Kumar S
@starryknightone.bsky.social
Cutting-edge materials scientist 🧑🔬🧪by day, ancient photon hunter 🔭🌌
Other: Astrophotography, Astronomy, Astrophysics & Quantum Mechanics
Website: www.thestarryknight.net
Other: Astrophotography, Astronomy, Astrophysics & Quantum Mechanics
Website: www.thestarryknight.net
The Veil nebula, imaged from my deck👇🏽!
Named for the delicate, draped filamentary structures, but is actually the debris of one of the best-known supernova explosions!
More in the Alt-txt
Named for the delicate, draped filamentary structures, but is actually the debris of one of the best-known supernova explosions!
More in the Alt-txt
September 13, 2025 at 9:33 PM
The Veil nebula, imaged from my deck👇🏽!
Named for the delicate, draped filamentary structures, but is actually the debris of one of the best-known supernova explosions!
More in the Alt-txt
Named for the delicate, draped filamentary structures, but is actually the debris of one of the best-known supernova explosions!
More in the Alt-txt
#Saturn in 2025 and over the last 5 years👇🏽
I imaged Saturn two nights back & have been imaging since 2020. Notice how the rings have gone from nearly face-on to edge-on? This is a 13 to 15 year cycle and is due to Saturn's ring tilt of 27deg to Earth's orbital plane. Saturn just had Equinox in May!
I imaged Saturn two nights back & have been imaging since 2020. Notice how the rings have gone from nearly face-on to edge-on? This is a 13 to 15 year cycle and is due to Saturn's ring tilt of 27deg to Earth's orbital plane. Saturn just had Equinox in May!
August 31, 2025 at 6:00 PM
#Saturn in 2025 and over the last 5 years👇🏽
I imaged Saturn two nights back & have been imaging since 2020. Notice how the rings have gone from nearly face-on to edge-on? This is a 13 to 15 year cycle and is due to Saturn's ring tilt of 27deg to Earth's orbital plane. Saturn just had Equinox in May!
I imaged Saturn two nights back & have been imaging since 2020. Notice how the rings have gone from nearly face-on to edge-on? This is a 13 to 15 year cycle and is due to Saturn's ring tilt of 27deg to Earth's orbital plane. Saturn just had Equinox in May!
Haven’t posted anything in a while but here’s something that always amazes me: the Markarian Chain in Virgo is a gravitationally interacting set of 7 galaxies (or 8 depending on who you ask) but there’s many more lurking in the background… in fact 35 more!!👀🤩
Taken from my deck in SF Bay Area👇🏽
Taken from my deck in SF Bay Area👇🏽
June 19, 2025 at 4:09 AM
Haven’t posted anything in a while but here’s something that always amazes me: the Markarian Chain in Virgo is a gravitationally interacting set of 7 galaxies (or 8 depending on who you ask) but there’s many more lurking in the background… in fact 35 more!!👀🤩
Taken from my deck in SF Bay Area👇🏽
Taken from my deck in SF Bay Area👇🏽
Did some first-time imaging with the ASIAir in the live-stacking mode, and boy did I catch some galaxies in their act! 🤩
👇🏽Just 10 min exposures (each 5sec)
👇🏽Just 10 min exposures (each 5sec)
May 24, 2025 at 9:35 PM
Did some first-time imaging with the ASIAir in the live-stacking mode, and boy did I catch some galaxies in their act! 🤩
👇🏽Just 10 min exposures (each 5sec)
👇🏽Just 10 min exposures (each 5sec)
This is my take of the Sombrero galaxy, with amateur equipment
April 17, 2025 at 2:56 PM
This is my take of the Sombrero galaxy, with amateur equipment
The night sky is not bad either.. (that’s an understatement😇, given there’s a waxing moon this week). Can you identify the constellations? Shot with just a handheld iPhone
April 10, 2025 at 5:15 AM
The night sky is not bad either.. (that’s an understatement😇, given there’s a waxing moon this week). Can you identify the constellations? Shot with just a handheld iPhone
At Yosemite Valley for spring break, and trying to stay away from the 24 hour news cycle (highly recommended for the times). The scenery is not only spectacular but the size of some of these formations is also truly mind boggling😳
April 10, 2025 at 5:06 AM
At Yosemite Valley for spring break, and trying to stay away from the 24 hour news cycle (highly recommended for the times). The scenery is not only spectacular but the size of some of these formations is also truly mind boggling😳
There was a rainbow 🌈 earlier today, right across my work place.. amazing part was that it was almost at eye level.. felt like you could reach out & grab it.. hint of turning a corner?🤗
April 2, 2025 at 3:46 AM
