Tel Lekatsas
@mmcastro.bsky.social
Astrophotographer. Imaging from rural skies in Queensland, Australia. Mostly comets.
Newly discovered comet SWAN25B imaged from Heaven's Mirror, Australia. It was discovered on 11 September in SWAN images by Vladimir Bezugly. Too early to tell how this comet is going to perform. Fingers crossed!
September 13, 2025 at 4:24 PM
Newly discovered comet SWAN25B imaged from Heaven's Mirror, Australia. It was discovered on 11 September in SWAN images by Vladimir Bezugly. Too early to tell how this comet is going to perform. Fingers crossed!
Reposted by Tel Lekatsas
A rather bright comet has been discovered in images of the spacecrafts SOHO/SWAN & STEREO - preliminary designated SWAN25B. It's 7-8 mag and w/ a nice tail. No orbit yet, but from the available data I suspect it could pass very close to Earth soon.
Image by M. Mattiazzo, groups.io/g/comets-ml/...
🔭☄️
Image by M. Mattiazzo, groups.io/g/comets-ml/...
🔭☄️
September 12, 2025 at 1:18 PM
A rather bright comet has been discovered in images of the spacecrafts SOHO/SWAN & STEREO - preliminary designated SWAN25B. It's 7-8 mag and w/ a nice tail. No orbit yet, but from the available data I suspect it could pass very close to Earth soon.
Image by M. Mattiazzo, groups.io/g/comets-ml/...
🔭☄️
Image by M. Mattiazzo, groups.io/g/comets-ml/...
🔭☄️
Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS. Looking more like a comet with a nice fuzzy elliptical coma.
2025-08-12.40
m1 mag 16.5 (ATLAS2 V)
9 x 120" iTelescope T32 (CDK 431mm/ASI 6200MM Pro)
Siding Spring, Australia.
Tel Lekatsas
2025-08-12.40
m1 mag 16.5 (ATLAS2 V)
9 x 120" iTelescope T32 (CDK 431mm/ASI 6200MM Pro)
Siding Spring, Australia.
Tel Lekatsas
August 13, 2025 at 1:30 PM
Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS. Looking more like a comet with a nice fuzzy elliptical coma.
2025-08-12.40
m1 mag 16.5 (ATLAS2 V)
9 x 120" iTelescope T32 (CDK 431mm/ASI 6200MM Pro)
Siding Spring, Australia.
Tel Lekatsas
2025-08-12.40
m1 mag 16.5 (ATLAS2 V)
9 x 120" iTelescope T32 (CDK 431mm/ASI 6200MM Pro)
Siding Spring, Australia.
Tel Lekatsas
Interstellar comet C/2025 N1 (ATLAS) (3I/ATLAS)
iTelescope T32 (17" Planewave CDK)
L: 15 x 60" animation and image stack, cropped.
2025-07-05T 12:06 UTC, iTelescope Siding Spring, Australia.
iTelescope T32 (17" Planewave CDK)
L: 15 x 60" animation and image stack, cropped.
2025-07-05T 12:06 UTC, iTelescope Siding Spring, Australia.
July 6, 2025 at 2:26 PM
Interstellar comet C/2025 N1 (ATLAS) (3I/ATLAS)
iTelescope T32 (17" Planewave CDK)
L: 15 x 60" animation and image stack, cropped.
2025-07-05T 12:06 UTC, iTelescope Siding Spring, Australia.
iTelescope T32 (17" Planewave CDK)
L: 15 x 60" animation and image stack, cropped.
2025-07-05T 12:06 UTC, iTelescope Siding Spring, Australia.
The Cosmic Bat flying through dusty clouds in Ophiuchus.
FSQ106N + STXL 16200
L:10 hours RGB@3.5 hours.
Imaged from Heaven's Mirror Observatory in Australia.
The Cosmic Bat Nebula (LDN 43). Starless version.
FSQ106N + STXL 16200
L:10 hours RGB@3.5 hours.
Imaged from Heaven's Mirror Observatory in Australia.
The Cosmic Bat Nebula (LDN 43). Starless version.
June 29, 2025 at 1:12 PM
The Cosmic Bat flying through dusty clouds in Ophiuchus.
FSQ106N + STXL 16200
L:10 hours RGB@3.5 hours.
