By Alexander Merz · Updated on · Details checked on 14 September 2026
Our latest articles on astronomy, stargazing and gear.
Astrophotography Software: Stack and Edit for Free (Windows & Mac)The best free astrophotography software: Siril, DeepSkyStacker, Sequator, AutoStakkert! and more – what each does, what runs on Mac, and when paid…Read more →Refractor Telescope: Buying Guide and RecommendationsRefractor telescope explained: achromat, ED or apo, what the focal ratio means, which mount holds it steady, and our recommendations by use…Read more →Telescope for Astrophotography: What Beginners Really NeedWhich telescope for astrophotography? Why the mount matters more than the optics, which focal length suits which target, and three matched beginner…Read more →Lagrange Points Explained: L1 to L5, Distances and MissionsLagrange points explained: where L1 to L5 are, which are stable, how far they are from Earth and which telescopes orbit there.Read more →Vignetting: Causes and Correction in AstrophotographyVignetting explained: four causes of dark corners, why it shows more in astrophotos and how stopping down, adapters and flats help.Read more →Build Your Own Telescope: Dobsonian, Kit or Grinding Your Own MirrorBuild your own telescope: four routes from a cardboard spyglass to a Dobsonian with your own mirror – what you buy, what…Read more →Sonneberg Observatory: Visit, History and Plate ArchiveSonneberg Observatory in Thuringia, Germany: opening hours, tickets, observing evenings and the second-largest plate archive in the world.Read more →Reflection Nebula: What It Is, Why It Glows Blue and How to Observe ItReflection nebulae scatter starlight and glow blue. Examples such as M 78 and the Pleiades, what you see in a telescope and…Read more →Planetary Nebula: How It Forms, Finest Examples and How to Observe ItWhat is a planetary nebula? How it forms, why it glows green, the finest examples such as M 57 and M 27,…Read more →How to Photograph the Moon with Your Phone: Settings for iPhone and AndroidHow to photograph the Moon with your phone: why it turns into a white blob, which settings help on iPhone and Samsung,…Read more →Collimation: How to Align a Newtonian and Dobsonian, Step by StepCollimate your telescope without frustration: secondary mirror, primary mirror and star test step by step, checking a laser and how often to…Read more →Golden Handle on the Moon: 2027 Dates and Observing TipsThe Golden Handle on the Moon: all 2027 dates with times for Central Europe, where to look, which telescope is enough and…Read more →Emission Nebula: Why It Glows Red and How to See ItWhy emission nebulae glow red, the best-known examples by season and why they look grey in the eyepiece – plus UHC, OIII…Read more →Polar Alignment: How to Align Your Mount with the Celestial PoleHow to polar align an equatorial mount with a polar scope, an app or software: step by step, magnetic declination and the…Read more →Dark Nebula: What It Is, Famous Examples and How to See ThemWhat a dark nebula is, why stars form inside it and which ones you can see: the Great Rift with the naked…Read more →Chromatic Aberration: Cause, Colour Fringing in Telescopes and PhotosChromatic aberration explained: why lenses create colour fringes, longitudinal vs lateral error, what helps in photos and what works at the telescope.Read more →Exit Pupil: How to Calculate It, Table and the Right Size for Your EyeExit pupil explained: the formula for telescopes and binoculars, which size suits which object and why 5 mm is often enough from…Read more →Parts of a Telescope and How a Telescope WorksParts of a telescope explained with a labeled diagram: refractor, reflector and catadioptric, focuser, finder, star diagonal, Barlow lens and mounts –…Read more →How Big Is the Moon? Size & Comparison with EarthThe Moon is 3,474.8 km (2,159 mi) wide, about a quarter of Earth. Some 49 Moons fit inside Earth and it weighs…Read more →Best Telescope Under $500€500 / $500: 7 Telescopes by UseBest telescope under 500: the 8-inch Dobsonian gives the most aperture, the Maksutov the planets, a smart telescope the photos. 7 picks…Read more →Celestron NexStar 6SE: What 214 Owners ReportCelestron NexStar 6SE: specs, price and what 214 owners report. Superb on the Moon and planets, limited for deep-sky photos. Honest verdict…Read more →Kepler-22b: The “Earth Twin” That Probably Isn’t OneKepler-22b is 2.1 times the size of Earth and lies in the habitable zone. What we know in 2026 – and how…Read more →Nebra Sky Disc: What It Shows – and How to See It YourselfPleiades, crescent moon, solstices: what the Nebra sky disc shows, how old it is – and when you can see its scene…Read more →How Long Does It Take the Earth to Orbit the Sun?365 days, 5 hours, 49 minutes: the year explained exactly – with the leap-year logic and the myth about the Sun being…Read more →