![]() |
| 20 Jun 2026 | 31.68' | 4.88 | 7.364° | ![]() |
| 21 Jun 2026 | 31.18' | 5.88 | 7.508° | ![]() |
| 22 Jun 2026 | 30.71' | 6.88 | 7.253° | ![]() |
| 23 Jun 2026 | 30.31' | 7.88 | 6.670° | ![]() |
| 05 Jul 2026 | 30.48' | 19.88 | -6.530° | ![]() |
| 06 Jul 2026 | 30.82' | 20.88 | -7.017° | ![]() |
| 07 Jul 2026 | 31.21' | 21.88 | -7.189° | ![]() |
| 08 Jul 2026 | 31.64' | 22.88 | -6.986° | ![]() |
| 18 Jul 2026 | 31.76' | 3.60 | 6.894° | ![]() |
| 19 Jul 2026 | 31.25' | 4.60 | 7.142° | ![]() |
| 20 Jul 2026 | 30.77' | 5.60 | 6.982° | ![]() |
| 21 Jul 2026 | 30.35' | 6.60 | 6.469° | ![]() |
| 19 Nov 2026 | 30.64' | 9.71 | -6.939° | ![]() |
| 20 Nov 2026 | 31.11' | 10.71 | -7.238° | ![]() |
| 21 Nov 2026 | 31.62' | 11.71 | -7.063° | ![]() |
| 01 Dec 2026 | 31.73' | 21.71 | 6.670° | ![]() |
| 02 Dec 2026 | 31.32' | 22.71 | 6.898° | ![]() |
| 03 Dec 2026 | 30.93' | 23.71 | 6.823° | ![]() |
| 04 Dec 2026 | 30.59' | 24.71 | 6.497° | ![]() |
| 16 Dec 2026 | 30.14' | 6.96 | -6.743° | ![]() |
| 17 Dec 2026 | 30.53' | 7.96 | -7.511° | ![]() |
| 18 Dec 2026 | 30.98' | 8.96 | -7.903° | ![]() |
| 19 Dec 2026 | 31.49' | 9.96 | -7.840° | ![]() |
| 20 Dec 2026 | 32.03' | 10.96 | -7.269° | ![]() |
| 29 Dec 2026 | 31.92' | 19.96 | 7.182° | ![]() |
| 30 Dec 2026 | 31.41' | 20.96 | 7.556° | ![]() |
| 31 Dec 2026 | 30.94' | 21.96 | 7.540° | ![]() |
| Date | Size | Age | Angle | Phase |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 06 Apr 2026 | 29.57' | 17.94 | 6.680° | ![]() |
| 07 Apr 2026 | 29.51' | 18.94 | 6.724° | ![]() |
| 08 Apr 2026 | 29.52' | 19.94 | 6.480° | ![]() |
| 20 Apr 2026 | 33.00' | 2.51 | -6.607° | ![]() |
| 21 Apr 2026 | 32.84' | 3.51 | -6.460° | ![]() |
| 03 May 2026 | 29.54' | 15.51 | 6.518° | ![]() |
| 04 May 2026 | 29.46' | 16.51 | 6.605° | ![]() |
| 05 May 2026 | 29.44' | 17.51 | 6.405° | ![]() |
| 17 May 2026 | 33.33' | 0.17 | -6.476° | ![]() |
| 18 May 2026 | 33.34' | 1.17 | -6.448° | ![]() |
| 30 May 2026 | 29.51' | 13.17 | 6.463° | ![]() |
| 31 May 2026 | 29.43' | 14.17 | 6.568° | ![]() |
| 13 Jun 2026 | 33.11' | 27.17 | -6.427° | ![]() |
| 14 Jun 2026 | 33.36' | 28.17 | -6.531° | ![]() |
| 26 Jun 2026 | 29.56' | 10.88 | 6.527° | ![]() |
| 27 Jun 2026 | 29.45' | 11.88 | 6.652° | ![]() |
| 28 Jun 2026 | 29.41' | 12.88 | 6.490° | ![]() |
| 10 Jul 2026 | 32.49' | 24.88 | -6.447° | ![]() |
| 11 Jul 2026 | 32.86' | 25.88 | -6.669° | ![]() |
| 12 Jul 2026 | 33.13' | 26.88 | -6.449° | ![]() |
| 23 Jul 2026 | 29.74' | 8.60 | 6.610° | ![]() |
| 24 Jul 2026 | 29.56' | 9.60 | 6.784° | ![]() |
| 25 Jul 2026 | 29.47' | 10.60 | 6.664° | ![]() |
| 06 Aug 2026 | 31.97' | 22.60 | -6.454° | ![]() |
| 07 Aug 2026 | 32.28' | 23.60 | -6.764° | ![]() |
| 08 Aug 2026 | 32.55' | 24.60 | -6.663° | ![]() |
| 19 Aug 2026 | 30.03' | 6.27 | 6.582° | ![]() |
| 20 Aug 2026 | 29.77' | 7.27 | 6.838° | ![]() |
| 21 Aug 2026 | 29.60' | 8.27 | 6.792° | ![]() |
| 22 Aug 2026 | 29.52' | 9.27 | 6.456° | ![]() |
| 03 Sep 2026 | 32.04' | 21.27 | -6.743° | ![]() |
| 04 Sep 2026 | 32.20' | 22.27 | -6.729° | ![]() |
| 16 Sep 2026 | 30.00' | 4.86 | 6.742° | ![]() |
| 17 Sep 2026 | 29.76' | 5.86 | 6.785° | ![]() |
| 18 Sep 2026 | 29.61' | 6.86 | 6.531° | ![]() |
| 30 Sep 2026 | 32.24' | 18.86 | -6.599° | ![]() |
| 01 Oct 2026 | 32.32' | 19.86 | -6.660° | ![]() |
| 13 Oct 2026 | 30.13' | 2.34 | 6.547° | ![]() |
| 14 Oct 2026 | 29.88' | 3.34 | 6.667° | ![]() |
| 15 Oct 2026 | 29.68' | 4.34 | 6.483° | ![]() |
| 27 Oct 2026 | 32.60' | 16.34 | -6.403° | ![]() |
| 28 Oct 2026 | 32.75' | 17.34 | -6.553° | ![]() |
| 09 Nov 2026 | 30.10' | 29.34 | 6.404° | ![]() |
| 10 Nov 2026 | 29.88' | 0.71 | 6.566° | ![]() |
| 11 Nov 2026 | 29.70' | 1.71 | 6.425° | ![]() |
| 24 Nov 2026 | 32.95' | 14.71 | -6.524° | ![]() |
| 06 Dec 2026 | 30.03' | 26.71 | 6.414° | ![]() |
| 07 Dec 2026 | 29.82' | 27.71 | 6.594° | ![]() |
| 08 Dec 2026 | 29.65' | 28.71 | 6.474° | ![]() |
| 21 Dec 2026 | 32.55' | 11.96 | -6.593° | ![]() |
| 22 Dec 2026 | 32.99' | 12.96 | -6.555° | ![]() |
Source: NASA/GSFC
Source: apod.nasa.gov
Mirror: star.ucl.ac.uk
Sorry, currently unavailable.
Image/illustration credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU
2026-03-13 Exoplanets
On Feb 6, 2026, NASAs SPARCS Mission returned first images of an exoplanet, HD 71262, in both, near-UV and far-UV. SPARCS' mission is for monitoring flares and sunspot activity on low-mass stars about 30% to 70% the mass of the Sun which are likely to host rocky planets inside their habitable zones. Link to source 🔗
Image/illustration credit: astropical.space
2026-02-08 solar system
AR4366 stands out as the most active sunspot of early 2026, producing an extraordinary sequence of high‑energy flares and posing meaningful space‑weather risks as it faces Earth. Its behavior is characteristic of a highly unstable, rapidly evolving magnetic system capable of generating the strongest solar eruptions of the cycle. Ø71mm APO, IMX178 camera.
Backlog
No, we are not on Facebook but proudly on AstroBin with Mille Gracie to the author Salvatore Iovene:

