My interview of Total Solar Eclipse published in Magazine Zenit of October 2026

 

For any eclipse chaser, seeing totality is a breathtaking experience, but having your observation featured in a renowned astronomy publication makes it all the more special. In the October edition of the well-known Dutch astronomy magazine Zenit, written by Mat Drummen, my interview about the Total Solar Eclipse of August 12, 2026, was officially published. The article captures the firsthand experiences of observers who traveled to Spain to witness this spectacular celestial event, and I was thrilled to share my own story alongside other passionate stargazers—including the famous Dutch science journalist Govert Schilling.

My vantage point for the eclipse was the tranquil municipality of Carrión de los Condes in the province of Palencia, Spain. To capture the event from a unique perspective, I piloted a drone to an altitude of 24 meters, recording beautiful aerial film footage as the Moon gradually blocked out the Sun. Because the eclipse occurred low on the horizon, the atmosphere during totality was truly idyllic, painting the Spanish sky with dramatic, warm tones. Just as totality began and the Sun’s corona burst into view, a wave of applause and cheers echoed from observers in the distance, capturing the shared awe of everyone gathered under the Moon's shadow. Being featured in Zenit is a wonderful reminder of an unforgettable trip, and it is an honor to have these memories preserved in print for the broader astronomy community.

Supernova SN 2026aaiv in NGC7331 - ASTAP

Supernova SN 2026aaiv is located in NGC7331. NGC7331 is a Herschel 400 object and located in constellation Pegasus. According Stephen James O'Meara's Herschel 400 Observing Guide (p 283), the spiral galaxy is mag 9,5 and a fairly easy object to observe. It's distance is 46 million ly (The complete guide to the Herschel Objects). 

I used ASTAP software to analyse the pictures. Format is fit and the best image out of 14 was selected using APP. After solving, analysing and selecting the Green channel, the DSO annotation and magnitude was completed.

The magnitude of the SN is 12,6 according ASTAP. For comparison, rochesterastronomy shows in the same green channel a value between 12,1 and 12,2 on september 20 and 22. 

Supernova SN 2026aaiv in NGC7331

Supernova SN 2026aaiv Type Ia in NGC 7331.

Setting: TAL200K f/8.5 ASI2600MC

Filter Optolong L-Pro

Software: SharpCap, ASIair Plus, APP, CS4, ASTAP, DeNoise AI

Subs: 14x300s; Total integration time 70min

Lights, Darks, Flats, Bias.

Halo's: Sun and Moon

Yesterday some halo's around the Sun and later around the Moon.

Carlo Rovelli and the Quantum Cosmos

Reimagining Space, Time, and Reality: Carlo Rovelli and the Quantum Cosmos

Italian theoretical physicist Carlo Rovelli (1956) is one of the most compelling voices in modern physics, bridging general relativity and quantum mechanics through Loop Quantum Gravity (LQG). He introduces a fundamental shift in our understanding of nature: space is not a continuous, empty backdrop, but a granular network composed of discrete "atoms of space" at the Planck scale.

At this fundamental quantum level, physical time as a universal, flowing stream completely disappears. Instead, time emerges merely from thermal entropy and relational interactions between systems, challenging our deepest intuitions about cause and temporal progression in astrophysics.

His work on astrophysics and black hole thermodynamics explores the ultimate fate of collapsing stars. Rather than ending in infinite gravitational singularities where physics breaks down, quantum pressure causes black holes to reach a minimum threshold and rebound into short-lived, emitting "white holes"—a theoretical phenomenon offering key insights into early universe dynamics.

Finally, Rovelli unifies his mathematical physics with a profound philosophical framework. He argues that all cosmic phenomena—from subatomic particles to human thought and distant galaxies—exist on an equal, relational plane. Reality is not a static hierarchy of distinct objects, but an interconnected web of physical interactions shaping our quantum universe.

My Carlo Rovelli collection .... so far :)

Unbounded Universe: An Unforgettable Evening with Govert Schilling on the James Webb Space Telescope.

The James Webb Space Telescope is undeniably astronomy's newest darling. Launched in late 2021 as the successor to the iconic Hubble Space Telescope, this ultra-sensitive space observatory has been churning out fascinating results and spectacular deep-space photos almost continuously.