Imaged from Heaven's Mirror Observatory in Australia.
The Cosmic Bat Nebula (LDN 43). Starless version.
FSQ106N + STXL 16200
L:10 hours RGB@3.5 hours.
Imaged from Heaven's Mirror Observatory in Australia.
The Cosmic Bat Nebula (LDN 43). Starless version.
The South Celestial Serpent (Mandel-Wilson 9): an integrated flux nebula (IFN). Captured from Heaven's Mirror Observatory in 2023. Full image over on Astrobin app.astrobin.com/u/lekatsas?i...
May 23, 2025 at 1:57 PM
The South Celestial Serpent (Mandel-Wilson 9): an integrated flux nebula (IFN). Captured from Heaven's Mirror Observatory in 2023. Full image over on Astrobin app.astrobin.com/u/lekatsas?i...
Comet prospects for the rest of the month remain poor. The Comet Outlook for May www.youtube.com/watch?v=_380... from comet Chasing and Skyhound.
May 2025 Comet Update
YouTube video by Comet Chasing
www.youtube.com
May 13, 2025 at 1:46 AM
Comet prospects for the rest of the month remain poor. The Comet Outlook for May www.youtube.com/watch?v=_380... from comet Chasing and Skyhound.
The ghost of comet C/2025 G3 (ATLAS) 2025-05-01 08:55 UTC once again seen almost edge on, one day after the Earth crossed the comet's orbital plane.
May 2, 2025 at 2:00 PM
The ghost of comet C/2025 G3 (ATLAS) 2025-05-01 08:55 UTC once again seen almost edge on, one day after the Earth crossed the comet's orbital plane.
The Ghost of C/2024 G3 (ATLAS) seen almost edge on as Earth passed through the comet's orbital plane on April 30.
Imaged from Heaven's Mirror Observatory in Australia.
Imaged from Heaven's Mirror Observatory in Australia.
May 2, 2025 at 1:49 PM
The Ghost of C/2024 G3 (ATLAS) seen almost edge on as Earth passed through the comet's orbital plane on April 30.
Imaged from Heaven's Mirror Observatory in Australia.
Imaged from Heaven's Mirror Observatory in Australia.
The Ghost of Comet C/2024 G3 (ATLAS)
2025-04-25 08:33 UTC
Ephemeris position of the defunct nucleus marked.
The dusty hood appears less broad as Earth is approaching the comet's orbital plane. We should get an almost edge on view of the dust on April 30.
2025-04-25 08:33 UTC
Ephemeris position of the defunct nucleus marked.
The dusty hood appears less broad as Earth is approaching the comet's orbital plane. We should get an almost edge on view of the dust on April 30.
April 26, 2025 at 1:16 PM
The Ghost of Comet C/2024 G3 (ATLAS)
2025-04-25 08:33 UTC
Ephemeris position of the defunct nucleus marked.
The dusty hood appears less broad as Earth is approaching the comet's orbital plane. We should get an almost edge on view of the dust on April 30.
2025-04-25 08:33 UTC
Ephemeris position of the defunct nucleus marked.
The dusty hood appears less broad as Earth is approaching the comet's orbital plane. We should get an almost edge on view of the dust on April 30.
The ghost of comet C/2024 G3 (ATLAS) from last night (2025-04-18). The comet disintegrated in mind January but the remaining loose cloud of dust and rubble continues to reflect enough light to be detected in a small telescope. The dust still forms a nice parabolic hood.
April 19, 2025 at 12:38 PM
The ghost of comet C/2024 G3 (ATLAS) from last night (2025-04-18). The comet disintegrated in mind January but the remaining loose cloud of dust and rubble continues to reflect enough light to be detected in a small telescope. The dust still forms a nice parabolic hood.
Reposted by Tel Lekatsas
Oh dear ... "Mr Eclipse" Fred Espenak just wrote this on a mailing list and on facebook.com/fred.espenak.... The eclipse scene has lost so many of its greatest in the last three years, Jay Pasachof, Serge Kouchmy, Glenn Schneider, and now its towering figure will leave us. :-(
April 16, 2025 at 12:43 AM
Oh dear ... "Mr Eclipse" Fred Espenak just wrote this on a mailing list and on facebook.com/fred.espenak.... The eclipse scene has lost so many of its greatest in the last three years, Jay Pasachof, Serge Kouchmy, Glenn Schneider, and now its towering figure will leave us. :-(
C/2024 G3 (ATLAS) 2025-01-30 10:09 UTC.