If anybody is interested in the night life of bats, here is a funny 1-minute MP4 video (24MB).
1. This web site is target of "Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS)" attack intended by criminals to exhaust the resources of a hosting server. It is a high frequency random access to all web files in the site directory, a classic tactic, aiming to degrade or crash hosting infrastructure. This website is the entry point, but the real goal is to overwhelm the web server or shared hosting environment. Most of the attacking IP addresses originate in the PRC, either on purpose to blame China or it is real. My provider, Hostgator, does not seem to be interested in deeper investigation, instead suggesting the service of "Cloudflare". Even if the contents of the site isn't sensitive, the attack is criminal calling for harsh punishment. This attack also falsifies the visitor access log, wondering what this human garbage is trying to accomplish besides display of sick brains.
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| Constellation | Sculptor |
| Distance | 38.07 parsec (124.20ly) |
| Magnitude | 16.37 vis. |
| Mass | 0.1698 xSun |
| Radius | 0.2056 xSun |
| Temperature | 3226°K |
| Known planet(s) | 2 |
Markeb (49 Pi Hya) in Hya [HIP 68895]
Distance: 101 light-years, Magnitude: 3.25
Markeb is a slowly (2.55 km/s) rotating, orange hued evolving star, 2.45x more massive and over 13x larger than the Sun.
Star Chart | DSS IR Image 🔗GJ 213 (Ross 47) in Orion
Distance: 19 light-years, Magnitude: 11.6
Ross 47 is a flare star of spectral type M4, and a BY Dra type variable with 35% the mass and 17% the size of the sun.
Star Chart | DSS IR Image 🔗

