Comet 220P McNaught.

 

" The Seestar S30 was on 'outreach work' and was used by Kurt to image the short period comet 220P McNaught in the early hours of this morning whilst it was moving against the background of the Constellation Cetus. The comet surprised everyone this year by unexpectedly brightening in the night sky.". - Joel Cairo CEO of the Jodrell Plank Observatory.

Comet 220P McNaught: Scientific Description

By Gary Gemini Coms Manager at the JPO.

Comet 220P/McNaught is a short-period, Jupiter-family comet with an orbital period of approximately 5.51 years. First discovered by astronomer Robert H. McNaught in May 2004, its orbit is characterized by a perihelion distance of ~1.56 AU, an aphelion extending to ~4.68 AU near Jupiter's orbit, and a low orbital inclination of ~8.1°.

Morphological Features in the Exposure:

Optically Dense Coma: The image captures a highly condensed central pseudo-nucleus surrounded by an asymmetrical coma. The bluish-white hue around the nucleus stems primarily from cyanogen ($CN$) and diatomic carbon ($C_2$) radical gas emissions driven by solar ultraviolet radiation and photo-excitation.

Structural Dust Tail: 

Extending towards the upper-right quadrant, the prominent tail consists mainly of millimeter- to micrometer-sized dust grains pushed outward by solar radiation pressure along the anti-solar direction.

Outburst Morphology: to

 The pronounced brightness and extended structure visible here align with 220P's dramatic activity phases, such as the major outbursts where sublimating subterranean ices (like $CO$ or $CO_2$) violently ruptured the refractory mantle, ejecting massive plumes of dust and volatile gases.

Enlarged crop of the original stacked image.

The Universe is big, very big!

 

"The above is an annotated version of an image captured and created with the JPO's Seestar S30. 

The Seestar S30 has a field of vision of only  0.0064% of the entire celestial sphere or sky. A tiny amount in the scheme of things. 

In addition the Seestar, having an aperture of only 30mm has limited light grasp, so can only image objects down to apparent magnitude 12 to 15, dependant upon light pollution and length of exposure.

Both the above limitations, inherent to the Seestar S30, act to minimise the number of stars imaged.

The above Seestar image is estimated by AI to contain somewhere between 300 and 400 billion stars. The overwhelming majority of these stars are held within the galaxies identified in the above image. The spiral galaxy NGC 7479, the Propeller Galaxy, contains 100 to 200 billion stars alone.

The Universe is a very very big place indeed". - Kurt Thrust current Director of the Jodrell Plank Observatory.

Messier 8 reviewed in detail.

 

The Lagoon Nebula Messier 8 
Data credit: the PIRATE robotic telescope. 
Open Observatories, Open University, telescope.org.

" The wonderful  Messier 8 aka the Lagoon Nebula, never rises much above our southern horizon at the Jodrell Plank Observatory. We therefore use data captured from Tenerife much further south. The Nebula is a mix of dust and ionized gas and is a home to star birth in the Milky Way."- Joel Cairo CEO of the Jodrell Plank Observatory.

Messier 8 the Lagoon Nebula: Scientific Description

By Gary Gemini Coms Manager at the JPO.

Image Analysis & Morphological Features

Captured using the PIRATE (Physics Innovations Robotic Telescope Explorer) instrument at the Observatorio del Teide, Tenerife, this wide-field frame resolves the core structural dynamics of Messier 8 (M8), a massive H II region.

The image highlights the complex interplay between photo-ionized gas, obscuring interstellar dust, and young stellar associations:

Central Ionization Zone & The Hourglass Nebula: 

At the physical center lies an intensely bright, high-surface-brightness core driven by extreme photo-ionization. Situate in here is the Hourglass Nebula, a highly turbulent sub-region sculpted by stellar winds and ionizing ultraviolet radiation primarily originating from the massive O-type supergiant Herschel 36 (visible as the bright star adjacent to the central core).

