John Blackwell
@jablackwell.bsky.social
Teacher, Observatory Director, Astronomer, Model Builder, Photographer, Cook, Spouse, Parent, and I play a lot of music with a lot of instruments. regulusastro.com
Monster sunspot group today (at 16:25UT). It's actually three groups in a row: 4298, 4294 and 4296.
#nikonphotography #Televue #baader #EduSky #astrophotography
#nikonphotography #Televue #baader #EduSky #astrophotography
December 3, 2025 at 4:34 PM
Monster sunspot group today (at 16:25UT). It's actually three groups in a row: 4298, 4294 and 4296.
#nikonphotography #Televue #baader #EduSky #astrophotography
#nikonphotography #Televue #baader #EduSky #astrophotography
Aurora from Exeter, NH, USA Nov 11/12, 2025
Strong geomagnetic storm in progress with high probability of more aurora tonight. #EduSky #astrophotography #astronomy
Strong geomagnetic storm in progress with high probability of more aurora tonight. #EduSky #astrophotography #astronomy
November 12, 2025 at 1:30 PM
Aurora from Exeter, NH, USA Nov 11/12, 2025
Strong geomagnetic storm in progress with high probability of more aurora tonight. #EduSky #astrophotography #astronomy
Strong geomagnetic storm in progress with high probability of more aurora tonight. #EduSky #astrophotography #astronomy
Today's Sun: putting on a good sunspot show.
#Nikon #TeleVie #Baader solar wedge.
#EduSky #astrophotography #astronomy
#Nikon #TeleVie #Baader solar wedge.
#EduSky #astrophotography #astronomy
August 30, 2025 at 4:43 PM
Today's Sun: putting on a good sunspot show.
#Nikon #TeleVie #Baader solar wedge.
#EduSky #astrophotography #astronomy
#Nikon #TeleVie #Baader solar wedge.
#EduSky #astrophotography #astronomy
A splendid moment on this day in 2017: Casper, Wyoming, perfect weather, the whole family and totality.
#astronomy
#astrophotography #Nikon
#EduSky
#astronomy
#astrophotography #Nikon
#EduSky
August 21, 2025 at 7:48 PM
A splendid moment on this day in 2017: Casper, Wyoming, perfect weather, the whole family and totality.
#astronomy
#astrophotography #Nikon
#EduSky
#astronomy
#astrophotography #Nikon
#EduSky
Excellent seeing conditions today, and the Sun is sharing some excellent sunspot groups as well. There is a forest fire smoke layer above us, but very steady conditions prevail.
#astronomy #sunspots #baader #TV85 #edusky #astrophotography
#astronomy #sunspots #baader #TV85 #edusky #astrophotography
August 3, 2025 at 4:46 PM
Excellent seeing conditions today, and the Sun is sharing some excellent sunspot groups as well. There is a forest fire smoke layer above us, but very steady conditions prevail.
#astronomy #sunspots #baader #TV85 #edusky #astrophotography
#astronomy #sunspots #baader #TV85 #edusky #astrophotography
Sunspots today: the Sun is very active still as we make our way through solar maximum. Good seeing conditions, so I though I would share.
#tv80 #baader solar wedge #nikonphotography #edusky #astronomy
#tv80 #baader solar wedge #nikonphotography #edusky #astronomy
July 15, 2025 at 9:25 PM
Sunspots today: the Sun is very active still as we make our way through solar maximum. Good seeing conditions, so I though I would share.
#tv80 #baader solar wedge #nikonphotography #edusky #astronomy
#tv80 #baader solar wedge #nikonphotography #edusky #astronomy
Marching onwards: huge sunspot groups continues to impress. #sunspot #astronomy #edusky #astrophotography #nikon TV85 Baader solar wedge
May 3, 2025 at 3:50 PM
Marching onwards: huge sunspot groups continues to impress. #sunspot #astronomy #edusky #astrophotography #nikon TV85 Baader solar wedge
Monstrous sunspot has come into full view... and we have a clear-sky moment! This with TV85 and Baader solar wedge. #Nikon. #EduSky #Astrophotography #Astronomy
May 2, 2025 at 9:01 PM
Monstrous sunspot has come into full view... and we have a clear-sky moment! This with TV85 and Baader solar wedge. #Nikon. #EduSky #Astrophotography #Astronomy
Nice views of the lunar eclipe last night. Had some visitors to the observatory: all good, just a little frosty by the end of the night ;-) These through a 500mm tripod mounted Z9 with 500mm lens. #astronomy #astrophotography #moon #eclipse #astrosky #astrophotography #edusky
March 14, 2025 at 4:45 PM
Nice views of the lunar eclipe last night. Had some visitors to the observatory: all good, just a little frosty by the end of the night ;-) These through a 500mm tripod mounted Z9 with 500mm lens. #astronomy #astrophotography #moon #eclipse #astrosky #astrophotography #edusky
March 2, 2025 at 11:59 PM
It's nice to wake up to a fresh layer of snow... and it is still snowing! The perfect opportunity(!) I say to myself, grabbing camera, and macro lens while still in my pajamas! Here are some of the better ones. The flakes are quite ornate and delicate this time.
#Nikon #Z9
#Nikon #Z9
February 9, 2025 at 2:11 PM
Results of the latest development tank. This is Ilford Delta 3200 exposed and developed at 1600iso. This is also a first run with the Leica M6 and a newly acquired Zeiss Sonnar 50mm f/1.5. Chemistry was Ilford Microphen. I am liking the results.
