Heading into Halloween, so let's do something spooky.
So, because of PJ Media, I really do need to follow the news, and may I just say, "People, it's Friday; calm down!"
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So here's some other stuff.
The California Nebula 📸 Here's an astrophotography target you can start this month! It's rising higher into the eastern sky each night. This intense emission nebula lives in the constellation Perseus - and the Pleiades star cluster is not far behind. This is my latest attempt at NGC 1499 using an ultra-portable camera and telescope rig in the backyard over 2 nights. As always, I'd love to see your latest image of the California Nebula in the comments 🤓 Equipment Used: Camera: https://t.co/DwawHh7Z4C Telescope: https://t.co/IJKLBZBdWG Mount: https://t.co/A2eKOFft9l Total Exposure: 9 Hours
— 🔭AstroBackyard (@AstroBackyard) October 4, 2026
As always, I can't resist the Seven Sisters. Have you all read Chip Delany's Nova, which takes place in the Pleiades?
The 7 Sisters ✨ https://t.co/SB1bWlnpoG
— 🔭AstroBackyard (@AstroBackyard) October 5, 2026
Not quite the Pleiades, but still cool.
Omicron Persei Star Cloud (IC 348) looks like it is rising out the dark nebula Barnard 4 in this photo. The 2-6 million year old cluster consists of several hundred stars. Discovered by E.E. Barnard in the 1890's. (per Wiki) Exp: 4 hrs, 10/5/26 #astronomy #astrophotography https://t.co/66oaRm8yDX
— Walt Watson Astrophotography (@waltwatsonastro) October 9, 2026
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It's been a big week for the Veil Nebula.
Caldwell 34 | NGC 6960 | Witch’s Broom Nebula (Western Veil) 🌌 50.5 minutes of total exposure: 101 × 30s, live-stacked with the Seestar S50 in EQ mode on October 1, 2026. Further processing in AstroWizard. #SeestarS50 #Astrophotography #Astronomy https://t.co/uscKXgeaUI
— Rafał (@RafStargazer) October 9, 2026
A close-up.
Pickering’s Triangle (Simeis 3-188), the central part of the Veil Nebula, NGC 6960. Image taken on 3 October 2026 with a Seestar S50 in EQ mode, live stacking 120 × 30 s, dual-band filter. Post-processing in AstroWizard. #SeestarS50 #Astrophotography #Astronomy https://t.co/w8seN46G6i
— Rafał (@RafStargazer) October 8, 2026
And more.
Caldwell 33 | The Eastern Veil Nebula 🌌60 minutes of total exposure: 120 × 30s, live-stacked with the Seestar S50 in EQ mode on October 1, 2026. Further processing in AstroWizard. #SeestarS50 #Astrophotography #Astronomy https://t.co/nDJ5H4oQTE
— Rafał (@RafStargazer) October 7, 2026
The Lion Nebula is pretty flashy in this shot.
La nébuleuse du Lion Sh2-132. 15h50 de pose sur 3 nuits par Matthieu 21h20 de pose sur 4 nuits (45x600s en H-alpha, 40x600s en SII et 43x600s en OIII) #astronomy #astronomie #astrophotography #astrophotographie #nebula https://t.co/a7sbAHca0U
— Club d'Astronomie de Wittelsheim (@astrocaw) October 8, 2026
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Have a heart.
The Heart Nebula (IC 1805) 😍❤️ #DeepSpace #space #astronomy #astrophotography #nightsky #starrysky #stargazing #GodsArt @StormHour @ThePhotoHour @SpencerWeather @WSAZBrandon @GaudetWeather https://t.co/khatwkaKmL
— Jennifer Rose Lane (@Jens_Starry_Sky) October 9, 2026
Blowing bubbles.
Cavernous bubbles of gas in #NGC604, by #JWST. Winds from young stars carve bubbles in the gas; the orange streaks are carbon-rich molecules. Some stars here are over 100 times the Sun’s mass. 📸 NASA/ESA/CSA/STScI #Astrophotography #Astronomy https://t.co/R3GuKMIx8m
— Stargazing with Waddensky (@waddensky) October 8, 2026
Saturn is beginning to show off its rings.
「衝」（明るく大きい）から数日後の土星🪐 環がだいぶ開いてきました。 Saturn a few days after opposition. The ring has opened up quite a bit. #土星 #Saturn #C8 #CELESTRON #電視観望 #天文 #天文なう #天体観測 #天体写真 #SharpCap #Registax #AutoStakkert #astrophotography #astronomy https://t.co/YPQlbFaEDR
— ツカンコ (@tsukanko_japan) October 9, 2026
Enceladus is not the Death Star. Honest.
#Mimas, the smallest of Saturn’s big round moons. Enhanced colours reveal subtle hints: faintly bluish Herschel, slightly greenish older terrain. Nobody knows yet what causes these colours. 📸 NASA/JPL/SSI #Astrophotography #Astronomy https://t.co/TK42g1BBus
— Stargazing with Waddensky (@waddensky) October 6, 2026
Here's the whole neighborhood.
Seeing moons orbiting Saturn (and Jupiter) never gets old. 🔭 🪐 Crazy to think: sunlight travels 1.2B km (80 mins) to hit Saturn, then reflects back another ~80 mins to my backyard camera in Victoria, BC! #astronomy #astro #saturn #astrophotography https://t.co/koClt7knzT
— @luckybudd.bsky.social 🇨🇦 (@lucky_budd) October 6, 2026
And just to finish off with another one of Andrew McCarthy's amazing shots.
Here's a photo that is unlike any other of a rocket launch. This was the moment the Falcon Heavy rocket flew past the moon- a launch photo that began as a disappointment and I treated like an astrophoto to recover. How it was captured and a link to the print shop in the thread: https://t.co/6wkYZttzRy
— Andrew McCarthy (@AJamesMcCarthy) October 8, 2026
And I think that's about it for this week. As always, come back on Sunday for the Sunday Supplement — this week I'm going to go through the science Nobel prizes, and some other things — and come back next Friday for more Sky Candy.
And don't forget to like and comment. It makes the editors feel good.