There was a rainbow 🌈 earlier today, right across my work place.. amazing part was that it was almost at eye level.. felt like you could reach out & grab it.. hint of turning a corner?🤗
Happy Saturn ring-plane crossing Day!👇🏽😎
This is a composite of my own takes of Saturn over the last few years. Looking forward to imagining Saturn in the fall when the rings will still be near invisible!🫥
This is a composite of my own takes of Saturn over the last few years. Looking forward to imagining Saturn in the fall when the rings will still be near invisible!🫥
March 23, 2025 at 9:10 PM
Happy Saturn ring-plane crossing Day!👇🏽😎
This is a composite of my own takes of Saturn over the last few years. Looking forward to imagining Saturn in the fall when the rings will still be near invisible!🫥
This is a composite of my own takes of Saturn over the last few years. Looking forward to imagining Saturn in the fall when the rings will still be near invisible!🫥
Caught this pair a short while back. Bay Area, Calif
Venus (upper right) and Mercury (lower left)
Venus (upper right) and Mercury (lower left)
March 9, 2025 at 3:56 AM
Caught this pair a short while back. Bay Area, Calif
Venus (upper right) and Mercury (lower left)
Venus (upper right) and Mercury (lower left)
The magnificent pair of interacting galaxies, M81 and M82 from my deck👇🏽
M81 aka Bode’s galaxy is a grand design spiral galaxy. M82 aka the Cigar is a starburst galaxy.
Repeated encounters between the two is triggering star formation in M82 but also tearing it apart
#astronomy
#astrophotography
M81 aka Bode’s galaxy is a grand design spiral galaxy. M82 aka the Cigar is a starburst galaxy.
Repeated encounters between the two is triggering star formation in M82 but also tearing it apart
#astronomy
#astrophotography
January 26, 2025 at 6:30 AM
The magnificent pair of interacting galaxies, M81 and M82 from my deck👇🏽
M81 aka Bode’s galaxy is a grand design spiral galaxy. M82 aka the Cigar is a starburst galaxy.
Repeated encounters between the two is triggering star formation in M82 but also tearing it apart
#astronomy
#astrophotography
M81 aka Bode’s galaxy is a grand design spiral galaxy. M82 aka the Cigar is a starburst galaxy.
Repeated encounters between the two is triggering star formation in M82 but also tearing it apart
#astronomy
#astrophotography
This is the last four years of Saturn … Equinox is coming 🔜!
January 24, 2025 at 4:52 PM
This is the last four years of Saturn … Equinox is coming 🔜!
Venus & Saturn conjunction earlier today 👇🏽
While they are two degrees or four Moon-widths apart from one another in our skies, in reality they are over a billion and a half kms apart
Their true distance scale in the alt-txt
While they are two degrees or four Moon-widths apart from one another in our skies, in reality they are over a billion and a half kms apart
Their true distance scale in the alt-txt
January 18, 2025 at 7:08 AM
Venus & Saturn conjunction earlier today 👇🏽
While they are two degrees or four Moon-widths apart from one another in our skies, in reality they are over a billion and a half kms apart
Their true distance scale in the alt-txt
While they are two degrees or four Moon-widths apart from one another in our skies, in reality they are over a billion and a half kms apart
Their true distance scale in the alt-txt
And this is egress, an hour later
2/2
2/2
January 14, 2025 at 2:57 AM
And this is egress, an hour later
2/2
2/2
I didn’t get to capture the occultation of Mars by the Moon on video this time (too low / clouds) but I did make a video last time it happened (on 2022-Dec-7)
This is ingress👇🏽
1/2
This is ingress👇🏽
1/2
January 14, 2025 at 2:56 AM
I didn’t get to capture the occultation of Mars by the Moon on video this time (too low / clouds) but I did make a video last time it happened (on 2022-Dec-7)
This is ingress👇🏽
1/2
This is ingress👇🏽
1/2
👇🏽Eath’s “evil twin”, our closest neighbor in space (apart from the Moon)
About the same size as the Earth and formed of the same materials, but a runaway greenhouse effect means surface temps over 900F and clouds formed of sulfuric acid
This is Venus!
#astronomy
#astrophotography
About the same size as the Earth and formed of the same materials, but a runaway greenhouse effect means surface temps over 900F and clouds formed of sulfuric acid
This is Venus!
#astronomy
#astrophotography
January 12, 2025 at 3:21 AM
👇🏽Eath’s “evil twin”, our closest neighbor in space (apart from the Moon)
About the same size as the Earth and formed of the same materials, but a runaway greenhouse effect means surface temps over 900F and clouds formed of sulfuric acid
This is Venus!
