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paramountobs.bsky.social
Paramount Observatory
@paramountobs.bsky.social
890 followers 190 following 330 posts
Welcome to the Paramount Observatory. This is a private project of Les Girvan to show the active #Astronomy, #Astrophotography, I am doing from #Liverpool #UK.
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paramountobs.bsky.social
Paramount Observatory @paramountobs.bsky.social · Nov 2
𝐐𝐮𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐑𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭: 𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐌𝐞 𝐆𝐨 𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐞!
I'm ready to start producing live streams on YouTube, but to unlock mobile live streaming YouTube requires a minimum of 100 subscribers.
If you enjoy my content here, I'd be grateful if you could take a moment to 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐲 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐥! 🙏

youtube.com/@paramountob...
Paramount Observatory
Welcome to the 'Paramount Observatory' YouTube channel. Paramount Observatory is a private project of Les Girvan, to allow me to show some of the astronomy activity I undertake from our home locatio...
youtube.com
paramountobs.bsky.social
First quick process of #Jupiter last nights data with IO transit shadow.
Jupiter showing its colourful cloud bands with the Shadow of moon IO on the left center of planet
February 14, 2026 at 12:32 PM
paramountobs.bsky.social
So finally after weeks of cloud and rain, tonight brings a period of clear skies, so finally I will get a chance to complete my new gear setup, and planning to test my new camera, ASI585MC PRO on the magnificent plant #Jupiter

Hopefully post some images later 🤞

#astrophotography
Sky forecast is showing a good period of clear skies ASI585MC PRO, ZWO EFW, ZWO AUTOFOCUS, in boxes
February 13, 2026 at 6:12 PM
paramountobs.bsky.social
When the skies stay gray, the hard drives come out. The "Continuous Cloudy Skies" streak continues, so I’ve been diving back into old data to see what I can pull out. Here is a fresh look at the Eastern Veil Nebula (NGC 6992) from sept 2025.
#Astrophotography #StormHour #MoonHour #ThePhotoHour
February 7, 2026 at 6:14 PM
paramountobs.bsky.social
So good to see @dylanodonnell.bsky.social sharing his knowledge.

youtu.be/b_BGT_g2uTk?...

I have actually got this new filter wheel, plus a ASI585MC specially to image Jupiter, mainly the camera not really the filter wheel!
New ZWO Filter Wheels, Epstein's Scope, Jupiter & Thanks 🙏🏼
YouTube video by Dylan O'Donnell
youtu.be
February 7, 2026 at 11:12 AM
paramountobs.bsky.social
I love this image, so cool
nasapodsky.bsky.social Apodsky @nasapodsky.bsky.social · Jun 2
Astronomy Picture from 11/07/2022

Andromeda over the Sahara Desert

Source: https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap220711.htm<a href="/hashtag/AndromedaGalaxy" class="hover:underline text-blue-600 dark:text-sky-400 no-card-link">#AndromedaGalaxyd#M31a#NightSkyPhotographyt#Astrophotographyt#SaharaDesertr#Morocco##GalaxiesG#DeepSpacee#SpacePhotographyt#MilkyWayM#Cosmologyo#Astronomys#Stargazinga#UniverseUniverse
A breathtaking long-exposure photograph captures the Andromeda Galaxy (M31) and its satellite galaxy M110, dominating the night sky above the Sahara Desert in Morocco. Two figures stand silhouetted on a sand dune, dwarfed by the immense scale of the cosmos. The image showcases the stunning detail visible even to the naked eye, with the galaxy appearing as it was 2.5 million years ago, a glimpse into the farthest reaches of our observable universe, given that distance.
February 6, 2026 at 6:26 PM
paramountobs.bsky.social
While clouds are killing the opportunities to do any astronomy currently, still re-processing older data. Today #M31 #Andromeda

I'm practicing using the new #VeraLux scripts and getting 'interesting' results.

What are your thoughts?

#Astrophotography #StormHour #MoonHour #ThePhotoHour
A wide-field astrophotography shot of the Andromeda Galaxy (M31) showing its bright, glowing galactic core and distinct spiral arms of dust and blue stars, set against a dense backdrop of distant stars in deep space
February 6, 2026 at 5:56 PM
paramountobs.bsky.social
Decisions, decisions... IC 1396 in two different flavors. 🐘✨
​I put together both an SHO (Hubble Palette) and an OSH version. It’s wild how switching the mapping of Sulfur, Hydrogen, and Oxygen can completely change the "mood" of the Elephant’s Trunk.

Which do you prefer?
​A high-detail narrowband astrophotograph of the Elephant’s Trunk Nebula (IC 1396). The image uses the SHO palette, featuring a vibrant mix of golden-yellow and deep turquoise. The central "trunk" is a dark, dense column of dust rimmed with glowing gold light, silhouetted against a backdrop of swirling teal and cyan ionized gases. Thousands of sharp stars are scattered across the frame. ​A narrowband image of the Elephant’s Trunk Nebula (IC 1396) processed in the OSH palette. The scene is dominated by fiery red and orange hues, with subtle hints of deep teal in the shadows. The structure of the nebula appears more dramatic and moody, with the dense dust clouds of the "trunk" glowing intensely at the edges where high-energy radiation hits the hydrogen gas.
February 5, 2026 at 8:44 PM
paramountobs.bsky.social
Taking a stroll today.