Sony A7III: 70 mm f/4.5 ISO 16000 97 x 2.5 seconds.
Ma Ma Creek, Australia.
The comet was still visible with unaided vison, though considerably fainter than previous nights.
Sony A7III: 70 mm f/4.5 ISO 16000 97 x 2.5 seconds.
Ma Ma Creek, Australia.
The comet was still visible with unaided vison, though considerably fainter than previous nights.
February 1, 2025 at 4:36 AM
C/2024 G3 (ATLAS) 2025-01-30 10:09 UTC.
Sony A7III: 70 mm f/4.5 ISO 16000 97 x 2.5 seconds.
Ma Ma Creek, Australia.
The comet was still visible with unaided vison, though considerably fainter than previous nights.
Sony A7III: 70 mm f/4.5 ISO 16000 97 x 2.5 seconds.
Ma Ma Creek, Australia.
The comet was still visible with unaided vison, though considerably fainter than previous nights.
The dramatic tails of Comet C/2024 G3 (ATLAS) from STEREO-A/HI-1. The comet was in view of the spacecraft from 13 - 23 Jan 2025.
Data from stereo-ssc.nascom.nasa.gov
Raw images processed with Pixinsight and Python.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=spLE...
Data from stereo-ssc.nascom.nasa.gov
Raw images processed with Pixinsight and Python.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=spLE...
Comet C/2024 G3 (ATLAS) as seen from SECCHI/HI-1 Ahead
YouTube video by MMC Astronomy
www.youtube.com
January 26, 2025 at 12:17 PM
The dramatic tails of Comet C/2024 G3 (ATLAS) from STEREO-A/HI-1. The comet was in view of the spacecraft from 13 - 23 Jan 2025.
Data from stereo-ssc.nascom.nasa.gov
Raw images processed with Pixinsight and Python.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=spLE...
Data from stereo-ssc.nascom.nasa.gov
Raw images processed with Pixinsight and Python.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=spLE...
C/2024 G3 (ATLAS) 2026-01-19 09:45 UTC
Sony A7III 300mm f/6.3 2"x20 ISO1600
Lockyer Valley, Australia.
The nucleus appears to have disintegrated. This is not as bad as it sounds, hopefully there will be some brightening of parts of the tail as the fragments continue to disintegrate.
Sony A7III 300mm f/6.3 2"x20 ISO1600
Lockyer Valley, Australia.
The nucleus appears to have disintegrated. This is not as bad as it sounds, hopefully there will be some brightening of parts of the tail as the fragments continue to disintegrate.
January 21, 2025 at 12:37 AM
C/2024 G3 (ATLAS) 2026-01-19 09:45 UTC
Sony A7III 300mm f/6.3 2"x20 ISO1600
Lockyer Valley, Australia.
The nucleus appears to have disintegrated. This is not as bad as it sounds, hopefully there will be some brightening of parts of the tail as the fragments continue to disintegrate.
Sony A7III 300mm f/6.3 2"x20 ISO1600
Lockyer Valley, Australia.
The nucleus appears to have disintegrated. This is not as bad as it sounds, hopefully there will be some brightening of parts of the tail as the fragments continue to disintegrate.
Comet C/2024 G3 (ATLAS) from LASCO C3 2025/01/12 00:30 UTC, 17.6 second exposure, Clear filter. Perihelion in a bit over 24 hours (2025-01-13 10:16:45).
January 12, 2025 at 11:54 AM
Comet C/2024 G3 (ATLAS) from LASCO C3 2025/01/12 00:30 UTC, 17.6 second exposure, Clear filter. Perihelion in a bit over 24 hours (2025-01-13 10:16:45).
Comet C/2024 G3 (ATLAS) 2025-01-02 18:05 UTC.
Sony A7III 1.6" @ 300mm f/6.3 ISO 1000.
Very easy to see in binoculars, but I couldn't see it with the naked eye. The view in the binoculars closely matches the photo.
Current magnitude on cobs.si ~ 2.
