Scott Kardel aka Palomar Skies
@palomarskies.bsky.social
Associate professor of astronomy at Palomar College, user of smart telescopes. 🔭 Blog: http://visiblesuns.blogspot.com/
I am thankful for the cosmos. Here an image from last night. It is the galaxy known as NGC 55. It’s a member of the Local Group and located about 6.5 million light years away in the direction of the constellation of Sculptor. 🔭
November 27, 2025 at 3:46 PM
I am thankful for the cosmos. Here an image from last night. It is the galaxy known as NGC 55. It’s a member of the Local Group and located about 6.5 million light years away in the direction of the constellation of Sculptor. 🔭
From The Hobbit:
"The stars are in blossom, the moon is in flower,
And bright are the windows of Night in her tower."
Images: M45, the Pleiades and tonight's waxing crescent Moon. 🔭
"The stars are in blossom, the moon is in flower,
And bright are the windows of Night in her tower."
Images: M45, the Pleiades and tonight's waxing crescent Moon. 🔭
November 26, 2025 at 3:42 AM
From The Hobbit:
"The stars are in blossom, the moon is in flower,
And bright are the windows of Night in her tower."
Images: M45, the Pleiades and tonight's waxing crescent Moon. 🔭
"The stars are in blossom, the moon is in flower,
And bright are the windows of Night in her tower."
Images: M45, the Pleiades and tonight's waxing crescent Moon. 🔭
The irresistible beauty that is Messier 42, the Orion Nebula. 🔭
November 25, 2025 at 8:54 PM
The irresistible beauty that is Messier 42, the Orion Nebula. 🔭
Busy bees in the backyard.
November 25, 2025 at 6:27 PM
Busy bees in the backyard.
Here's an image from last night of Messier 74, a spiral galaxy located about 32 million light years away in the direction of the constellation of Pisces. 🔭
November 24, 2025 at 11:48 PM
Here's an image from last night of Messier 74, a spiral galaxy located about 32 million light years away in the direction of the constellation of Pisces. 🔭
Nice lava action at Kilauea right now. Watch it here: www.youtube.com/live/BqmpkUd...
November 24, 2025 at 3:46 AM
Nice lava action at Kilauea right now. Watch it here: www.youtube.com/live/BqmpkUd...
This morning I was up before sunrise. It was surprisingly clear, so I took out my telescope to catch 3I/ATLAS. I let it thermalize, turned it on, and had just 1 one minute of observing it before it clouded up. Hopefully, I'll have better weather soon. It's the fuzzy spot at the center of the image.🔭
November 20, 2025 at 6:46 PM
This morning I was up before sunrise. It was surprisingly clear, so I took out my telescope to catch 3I/ATLAS. I let it thermalize, turned it on, and had just 1 one minute of observing it before it clouded up. Hopefully, I'll have better weather soon. It's the fuzzy spot at the center of the image.🔭
Today is Geography/ GIS day at the college. I am here (at left) to present an opposing viewpoint.
November 19, 2025 at 9:41 PM
Today is Geography/ GIS day at the college. I am here (at left) to present an opposing viewpoint.
The globe in the classroom where I teach likes Australia so much that it names it twice.
November 19, 2025 at 4:01 AM
The globe in the classroom where I teach likes Australia so much that it names it twice.
There was a nice rainbow on the to work this morning. Not quite as good by the time I parked but still an enjoyable sight.
November 18, 2025 at 5:59 PM
There was a nice rainbow on the to work this morning. Not quite as good by the time I parked but still an enjoyable sight.
Round one of this storm is done and it gave us more total rain than we had in all April through October.
November 16, 2025 at 8:22 PM
Round one of this storm is done and it gave us more total rain than we had in all April through October.
I just finished reading This Way Up - When Maps Go Wrong, a fun snarky book about maps and am now on to Chris Hadfield’s novel Final Orbit. #booksky
November 15, 2025 at 8:01 PM
I just finished reading This Way Up - When Maps Go Wrong, a fun snarky book about maps and am now on to Chris Hadfield’s novel Final Orbit. #booksky
🖖 One of my astronomy students got me a vintage Star Trek: The Next Generation com badge pin, which makes me very happy.
November 14, 2025 at 10:33 PM
🖖 One of my astronomy students got me a vintage Star Trek: The Next Generation com badge pin, which makes me very happy.
A visitor to the homestead this morning.
November 14, 2025 at 4:55 PM
A visitor to the homestead this morning.
Lots of clouds and rain in the forecast for the foreseeable future, so here's an image from last weekend of NGC 288, a globular star cluster located nearly 30,000 light years from Earth. 🔭
November 14, 2025 at 3:15 AM
Lots of clouds and rain in the forecast for the foreseeable future, so here's an image from last weekend of NGC 288, a globular star cluster located nearly 30,000 light years from Earth. 🔭
Valley Center, California. 8:08 pm PST.
November 12, 2025 at 5:24 AM
Valley Center, California. 8:08 pm PST.
More red glow from 33 degrees north.
November 12, 2025 at 4:15 AM
More red glow from 33 degrees north.
Northern lights? Maybe.
November 12, 2025 at 3:48 AM
Northern lights? Maybe.
That fuzzy dot at the center of the image is the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS as captured from my backyard this morning. 🔭
November 11, 2025 at 5:15 PM
That fuzzy dot at the center of the image is the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS as captured from my backyard this morning. 🔭
In between observing comets this morning I did manage to catch the Moon in its waning gibbous phase. 🔭
November 10, 2025 at 12:57 AM
In between observing comets this morning I did manage to catch the Moon in its waning gibbous phase. 🔭
I was up early this morning to catch two comets. The first was C/2025 K1 (ATLAS), a nice telescopic comet currently in Leo. The 2nd was the not-a-spaceship interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS. It's the fuzzy dot at the center which I caught just over the trees as twilight was coming on. 🔭
November 9, 2025 at 8:10 PM
I was up early this morning to catch two comets. The first was C/2025 K1 (ATLAS), a nice telescopic comet currently in Leo. The 2nd was the not-a-spaceship interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS. It's the fuzzy dot at the center which I caught just over the trees as twilight was coming on. 🔭
Last night at the planetarium one of our regulars gave me this old tie tack that had belonged to his dad. I recognized it immediately. It is of Telstar, the world’s first communications satellite. Telstar 1 was launched several months before I was born.
November 9, 2025 at 12:44 AM
Last night at the planetarium one of our regulars gave me this old tie tack that had belonged to his dad. I recognized it immediately. It is of Telstar, the world’s first communications satellite. Telstar 1 was launched several months before I was born.
Nice sunspots today - 7 November 2025. 🔭
November 7, 2025 at 7:40 PM
Nice sunspots today - 7 November 2025. 🔭
I voted by mail weeks ago but am proudly wearing my I Voted sticker today.
November 4, 2025 at 9:28 PM
I voted by mail weeks ago but am proudly wearing my I Voted sticker today.
🔭 Tonight's Moon is nearly full. It's 97.2% illuminated.
November 4, 2025 at 4:26 AM
🔭 Tonight's Moon is nearly full. It's 97.2% illuminated.