I recently had the pleasure of attending a lecture in Maastricht about this marvel of engineering, presented by renowned science journalist Govert Schilling. Titled Unbounded Universe: A Journey Through the Cosmos with the James Webb Space Telescope, the presentation took us through the rich history, complex construction, and ingenious design of JWST. Govert showcased a stunning array of impressive images, offering a breathtaking introduction to the mysterious cosmos we all call home.

I was joined by my Helios colleague Walter for the evening. The atmosphere was buzzing because the auditorium was completely packed to capacity, and there was even a waiting list to get in. It is always inspiring to see such a massive turnout of people eager to learn about the wonders of our universe.

At the end of the lecture, I managed to catch up with Govert and take a quick selfie to add to my collection from previous talks, keeping the tradition alive.

It was a fantastic evening filled with awe-inspiring science, incredible visual art from the depths of space, and great camaraderie. A huge thank you to Govert Schilling for another wonderful presentation! 

Sun September 10 with Solex CaIIH, CaIIK, H-alfa, MgB2, FeI, HeID3, H-beta and H-epsilon

 

CaIIH, CaIIK with blue wings

 CaIIH and CaIIK and blue wings. 

Eruption in AR4521 imaged with Sol'Ex

 

Doppler effect Sol'Ex Sun September 10

 

I made a movie using h-alpha images from September 10th, 2026.

The movie shows the sequence from the photosphere to chromosphere and back with a range of 1 angstrom. The pop up of the filament in the photosphere is due to doppler effect and the filament has a speed of 46km/s.

  

Sun September 10, 2026 - Sol'Ex

No clouds in the morning; later on clouds started to populate the sky. Still issues with Sol'Ex, mainly with the connection with Herschel Wedge and Sol'Ex. After my session was completed, I glued to connection together. 

Total Solar Eclipse August 12, 2026

My pictures of the Solar Eclipse of August 12, 2026 are reworked. I used 3 bracketing images to create a HDR image. Wavelets and HDR done using AstroSurface. CS4 next to stack and final editing.

Solvay Public Lectures - Kip Thorne - Gravitational Waves

 

Two Nobel Laureates will be talking about gravitational waves @Flagey: Kip Thorne and David Gross.

This will be on Sunday October 25th (15h). 

See more using this link Solvayinstitutes.be

Sol'Ex H-alpha, H-beta and HeID3

 

After more then a month, I took the time to capture the Sun using my Sol'Ex.

Seeing was moderate but with some clouds coming over.

The main challenge was the setting of the scope after usage during the total solar Eclipse.

Setting

Sol'Ex on TLAPO80/480 and ASI678MM

Herschel wedge and IR Cut filter

Sx/Sy = 1 and Tilt between 0,5 and 1° (need some more time to adjust)

Software: SharpCap, Inti, AstroSurface, CS4

Sunset images at our Belgian Coast

Some sunset images made at our Belgian Coast.

My Sol'Ex picture of the Sun on the Cover of Magazine "Heelal"

 

WOW! My Sol'Ex picture of the Sun of July 15 is published in magazine "Heelal". How cool is this getting this acknowledgement.

See also this link https://pascalhilkensastropage.blogspot.com/2026/07/sun-july-15-different-wavelengts.html

Progress Baily's Bead during total solar eclipse

The progression of Baily's beads during the total solar eclipse, beautifully transitioning into the chromosphere.

First image before C2 and second image after C3 contact.

Adapt a Pixel Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope

 

Claim your pixel on one of the first images from NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope! When Roman captures its first images, each pixel will represent a piece of the cosmos never seen before at this resolution. Claim your pixel and be part of this historic moment!

So I did and my unique number is 32307. When posting this message, 286500 pixels are claimed. 

La Palma Telescopes

Last summer I visited the Canary Island, La Palma and nicknamed La Isla Bonita (after the song from Madonna). 

We spend an afternoon around all the telescopes... very impressive and with the clouds below, it was a fantastic view.

Some telescopes: 

- William Herschel

- Isaac Newton

- Gran Telescopia Canaries

- Mercator telescope

- MAGIC & Cherenkov

- DOT or Dutch Open Telescope

- and of course Swedisch 1m Telescope

All of them are located at La Roque de los Muchachos at 2400m above sealevel. 

Launch of Roman Space Telescope

Great launch of Falcon Heavy Rocket with Roman Space Telescope. Let's see what future will bring scientifcally:

- Search for exoplanets

- Understanding the fabric of the cosmos

- Supernova

- Black holes

As a virtual guest of the launch, I received aswell my stamp.