Ma Ma Creek, Australia. #comet #astrophotography
Sony A7III 1.6" @ 300mm f/6.3 ISO 1000.
Very easy to see in binoculars, but I couldn't see it with the naked eye. The view in the binoculars closely matches the photo.
Current magnitude on cobs.si ~ 2.
Ma Ma Creek, Australia. #comet #astrophotography
January 4, 2025 at 7:19 PM
Comet C/2024 G3 (ATLAS) 2025-01-02 18:05 UTC.
Sony A7III 1.6" @ 300mm f/6.3 ISO 1000.
Very easy to see in binoculars, but I couldn't see it with the naked eye. The view in the binoculars closely matches the photo.
Current magnitude on cobs.si ~ 2.
Ma Ma Creek, Australia. #comet #astrophotography
Sony A7III 1.6" @ 300mm f/6.3 ISO 1000.
Very easy to see in binoculars, but I couldn't see it with the naked eye. The view in the binoculars closely matches the photo.
Current magnitude on cobs.si ~ 2.
Ma Ma Creek, Australia. #comet #astrophotography
Comet C/2024 G3 (ATLAS) from Ma Ma Creek, Australia 2025-01-02 18:06 UTC. Sony A7m3 15 x 1" @ 175mm f/5.6ISO 1000.
Imaged in a very bright dawn sky. Reported magnitude on cobs.si is 3.5 with reports of naked eye visibility.
#comet #astrophotography
Imaged in a very bright dawn sky. Reported magnitude on cobs.si is 3.5 with reports of naked eye visibility.
#comet #astrophotography
January 3, 2025 at 12:14 PM
Comet C/2024 G3 (ATLAS) from Ma Ma Creek, Australia 2025-01-02 18:06 UTC. Sony A7m3 15 x 1" @ 175mm f/5.6ISO 1000.
Imaged in a very bright dawn sky. Reported magnitude on cobs.si is 3.5 with reports of naked eye visibility.
#comet #astrophotography
Imaged in a very bright dawn sky. Reported magnitude on cobs.si is 3.5 with reports of naked eye visibility.
#comet #astrophotography
Two of my favourite images of comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-Atlas. On the left, the comet is in the morning sky, on the right in the evening sky. Imaged from Ma Ma Creek, Australia.
December 27, 2024 at 2:55 PM
Two of my favourite images of comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-Atlas. On the left, the comet is in the morning sky, on the right in the evening sky. Imaged from Ma Ma Creek, Australia.
Comet 29P/Schwassmann–Wachmann, an unusual object which shows frequent dramatic brightening (oubursts) had a series of outbursts between 21 and 24 November 2024.
Imaged 12 days after the initial outburst.
L: 5 x 180"
2024-12-03 07:25 UTC.
iTelescope T72 (CDK 20" FLI 16200), Chile.
Imaged 12 days after the initial outburst.
L: 5 x 180"
2024-12-03 07:25 UTC.
iTelescope T72 (CDK 20" FLI 16200), Chile.
December 5, 2024 at 12:14 PM
Comet 29P/Schwassmann–Wachmann, an unusual object which shows frequent dramatic brightening (oubursts) had a series of outbursts between 21 and 24 November 2024.
Imaged 12 days after the initial outburst.
L: 5 x 180"
2024-12-03 07:25 UTC.
iTelescope T72 (CDK 20" FLI 16200), Chile.
Imaged 12 days after the initial outburst.
L: 5 x 180"
2024-12-03 07:25 UTC.
iTelescope T72 (CDK 20" FLI 16200), Chile.
A widefield image of the Devil's Tower (RCW 85) in Centaurus.
This faint nebula lies between the pointers of the Southern Cross.
Imaged from Heaven's Mirror Observatory, Yass, Australia.
Takahashi FSQ 106EDX3, ASI 6200MM Pro.
Total exposure 31.5 hours (Hα 8h, [OIII] 11h, [SII] 12.5h)
This faint nebula lies between the pointers of the Southern Cross.
Imaged from Heaven's Mirror Observatory, Yass, Australia.
Takahashi FSQ 106EDX3, ASI 6200MM Pro.
Total exposure 31.5 hours (Hα 8h, [OIII] 11h, [SII] 12.5h)
November 27, 2024 at 11:49 AM
A widefield image of the Devil's Tower (RCW 85) in Centaurus.
