Astronomical Highlights 2021

Again a strange year due to the wave 3 and wave 4 Covid-19 pandemic but still, I was able to got out and watched the sky. Some of my astronomical hightlights in 2021 and astronomical "wow" moments are listed below :

#1 Green flash at sunset @  Belgian coast (this picture was published in magazine Heelal)

#2 Noctilucent clouds (NLC) 

#3 My best picture so far of Jupiter

#4 Moon with Mercury in the evening sky

#5 Orion Nebula in OIII, H-alpha and RGB

Worth mentioning

#6 Mars near open cluster Messier M35 (this picture was published in magazine Heelal)

#7 Partial Sun eclipse with Astronomical club "Helios"

#8 Comet C/2021 A1 (Leonard) in the morning sky

#9 My first guiding session photographing the Veil Nebula using PHD2 and N.I.N.A  

#10 Sunspots with CaK filter using ASI224MC camera

Jupiter Saturn Venus in the evening sky

This evening I tried to find comet C/2021 A1 (Leonard) low above the south-western horizon. Unfortunately without succes and probably due to some low clouds. Instead I took some pictures of the Jupiter-Saturn-Venus allignment.

Upcoming XMAS ARISS SSTV Event

An ARISS Slow Scan TV (SSTV) event is scheduled from the International Space Station (ISS) for late December. This XMAS ARISS SSTV event is planned between december 26 and december 31.

ISS Moon Transit

On December 8, 2021, UT17h06, the International Space Station - ISS - was flying in front of the Moon. This was easy observed with the naked eye. I made different pictures but was unable to get a sharp picture of the station. The pictures shows the ISS twice.. as the picture was stacked. 

Awards ARISS SSTV MAI75 Experiment December 1

I received my Awards from SSTV December MAI75 experiment with ISS Expedition 66 (december 1, 2021).

Comet C/2021 A1 (Leonard) using APP 1.083 Beta2

On the morning of December 8th, 2021 I was able to take some pictures of Comet C/2021 A1 (Leonard) which is located in constellation serpens. 

Setting : Nikon D7500 and TLAPO80/480 f/6; 30x30s ISO1600, darks, bias, flats and darkflats. Stacking with APP 1.083 Beta1 (comet option) and final editing using CS4 and DeNoise AI.

Comet C/2021 A1 (Leonard)

Observation of Comet C/2021 A1 (Leonard) which is moving "fast" between the stars and currently located in constellation serpens. The comet is not yet visible with the naked eye.

Setting : Nikon D7500 and TLAPO80/480 f/6; 30x30s ISO1600, darks, bias, flats and darkflats. Stacking with APP (comet option) and final editing using CS4 and DeNoise AI.