BA Sidewalk Astronomer

Have you ever seen anything more stunning?

This total lunar eclipse turned our moon into a glowing ember in the sky! Drop a 🌕 if this took your breath away!

📷 Astrophotographer: Robert Brown
🔭 Telescope: Explore Scientific ED127 Air-spaced Triplet Refractor

Tonight’s the night!✨

Head outside about 45–60 minutes after sunset and watch Venus and Jupiter greet each other in the sunset dusk. Read more about what you'll see here: https://skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-news/venus-jupiter-converge-in-stunning-june-9th-dusk-conjunction/

Let us know in the comments if you caught it, and subscribe to Sky & Telescope for more astronomy news: https://skyandtelescope.org/subscribe

The Eagle Nebula and Friends (APOD: 2026 Jun 10)
Image Credit & Copyright: Emmanuel Delgadillo Text: Keighley Rockcliffe (NASA GSFC, UMBC CSST, CRESST II)
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260610.html

Explanation: What looks as if it is going to swallow the great Pillars of Creation? The Eagle Nebula (M16) is not a bird, a plane, or Superman. M16 is actually a combination of several celestial objects. NGC 6611 is the young star cluster that appears to peak out beneath the Eagle’s “wings”. The ultraviolet light from these stars ionizes the surrounding gas, creating the emission nebula IC 4703. The Stellar Spire is seen reaching towards the Pillars of Creation from the left. Both are structures of cold gas and dust that are optimal for star formation. Some astronomers previously thought the Pillars of Creation had been evaporated away by a supernova. Because M16 is 6,000 light years away, we would not be able to see the Pillars’ destruction for thousands more years. However, there is no conclusive evidence of the theorized supernova, so the Pillars of Creation will likely continue to create stars for millions of years.

https://www.instagram.com/astronomono/
https://kerockcliffe.com/
https://science.gsfc.nasa.gov/sci/bio/keighley.e.rockcliffe
https://www.nasa.gov/goddard/
https://csst.umbc.edu/directory/
https://cresst2.umd.edu/

Starship Asterisk* • APOD Discussion Page
https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=260610

Astronomers have found that the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way, known as Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*), is blowing a hot cosmic wind — something scientists have been hunting for over 50 years.

READ MORE >> https://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2026/sgrawind/

The stars have always been speaking to us — through light, energy, motion, and time itself. Every photon that reaches our eyes carries a message from across the universe, telling the story of where we came from and helping us understand our place among the stars.

Join us tonight, June 9th at 6:00 p.m. Central, for the 178th Global Star Party — “Signals From the Stars.”

Together with astronomers, explorers, and curious minds from around the world, we will celebrate the incredible ways the universe communicates with us and how we continue learning to listen.

The universe is calling. Look up, and join the journey.

Global Star Party 178: Signals From the Stars
June 9th | 6:00 p.m. Central
www.explorescientific.com/gsp178

The planet Saturn is near the Moon at dawn tomorrow.
It looks like a bright star to the lower right of the Moon - A small telescope will reveal the largest of the planet’s almost 300 known moons!

Astronomy Picture of the Day
Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.

2017 January 2
See Explanation. Clicking on the picture will download
the highest resolution version available.

Comet 45P Returns
Image Credit & Copyright: Fritz Helmut Hemmerich
Explanation: An old comet has returned to the inner Solar System. Not only is Comet 45P/Honda�Mrkos�Pajdu��kov� physically ancient, it was first discovered 13 orbits ago in 1948. Comet 45P spends most of its time out near the orbit of Jupiter and last neared the Sun in 2011. Over the past few months, however, Comet 45P's new sunward plummet has brightened it considerably. Two days ago, the comet passed the closest part of its orbit to the Sun. The comet is currently visible with binoculars over the western horizon just after sunset, not far from the much brighter planet Venus. Pictured, Comet 45P was captured last week sporting a long ion tail with impressive structure. Comet 45P will pass relatively close to the Earth early next month.