Not long now for first Daffodil's
New sprouting daffodil
February 2, 2026 at 2:47 PM
paramountobs.bsky.social
More cloudy skies re-processing; the "Rose" of the Monoceros constellation, reimagined in SHO. 🌹🌌

I love how the Hubble Palette reveals the hidden structural complexity of #NGC2244. Those dark dust globules are where the next generation of stars are currently being born.

#Astrophotography
A false-colour SHO image of the Rosette Nebula showing a central cluster of stars surrounded by swirling gold and blue gas clouds with intricate dark dust structures
February 1, 2026 at 4:29 PM
paramountobs.bsky.social
Spent this morning setting up the new equipment to the William Optics Z73 scope. So pleased that I can now organise all the cabling nice and tidy.

With that done, I just need some clear skies to focus and tune it all now, The forecast is not looking good for the next few days/nights.
William Optics Z73 with ASIAIR, Guide scope, auto focuser, filter wheel with cable management William Optics Z73 with ASIAIR, Guide scope, auto focuser, filter wheel with cable management
January 25, 2026 at 2:25 PM
paramountobs.bsky.social
New additional equipment for this year, will be adding this to the WO Z73 APO setup. Camera is the #ZWO ASI585MC, excited to see how it works on my setup, all reviews of it are so positive, just need clear skies now 🙂

Thanks to #FLO www.firstlightoptics.com As ever, providing excellent service
Electronic fouser, filter wheel and asi585mc camera
January 24, 2026 at 2:27 PM
paramountobs.bsky.social
Spent another few hours today reprocessing some old data, this time #C34 the witches broom #nebula

Enjoying learning the new #siril scripts as per Deep Space Astro: youtube.com/@deepspaceas...

#Astrophotography #Space #StormHour #MoonHour #ThePhotoHour #lookup
@liverpoolas.org
The Witch's Broom Nebula glows with vibrant filaments of red and blue gas. A bright foreground star, 52 Cygni, illuminates the center of the frame, making the nebula look like a cosmic wisp of smoke or a glowing broomstick sweeping through the dark void of space.
January 21, 2026 at 8:10 PM
paramountobs.bsky.social
If your Northern UK, still a possibility of seeing #Auroraborialise #Northernlights pop outside with your phone and point it NORTH , look for the constellation 'the Plough' that's the general direction.

Good look and please share your photos?
Graph showing Arora possibly
January 20, 2026 at 7:19 PM
paramountobs.bsky.social
With cloudy skies, been taking the opportunity to re-process data, this time #M51, and using the techniques from Deep Space Astro You Tube :

youtube.com/playlist?lis...

I'm learning so much, and realise how light polluted my skies are!
#Astrophotography #MoonHour #ThePhotoHour
@liverpoolas.org
A high-contrast astrophotography image of the Whirlpool Galaxy (M51) showing its distinct grand-design spiral arms and its smaller companion galaxy, NGC 5195, connected by a bridge of gas and stars.
January 19, 2026 at 3:51 PM
paramountobs.bsky.social
Great tutorial on using a range of fabulous scripts for #Siril

youtu.be/8UEDg_vCPWc?...

Reprocessed my previous image of #RosetteNebula in SHO

I think I can probably improve if this, but, really pleased with this result.

#Astrophotography #StormHour #MoonHour #ThePhotoHour
@liverpoolas.org
New SHO reprocessed An astrophotography image of the Rosette Nebula in the SHO Hubble Palette. The nebula’s vast gas clouds are rendered in vibrant shades of gold and amber (Hydrogen and Sulfur), while the central cavity glows with a cool, ethereal teal and electric blue (Oxygen). Dark, smoky dust filaments twist through the golden "petals," and the central NGC 2244 star cluster shines with brilliant, pinpoint stars against the blue core. Original processing A stunning deep-space photograph of the Rosette Nebula. The nebula looks like a giant cosmic rose, with vast, swirling clouds of crimson and deep red hydrogen gas forming the "petals." In the very center, a hollowed-out "hole" contains a sparkling cluster of bright, blue-white stars that look like diamonds resting in the heart of the flower.
January 9, 2026 at 5:28 PM
paramountobs.bsky.social
Why all the fuss in the news about 'Cold Weather Warnings' .......