Central Ionization Zone and Hourglass Nebula

Dust Topography & Dark Nebulae: 

Sweeping lanes of cold molecular gas and opaque dust cross-cut the emission background. The prominent central dust lane—the feature historically giving M8 its "Lagoon" namesake—is clearly visible, alongside small, dense, collapsing protostellar dust clouds known as Bok globules (such as Barnard 88, 89, and 296) silhouetted against the bright ionized hydrogen background.

Open Cluster NGC 6530: 

To the east (left) of the core lies NGC 6530, an embedded, extremely young open star cluster born directly out of the nebula’s parent molecular cloud. Its hot, massive stars contribute significantly to the collective UV flux driving the illumination of the surrounding gas.

Physical & Astrophysical Attributes

Classification: Active H II Region / Emission Nebula with associated Open Star Cluster (NGC 6530).

Constellation: Sagittarius

Distance: ≈4,100 to 5,200 light-years (1.25 to 1.60 kpc) from Earth.

Physical Extent: Spans roughly 110×50 light-years (≈33×15 pc).

Excitation Mechanism: Photo-ionization driven by high-energy far-ultraviolet photons (λ<91.2 nm) emitted by massive, hot O- and B-type stars. Recombination processes in the ionized hydrogen gas generate the dominant Hα emission lines.

Stellar Population: The region serves as an active site of ongoing star formation. NGC 6530 is estimated to be only 2 to 4 million years old, housing hundreds of young, high-mass stars, protostars, and Herbig-Haro objects embedded deep within its dust lanes.

Bok globules.

Herbig-Haro objects embedded in dust clouds.

Does size really matter?

 

" The top image is of part of the Rosette Nebula in the constellation Monoceros the Unicorn. It was captured using the 16 inch (400mm.) aperture PIRATE robotic telescope located at altitude on the extinct volcano Mount Teide, Tenerife. The lower image is of all of the Rosette Nebula captured with our 30mm aperture Seestar 'smartscope' at Sea-level from the JPO in Lowestoft. Apart from the orientation they are remarkably similar in their resolution of detail.  

Clearly, the research grade telescope located under a dark sky at altitude in Tenerife has provided the better image but how much better is a matter for debate. Having access to both sets of data is definitely a bonus for the JPO imaging team and we remain grateful to Open Observatories, the Open University and telescope.org.

For astronomers who like to capture their own data and in terms of value for money, mobility and ease of use, the Seestar S30 is an incredible piece of kit for the use of beginners and seasoned astro-imagers alike!" - Joel Cairo CEO of the Jodrell Plank Observatory.

Messiers 27 and 76 on the comparative method.

 

Messier 27 'The Dumbbell Planetary Nebula  captured by Kurt Thrust from the Jodrell Plank Observatory with the 127 mm Meade 500 series apo refractor and a Canon 600d DSLR. Reprocessed data - to show finer detail in the nebulosity.

" Kurt is definitely becoming obsessive in his old age and is reprocessing more old data whilst he can. More concerning, he is showing a rather morbid interest in planetary nebulae 'the end of days' for stars of a certain size, like our own planet Earth". - Joel Cairo CEO of the JPO the UK's most easterly astronomical observatory.

Messier 27 and Messier 76: Scientific Description

By Gary Gemini Coms Manager at the JPO.

The image depicts Messier 27 (M27), commonly known as the Dumbbell Nebula—a classic, highly evolved planetary nebula situated approximately 1,200 light-years away in the constellation Vulpecula.

Technical & Physical Morphology

• Gas Ionization and Composition: The central region glows in vibrant blue-green tones, indicative of high-energy, doubly ionized oxygen ( emission around 501 nm), excited by intense ultraviolet radiation emitted from the hot central star. The outer envelope and peripheral rim show intense red and deep orange hues, corresponding to lower-ionization transitions, primarily hydrogen-alpha ( at 656 nm) and ionized nitrogen (N II).

• Structural Geometry: M27 exhibits an oblate prolate spheroidal structure tilted at a shallow angle relative to our line of sight. The characteristic "dumbbell" or "apple core" appearance is created by an equatorial concentration of denser gas (the thick central bar/waist) paired with broad polar outflows that extend outward, forming a faint outer halo.