This faint nebula lies between the pointers of the Southern Cross.
Imaged from Heaven's Mirror Observatory, Yass, Australia.
Takahashi FSQ 106EDX3, ASI 6200MM Pro.
Total exposure 31.5 hours (Hα 8h, [OIII] 11h, [SII] 12.5h)
This faint nebula lies between the pointers of the Southern Cross.
Imaged from Heaven's Mirror Observatory, Yass, Australia.
Takahashi FSQ 106EDX3, ASI 6200MM Pro.
Total exposure 31.5 hours (Hα 8h, [OIII] 11h, [SII] 12.5h)
C/2023 A3 2024-10-06 18:19 UTC
1 hour before sunrise, comet 6° below the horizon.
Nothing visible in binoculars.
30° tail is broad and faint on the background subtracted image.
Sony A7 III + 50mm @ f/1.8 ISO 3200, 2 x 6 seconds.
Ma Ma Creek, Australia.
1 hour before sunrise, comet 6° below the horizon.
Nothing visible in binoculars.
30° tail is broad and faint on the background subtracted image.
Sony A7 III + 50mm @ f/1.8 ISO 3200, 2 x 6 seconds.
Ma Ma Creek, Australia.
October 7, 2024 at 5:24 AM
C/2023 A3 2024-10-06 18:19 UTC
1 hour before sunrise, comet 6° below the horizon.
Nothing visible in binoculars.
30° tail is broad and faint on the background subtracted image.
Sony A7 III + 50mm @ f/1.8 ISO 3200, 2 x 6 seconds.
Ma Ma Creek, Australia.
1 hour before sunrise, comet 6° below the horizon.
Nothing visible in binoculars.
30° tail is broad and faint on the background subtracted image.
Sony A7 III + 50mm @ f/1.8 ISO 3200, 2 x 6 seconds.
Ma Ma Creek, Australia.
Bright comet C/2023 A3 this morning at 04:30 AEST. Spectacular in binoculars. Easy naked eye object, with the tail clearly visible against the twilight sky.
Sony A7 III, Pixel 6 Pro.
Ma Ma Creek, Australia 2024-09-29.
Sony A7 III, Pixel 6 Pro.
Ma Ma Creek, Australia 2024-09-29.
September 29, 2024 at 10:56 AM
Bright comet C/2023 A3 this morning at 04:30 AEST. Spectacular in binoculars. Easy naked eye object, with the tail clearly visible against the twilight sky.
Sony A7 III, Pixel 6 Pro.
Ma Ma Creek, Australia 2024-09-29.
Sony A7 III, Pixel 6 Pro.
Ma Ma Creek, Australia 2024-09-29.
Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan–ATLAS) above the smoke haze this morning. Great to catch this comet again now that it is much brighter and in the morning sky.
2024-09-22 04:45 AEST (2024-09-21 18:45 UTC)
Sony A7 III: 10 x 3 seconds @ 70mm, ISO 3200
Ma Ma Creek, Australia.
2024-09-22 04:45 AEST (2024-09-21 18:45 UTC)
Sony A7 III: 10 x 3 seconds @ 70mm, ISO 3200
Ma Ma Creek, Australia.
September 22, 2024 at 6:53 AM
Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan–ATLAS) above the smoke haze this morning. Great to catch this comet again now that it is much brighter and in the morning sky.
2024-09-22 04:45 AEST (2024-09-21 18:45 UTC)
Sony A7 III: 10 x 3 seconds @ 70mm, ISO 3200
Ma Ma Creek, Australia.
2024-09-22 04:45 AEST (2024-09-21 18:45 UTC)
Sony A7 III: 10 x 3 seconds @ 70mm, ISO 3200
Ma Ma Creek, Australia.
Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks 2024-08-24
L 3 x 300" FSQ106N
Heaven's Mirror Observatory
Yass, NSW, Australia.
L 3 x 300" FSQ106N
Heaven's Mirror Observatory
Yass, NSW, Australia.
August 25, 2024 at 11:06 AM
Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks 2024-08-24
L 3 x 300" FSQ106N
Heaven's Mirror Observatory
Yass, NSW, Australia.
L 3 x 300" FSQ106N
Heaven's Mirror Observatory
Yass, NSW, Australia.