IT'S W I N T E R !
January 1, 2026 at 6:33 PM
Reposted by Paramount Observatory
melina-iras07572.bsky.social
Comparison with earlier observation (program DD 12481) shows that there is probably a small new fragment near the main fragment. I see it in each short filter for 2025-12-29, but not in the F200W image from 2025-12-19.
Two images of the same fragment, showing a small dot below the fragment on the right.
December 29, 2025 at 3:16 PM
paramountobs.bsky.social
​While #Jupiter is always a stunner, the real star of the show right now is the Great Red Spot. This massive anticyclonic storm has been churning for centuries, and in this latest shot, the deep crimson hues are incredibly vivid against the pale ammonia clouds.
A high-resolution astronomical photograph of the planet Jupiter, captured on December 27, 2025. The planet’s surface is covered in swirling horizontal bands of white, tan, and bronze clouds. The Great Red Spot is prominently featured in the lower-middle section, appearing as a deep, rust-colored oval storm surrounded by turbulent white cloud wakes. To the right, several smaller white oval storms are visible against the darker atmospheric belts.
December 29, 2025 at 4:20 PM
paramountobs.bsky.social
Hopefully in 2026, I will get more chances to do more of the "SKY AT NIGHT" magazine deep sky tours, here's one from April 2025.

#Astrophotography #Astronomy #Space #Paramountobservatory #lookup
@liverpoolas.org

youtube.com/watch?v=XHnE...
Sky at Night Deep Sky tour April 2025 Live Event Edit
YouTube video by Paramount Observatory
youtube.com
December 28, 2025 at 1:17 PM
paramountobs.bsky.social
​Rig is out for a massive night with the King of Planets! 👑🪐
​Jupiter is sitting at 46" apparent diameter—nearly as big as it gets. I’m running the IR CUT filter tonight to keep those cloud belt colors crisp and avoid the "infrared bloat" on the limb.
​A high-resolution photograph of the planet Jupiter against a black space background. The planet appears as a large, cream-colored sphere with distinct horizontal bands of reddish-brown and tan clouds. The Great Red Spot is visible as a pale orange oval nestled in the southern hemisphere. To the sides of the planet, three of the Galilean moons—Io, Europa, and Ganymede—appear as tiny, sharp white pinpricks of light perfectly aligned with the planet's equator.
December 27, 2025 at 1:28 AM
paramountobs.bsky.social
Current object, Meet the engine of the Rosette Nebula: #NGC2244. 💎
These hot, blue stars are roughly 400,000 times brighter than our Sun. They’re literally carving out a cavity in space 5,000 light-years away.
​ #Astronomy #Science 🔭

#Astrophotography #ThePhotoHour #lookup @liverpoolas.org
A deep-space photograph of the Rosette Nebula (NGC 2237) in the constellation Monoceros. In the center is a clear, circular 'hole' filled with the bright, blue-white stars of the open cluster NGC 2244. Surrounding this central cluster are vast, swirling clouds of glowing red and pink hydrogen gas. Dark, finger-like silhouettes of dense dust, known as elephant trunks, point inward toward the central stars, creating a textured, rose-like appearance against the black backdrop of space
December 26, 2025 at 10:06 PM
paramountobs.bsky.social
C11, known as the Bubble Nebula (NGC 7635). 🫧✨ It’s mind-blowing to think that this nearly perfect sphere is actually being blown by the fierce stellar winds from a massive hot star, nestled inside, essentially a cosmic soap bubble 7 light-years across, floating through a sea of glowing gas. 🌌🔭
A deep-space telescopic view of the Bubble Nebula (NGC 7635). A translucent, delicate blue sphere of gas appears to be floating within a dense, turbulent cloud of glowing red and orange interstellar dust. Inside the bubble, a bright, massive star off-center is responsible for creating the shell. The background is a dark void peppered with sharp, distant stars.
December 26, 2025 at 5:43 PM
paramountobs.bsky.social
Tonight's moon is a Waxing Crescent, hanging like a delicate silver sliver in the evening sky. It’s the perfect night for some quiet stargazing. 🌙✨
​🌒 Tonight’s Lunar Details:
​Phase: Waxing Crescent
​Illumination: Approx. 38%
​Take a moment to #lookup🔭🌌
#astrophotography
The Moon
December 26, 2025 at 5:31 PM
paramountobs.bsky.social
Got a clear night to capture the King of Planets! 🔭 Check out the banding on #Jupiter. It never gets old seeing these storms from my own Observatory here in #Liverpool #UK

#Astrophotography #Astronomy #Space #StormHour #MoonHour #ThePhotoHour #lookup
@liverpoolas.org
A high-resolution photograph of the planet Jupiter against a black space background. The planet's surface is covered in detailed, horizontal atmospheric bands of cream, tan, and reddish-brown. The Great Red Spot was not visible as a prominent swirling storm in the southern hemisphere. The planet appears spherical with a slight glow around the edges.
December 20, 2025 at 6:13 PM
paramountobs.bsky.social
Looks like it could be after midnight before I get the chance to open the Observatory tonight.

I will again be targeting Jupiter, so will publish the results tomorrow 🤞
ai generated Jupiter over liverpool
December 18, 2025 at 5:45 PM