• Microstructure and Instabilities: Detailed throughout the interior is a complex, cellular network of dark and illuminated filaments. These are cometary knots—dense globules of neutral gas and dust being ionized and eroded by high-speed stellar winds and photoevaporation driven by the central star.

Planetary Nebulae M27 on the left M76 on the right.

Comparison: M27 vs. M76 (The Little Dumbbell Nebula)

Feature	Messier 27 (Dumbbell Nebula)	Messier 76 (Little Dumbbell Nebula)
Morphological Type	Elliptical / Prolate Spheroid	True Bipolar Planetary Nebula
Viewing Angle	Pole-on to intermediate inclination	Edge-on equatorial torus
Structure	Broad, filled central volume with subtle polar caps	Distinct central bar/ring with two extended outer lobes
Stellar Dynamics	Ejected mainly by a single evolving star	Sculpted likely via interaction with a binary companion

Fate of the Sun and the Solar System

M27 provides a direct preview of the ultimate death of our Sun in roughly 5 billion years:

1. Fuel Exhaustion: Once the Sun exhausts its core hydrogen, it will expand into a Red Giant, fusing helium in shell-burning phases (Asymptotic Giant Branch stage).

2. Mass Ejection: Thermal pulses will cause the Sun to shed its outer envelope into space via stellar winds, creating a glowing shell identical to the nebula shown here.

3. Core Remnant: The exposed, superheated carbon-oxygen core will become a white dwarf (visible at the centre). Its intense UV radiation will energize the surrounding gas for ~10,000–50,000 years before the gas expands into the interstellar medium and fades away.

4. Solar System Destruction: Mercury and Venus will be engulfed; Earth will either be consumed or reduced to a scorched, lifeless rock orbiting a cooling white dwarf remnant.

" Always good to finish on an upbeat note"  - Kurt Thrust current Director of the Jodrell Plank Observatory.

M35 and NGC2158 - two open star clusters apparently side by side in the Constellation Gemini.

 

M35 and NGC2158 - two open star clusters apparently side by side in the night sky but
Ngc 2158 is light years further away than Messier 35. Image captured with the Seestar S30 'smartscope'. The lower image is a 'crop' of the one above and shows more detail particularly that associated with the fainter Ngc 2158.

                                                         

 " Kurt decided to re-work the data produced by our Seestar S30 of M35 and Ngc 2158 in the constellation Gemini" - Joel Cairo CEO of the JPO.

Messier 35 and NGC 2158: Scientific Description

By G.Gemini Coms Manager at the JPO.

An analysis of the visual field reveals a classic astronomical dichotomy: the open star cluster Messier 35 (M35)—which is identical to NGC 2168—appearing alongside the smaller, more compact open cluster NGC 2158 visible in the lower-right quadrant. Note that M35 and NGC 2168 refer to the same primary, widely scattered cluster. The comparison below evaluates the physical parameters that characterize M35/NGC 2168 in contrast to its line-of-sight companion, NGC 2158.

Key Physical Dynamics & Visual Morphology

Spatial Distribution & Density: M35 (NGC 2168) spans a physical diameter of roughly 24 light-years, presenting a broad, low-density distribution of bright blue-white massive stars across the field. Conversely, NGC 2158 appears extremely dense and visually resembles a globular cluster due to its vast distance, compact stellar packing, and smaller apparent area.

Evolutionary Differences: The blue-dominated light from M35 reflects its young stellar population, where massive main-sequence stars have not yet exhausted their nuclear core fuel. NGC 2158 is more than ten times older; its high-mass blue stars have long since evolved off the main sequence, leaving behind lower-mass main-sequence stars and red giants that give the cluster a distinctly yellower hue and higher interstellar extinction.

Perspective & Geometry: Though visually adjacent in the constellation Gemini, the two clusters do not form a gravitationally bound binary pair. NGC 2158 sits roughly 4 to 5 times deeper in the Milky Way plane, far beyond M35.