#astronomy
#astrophotography
About the same size as the Earth and formed of the same materials, but a runaway greenhouse effect means surface temps over 900F and clouds formed of sulfuric acid
This is Venus!
#astronomy
#astrophotography
January 10, 2025 at 6:23 AM
January 9, 2025 at 1:09 AM
Here’s the close up of the first frame showing the partial phase of Ganymede
January 4, 2025 at 6:30 PM
Here’s the close up of the first frame showing the partial phase of Ganymede
👇🏽this is 2 hrs on #Jupiter compressed… my best video yet!😎🤩
Watch the Great Red Spot rotate in & out from our perspective, Io (right) and Ganymede (left) in their orbit
The best part? In the first frame, Ganymede is in a partial phase as it has just emerged.. that’s Jupiter’s shadow!
#astronomy
Watch the Great Red Spot rotate in & out from our perspective, Io (right) and Ganymede (left) in their orbit
The best part? In the first frame, Ganymede is in a partial phase as it has just emerged.. that’s Jupiter’s shadow!
#astronomy
January 4, 2025 at 6:25 PM
👇🏽this is 2 hrs on #Jupiter compressed… my best video yet!😎🤩
Watch the Great Red Spot rotate in & out from our perspective, Io (right) and Ganymede (left) in their orbit
The best part? In the first frame, Ganymede is in a partial phase as it has just emerged.. that’s Jupiter’s shadow!
#astronomy
Watch the Great Red Spot rotate in & out from our perspective, Io (right) and Ganymede (left) in their orbit
The best part? In the first frame, Ganymede is in a partial phase as it has just emerged.. that’s Jupiter’s shadow!
#astronomy
My best ever pic of #Jupiter, from last night. Ganymede on the far left and Io on the right. The Great Red Spot bang in the middle🤩
Specs in the alt text
#astronomy
#astrophotography
Specs in the alt text
#astronomy
#astrophotography
January 4, 2025 at 3:55 AM
My best ever pic of #Jupiter, from last night. Ganymede on the far left and Io on the right. The Great Red Spot bang in the middle🤩
Specs in the alt text
#astronomy
#astrophotography
Specs in the alt text
#astronomy
#astrophotography
More pics from Bodega Bay👇🏽
I think if only we spent more time looking up, we would get along with one another a lot better! 🕊️🌌
I think if only we spent more time looking up, we would get along with one another a lot better! 🕊️🌌
January 1, 2025 at 3:33 AM
More pics from Bodega Bay👇🏽
I think if only we spent more time looking up, we would get along with one another a lot better! 🕊️🌌
I think if only we spent more time looking up, we would get along with one another a lot better! 🕊️🌌
Just returned from a trip to Bodega Bay, 60 mi up the CA coast from the Bay Area. Bortle 3 zone. Not the darkest skies but oh boy was it AWESOME!
WE COULD SEE THE ANDROMEDA GALAXY WITH OUR BARE EYES!👀
And so many other Messier objects!
👇🏽DSLR pics at 20 sec exp
Happy New Year to all!
#astronomy
WE COULD SEE THE ANDROMEDA GALAXY WITH OUR BARE EYES!👀
And so many other Messier objects!
👇🏽DSLR pics at 20 sec exp
Happy New Year to all!
#astronomy
January 1, 2025 at 3:28 AM
Just returned from a trip to Bodega Bay, 60 mi up the CA coast from the Bay Area. Bortle 3 zone. Not the darkest skies but oh boy was it AWESOME!
WE COULD SEE THE ANDROMEDA GALAXY WITH OUR BARE EYES!👀
And so many other Messier objects!
👇🏽DSLR pics at 20 sec exp
Happy New Year to all!
#astronomy
WE COULD SEE THE ANDROMEDA GALAXY WITH OUR BARE EYES!👀
And so many other Messier objects!
👇🏽DSLR pics at 20 sec exp
Happy New Year to all!
#astronomy
Watch Io emerge from #Jupiter ‘s glare👇🏽 in this 10 sec video (covering a little over 2 hours on Jupiter)
The dark “spot” on Jupiter’s southern band is not Io.. it’s Io’s shadow 🕶️
#astrophotography
The dark “spot” on Jupiter’s southern band is not Io.. it’s Io’s shadow 🕶️
#astrophotography
December 29, 2024 at 7:00 AM
Watch Io emerge from #Jupiter ‘s glare👇🏽 in this 10 sec video (covering a little over 2 hours on Jupiter)
The dark “spot” on Jupiter’s southern band is not Io.. it’s Io’s shadow 🕶️
#astrophotography
The dark “spot” on Jupiter’s southern band is not Io.. it’s Io’s shadow 🕶️
#astrophotography