M96 (Galaxy) in Leo
Magnitude: 10.1
M96 is an intermediate spiral galaxy 66,000 light-years wide and is the brightest member of the Leo I group of galaxies. Variations in ultraviolet emission from the core suggest the presence of a supermassive black hole.
Star Chart | DSS IR Image 🔗Hydrus (southern), area rank: 61

Located south of Achernar in Eridanus, this constellation depicts an equilateral triangle with its three principle 3rd-magnitude stars. Hydrus is an eye-catching evening constellation in the southern hemisphere of November. Created in the 16th century by astronomer Johann Bayer.
Star Chart332P/Ikeya-Murakami

Discovered on November 3, 2010, comet 332P/Ikeya-Murakami is a short-period comet with period of 5.42 years. After the comet had undergone a major outburst in November 2010, it is now composed of component A and B with two different comas, envelopes and tails. The Hubble Space Telescope imaged a slow migration of building-size fragments over a three-day period in January 2016. The pieces broke off of the main nucleus in late 2015 as the icy, ancient comet approached the sun in its orbit. The sizes of all fragments range between 110 meters and 10 km.
Geographos (Asteroid)
Semi-major: 1.24553 AU, Size: 5.1 km

Discovered in 1951, and categorized as a Mars-crossing asteroid and a near-Earth object, 1620 Geographos is a 5.1 km wide body, composed of nickel-iron mixed with iron- and magnesium-silicates, and rotating within 5.2 hours.
Tethys (moon of Saturn)

Discovered in 1684, Tethys' density is 0.97 times that of liquid water, which suggests that Tethys is composed almost entirely of water ice plus a small amount of rock. Tethys has two prominent features, a giant impact crater (240 km wide Odysseus) and a great valley, Ithaca Chasma, running roughly from the north pole to the south pole, 100km wide.
WASP-53 c (in Cetus)
Mass: 16.35 xJup
SMA: 3.73 AU
Period: 2840 days
Distance: 201.338 parsec
Category: Cold Jovian
ESI: 0.12