Comparative Astrophysics Analysis

Characteristic	Messier 35 (NGC 2168)	NGC 2158
Cluster Type	Loose Open Cluster (Trumpler III3r)	Highly Compact Open Cluster (Trumpler II3m)
Apparent Angular Diameter	~28 arcminutes	~5 arcminutes
Visual Magnitude ($V$)	+5.3 (Naked-eye target)	+8.6 (Telescopic target)
Distance from Earth	~2,800–2,970 light-years (~850–912 pc)	~11,000–16,500 light-years (~3.3–5.0 kpc)
Estimated Age	~100–175 million years (Young open cluster)	~1.0–2.0 billion years (Intermediate/Old open cluster)
Stellar Population Color	Dominantly blue-white (hot B-type main-sequence stars)	Dominantly yellow-orange (evolved giants, low-mass stars)

The California Nebula Ngc 1499

 

California Nebula captured with the Astro -modded Canon 200d DSLR, Altair Astro narrow band tri filter, 135mm Samyang lens all on a Star Adventurer EQ mount.

" The California Nebula is an emission nebula in the constellation Perseus  . Pip Stakkert  found some old data, which we had posted before but had not done justice, when post processing. Consequently, he decided to re-process  the data to bring out finer detail in the nebula." - Joel Cairo CEO of the Jodrell Plank Observatory.

The California Nebula: Scientific Description

By G.Gemini Coms Manager at the JPO.

The image, a wide-field astronomical photograph, captures a vast, irregular cloud of deep red nebulosity extending diagonally across the left and center of the frame. This structure, which shows an elongated shape resembling the outline of the US state of California, is the California Nebula, also cataloged as NGC 1499. The nebula's distinctive deep red color arises from H-alpha emission, where a powerful ultraviolet radiation source, located to the left and just outside this specific field of view, ionizes the hydrogen gas. As the ionized electrons recombine with protons, they emit a specific wavelength of deep red light.

The nebula exhibits a complex, multi-layered texture. Near its "northern" edge, within the main body, is a significantly brighter, mottled region of denser plasma and dust, showing more varied, complex structure and lighter tones of orange and gold compared to the diffused, darker red tail extending further into the lower-right, suggesting variation in gas density and temperature across the cloud.

This deep red nebula contrasts sharply with the background, a dark, star-filled void. Thousands of stars of varying sizes, brightnesses, and subtle colors are scattered across the image. Several prominent foreground stars, many exhibiting cross-shaped diffraction spikes, are particularly striking. One exceptionally bright, star is located in the top-right, with others scattered across the field, like those in the top-center and near the nebula’s edge. Dust filaments and patches create subtle, non-red variations in the interstellar medium, adding depth to the cosmic landscape. The entire scene is set against a dark field with countless distant background stars.

The wide-field astronomical image, a 16:9 view, presents the large emission nebula NGC 1499, known as the California Nebula, a vast complex of interstellar gas and dust located approximately 1,000 to 1,500 light-years away from Earth. Spanning an extensive physical diameter of about 100 light-years, the nebula is situated within the boundaries of the constellation Perseus.

The image is a stack of a number of long-exposures, which reveals the faint, elongated structure that stretches diagonally across the left and center, mimicking the outline of the US state of California. Its primary constituent is ionized hydrogen (H II), which, upon recombining with electrons, emits the characteristic deep red light (H-alpha emission) that dominates the nebula's core and is evident in this coloured view. This nebula is ionised by the intense ultraviolet radiation from a very hot, nearby O-type star, likely Xi Persei (also known as Menkib), which is located in the vicinity.

Within the nebula, a bright, textured core, appearing more golden-orange, suggests denser regions and complex dust structures, while the outer, diffuse "tail" fades into a darker red against the star-filled cosmic background. Several prominent foreground stars, many exhibiting added cross-shaped diffraction spikes, provide a sense of scale and depth to the field, particularly a bright star in the upper right. The entire scene is set against a dense tapestry of distant stars of varying magnitudes, including a few prominent double-star systems and smaller groups.