February 3, 2025 at 12:13 PM
Results of the latest development tank. This is Ilford Delta 3200 exposed and developed at 1600iso. This is also a first run with the Leica M6 and a newly acquired Zeiss Sonnar 50mm f/1.5. Chemistry was Ilford Microphen. I am liking the results.
Some flakes from yesterday's snowfall. It remained cold with larger flakes this time around, making for a better session. Funny that I was exercising (stationary bike), so must have looked pretty darned funny to the neighbors running out with camera in bike shorts and a t-shirt to grab these.
February 2, 2025 at 1:53 PM
Some flakes from yesterday's snowfall. It remained cold with larger flakes this time around, making for a better session. Funny that I was exercising (stationary bike), so must have looked pretty darned funny to the neighbors running out with camera in bike shorts and a t-shirt to grab these.
Venus and Moon (with Earthshine).... nice view tonight.
February 1, 2025 at 10:55 PM
Venus and Moon (with Earthshine).... nice view tonight.
...and one fun image taken on Monday night of B33, the Horsehead Nebula, in Orion. This one with a 0.3m f/8 Maksutov at Las Campanas, Chile. 40 minutes in Lum binned 2x2. They have the best seeing conditions of any observatory I have known. Amazing. #astrophotography #science #EduSky
November 27, 2024 at 4:54 PM
...and one fun image taken on Monday night of B33, the Horsehead Nebula, in Orion. This one with a 0.3m f/8 Maksutov at Las Campanas, Chile. 40 minutes in Lum binned 2x2. They have the best seeing conditions of any observatory I have known. Amazing. #astrophotography #science #EduSky
BL Cam, a pulsating variable star of the SX Phe type. The mage has this remarkable object very close to center. The light curve was taken last night over 1.5 hours in V (filter). You'll see some data points brighter than expected: clouds lit by moonlight was the cause. #astronomy #astrophotography
November 17, 2024 at 2:06 PM
BL Cam, a pulsating variable star of the SX Phe type. The mage has this remarkable object very close to center. The light curve was taken last night over 1.5 hours in V (filter). You'll see some data points brighter than expected: clouds lit by moonlight was the cause. #astronomy #astrophotography
Comet 2023 A3 also gave us a good visit this fall. Our earliest sighting was as it passed aphelion: we caught it from the top floor of the school library (8 stories). As the days progressed, the comet was more visible in the night-time sky.
#astronomy #astrophotos
#astronomy #astrophotos
November 16, 2024 at 12:44 PM
Comet 2023 A3 also gave us a good visit this fall. Our earliest sighting was as it passed aphelion: we caught it from the top floor of the school library (8 stories). As the days progressed, the comet was more visible in the night-time sky.
#astronomy #astrophotos
#astronomy #astrophotos
We have had three excellent aurorae storms visible this year from Exeter (NH, USA). This last one was so bright, one could read by it: full color and already active by sunset. Our magnetometer captured all the data it could get, down to the nT. Exciting times.
#astrophotography or #astrophotos
#astrophotography or #astrophotos
November 16, 2024 at 12:38 PM
We have had three excellent aurorae storms visible this year from Exeter (NH, USA). This last one was so bright, one could read by it: full color and already active by sunset. Our magnetometer captured all the data it could get, down to the nT. Exciting times.
#astrophotography or #astrophotos
#astrophotography or #astrophotos
Sunspot group 3780 is still putting on a fine show and might be helping with those at high latitudes to see some aurora this weekend.
August 10, 2024 at 4:02 PM
Sunspot group 3780 is still putting on a fine show and might be helping with those at high latitudes to see some aurora this weekend.
Sunspots continue to be impressive this week.
#astronomy
#astronomy
August 5, 2024 at 4:47 PM
Sunspots continue to be impressive this week.
#astronomy
#astronomy
The Sun is still being interesting, with that large group (3576) slowly changing but still very dominant. TV85, Nikon D810, Baader Solar Wedge.
#Astronomy #Astrophotography
#Astronomy #Astrophotography
February 10, 2024 at 8:44 PM
The Sun is still being interesting, with that large group (3576) slowly changing but still very dominant. TV85, Nikon D810, Baader Solar Wedge.
#Astronomy #Astrophotography
#Astronomy #Astrophotography
Nice afternoon hiking around the Great Bay yesterday and had this lovely halo with sundogs appear. Nice pre-storm atmospheric optics there. Last night, the pressure dropped so fast that we had faucet leaks, very windy and driving rain. November? Odd.
November 27, 2023 at 1:56 PM
Nice afternoon hiking around the Great Bay yesterday and had this lovely halo with sundogs appear. Nice pre-storm atmospheric optics there. Last night, the pressure dropped so fast that we had faucet leaks, very windy and driving rain. November? Odd.
Omega Centauri, globular cluster which resides some 17000 light-years distant. Always good tests for optics: any focus issues and the stars just do not become pinpoint sharp. This is a 4 hour image, one hour each in L, R, G, and B, for a luminance layered shot. Telescope 12.5" RC.
#Astrophotography
#Astrophotography
November 26, 2023 at 1:15 PM
Omega Centauri, globular cluster which resides some 17000 light-years distant. Always good tests for optics: any focus issues and the stars just do not become pinpoint sharp. This is a 4 hour image, one hour each in L, R, G, and B, for a luminance layered shot. Telescope 12.5" RC.
#Astrophotography
#Astrophotography