Artemis II recap and what's up in the May 2026 Skies? Part 1

Send us Fan MailMay 2026 is an exciting time for astronomy, both in the sky above us and in space beyond Earth. In this episode, we take a look at the planets visible this month and recap the successful Artemis II mission, which has just returned astronauts from a journey around the Moon for the first time in over 50 years.We’ll walk through what you can expect to see in the evening and morning skies, including a beautiful mid-month alignment of the Moon, Venus, and Jupiter, along with a helpful guide to spotting Mars and Saturn in the predawn sky.On the space news side, we break down the Artemis II mission from launch to splashdown, highlight what was learned during the flight, and look ahead to what comes next in NASA’s Artemis program.Beginning this month, “What’s Up in the Month’s Sky” is now a two-part series. In Part 1, we focus on planets and space news. In Part 2, we shift back to observing with the Lunar Feature of the Month and a deep sky tour.We’re also updating the monthly Sky Guide. It will now include detailed planetary data along with information on all of the deep sky objects covered each month, and will be available both as a web page and as a downloadable PDF. More details on that coming in the next episode.Whether you're observing with binoculars or a telescope, or simply stepping outside to take a look, May offers plenty to enjoy.Don’t forget to like and subscribe, your support helps bring astronomy to more people every month.Contact: [email protected]/Voicemail: (973) 404-0380If you enjoy the episode, please subscribe, comment, and share, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform. Carpe Noctem!Links:Feel free to buy us a cup of coffee or two! We really appreciate it!https://tinyurl.com/AstroGuyCoffeeOur Facebook group page: / astroguypodCranford TV-35: https://www.cranfordnj.org/tv-35Our “Astronomy Basics” episode: • Astronomy BasicsThe “Great Astronomers” Playlist: • The Great AstronomersThe Full Episode Guide of DSO’s sorted by Catalog Name: http://tinyurl.com/AGFullGuideAffiliate LinksHigh Point Scientific: https://www.highpointscientific.com/?...Amazon: https://amzn.to/4gFQmOGAudio Credits:Hymn to the Dawnby Scott Bucklyewww.scottbuckley.com.auMusic promoted byhttps://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/Creative Commons CC BY 4.0Creative Commons CC BY 3.0https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...Support the show

Send us Fan MailApril 2026 is shaping up to be a fantastic month for astronomy. In this episode, we explore two comets that may be visible this month, the return of the Lyrid meteor shower, the start of galaxy season, and a possible Artemis II launch that could send astronauts back around the Moon for the first time in over 50 years.We’ll also take a full planetary tour of the April sky, visit our Lunar Feature of the Month: Archimedes, and go deep into some of the best spring galaxies including M81 & M82, M51, M64, and the Leo Triplet.Whether you're observing with binoculars or a telescope, April offers something for everyone, from challenging twilight planets to breathtaking deep sky targets.Don’t forget to like and subscribe, your support helps bring astronomy to more people every month.Contact: [email protected] Text/Voicemail: (973) 404-0380If you enjoy the episode, please subscribe, comment, and share, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform. Carpe Noctem!Feel free to buy us a cup of coffee or two! We really appreciate it! https://tinyurl.com/AstroGuyCoffeeOur Facebook group page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/astroguypodAudio Credits:Hymn to the DawnAdrift Among Infinite StarsLast and First Light www.scottbuckley.com.au Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/ Creative Commons CC BY 4.0Creative Commons CC BY 3.0https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Support the show

Send us Fan MailYou don’t need a giant observatory telescope to explore the universe. In this episode, we take a journey outward through space to discover 10 amazing things you can see with a small telescope or even 50mm binoculars. Starting at the rugged surface of the Moon and traveling farther from Earth with each stop, we’ll visit giant planets, colorful double stars, glowing nebulae, dense star clusters, and finally another galaxy more than 2 million light-years away.  Along the way, we’ll learn what these objects actually look like through the eyepiece. This episode is designed especially for beginners, but even experienced observers will find these targets rewarding. Every object on this list can be seen with 50mm binoculars, and many become even more impressive through a small backyard telescope. Whenever possible, I’ll describe what to expect through different instruments so you’ll know exactly what to look for. For the deep-sky objects beyond our solar system, I’ll also include links to past episodes where we explore them in more detail and explain how to find them. And don’t forget to check out the free Full Episode Guide in the description, which includes all of the objects featured here and many more. Don’t forget to like and subscribe, your support helps bring astronomy to more people every month. Contact: [email protected] Text/Voicemail: (973) 404-0380 If you enjoy the episode, please subscribe, comment, and share, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform. Carpe Noctem! Links: Feel free to buy us a cup of coffee or two! We really appreciate it! https://tinyurl.com/AstroGuyCoffee Our Facebook group page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/astroguypod Episodes featuring the objects discussed: All about the Moon: https://youtu.be/TS0DHGnfmQs?si=Z8acXJQa5TirLQEe Albireo: https://youtu.be/ohY72oLh1IYOrion Nebula: https://youtu.be/rBtraHAHtCw M13, Dumbbell and Lagoon Nebulae: https://youtu.be/exxfO4v2wSM?si=CNVQ9g4ewdJbqJdHDouble Cluster: https://youtu.be/5IRTj-5_SUM?si=YlYNl4Q3Lw159VRx Andromeda Galaxy: https://youtu.be/OJCYf7BKH0Y?si=D9vNV-YsNyBkuulN Affiliate Links: High Point Scientific: https://www.highpointscientific.com/?rfsn=7714880.bb6129 Amazon: https://amzn.to/4gFQmOG  Audio Credits: Hymn to the Dawn Adrift Amongst Infinite Stars Keys of Moon The Long Dark All songs by Scott Buckley www.scottbuckley.com.au Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/ Creative Commons CC BY 4.0 Creative Commons CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Support the show

Send us Fan MailMarch is here, bringing the first signs of spring and longer daylight hours, but the night sky is still delivering excellent observing before we lose those long winter evenings. We'll discuss this year’s only total lunar eclipse, and a beautiful conjunction between Venus and Saturn. Then we cover important developments with Artemis II, along with the latest about the Starliner program. We’ll also explore an often overlooked lunar crater and then we'll highlight several of the best double and multiple stars visible in the spring skies.Don’t forget to like and subscribe, your support helps bring astronomy to more people every month.Contact: [email protected]/Voicemail: (973) 404-0380If you enjoy the episode, please subscribe, comment, and share, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform. Carpe Noctem!Links:Feel free to buy us a cup of coffee or two! We really appreciate it! https://tinyurl.com/AstroGuyCoffeeOur Facebook group page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/astro...Affiliate LinksHigh Point Scientific: https://www.highpointscientific.com/?...Amazon: https://amzn.to/4gFQmOGAudio Credits:Hymn to the DawnBy Scott BuckleyUnder the SunBy Keys of MoonAdrift Among Infinite StarsBy Scott BuckleyThe Long DarkBy Scott Buckleywww.scottbuckley.com.auMusic promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/Creative Commons CC BY 4.0Creative Commons CC BY 3.0Support the show

Send us Fan MailFor the first time since 1972, humans are leaving Earth orbit and heading back to the Moon. Artemis II isn’t about landing. It’s about proving we’re ready to go back to deep space.  In this episode, Wayne breaks down: • What Artemis II is really designed to test • Why this mission is fundamentally different from Apollo • The international partnerships shaping the Artemis program • How Artemis II clears the path to Artemis III and a return to the lunar surfaceJoin us as we explore what Artemis II means for the future of NASA, international space exploration, and humanity’s next giant leap. Don’t forget to like and subscribe, your support helps bring astronomy to more people every month.Contact: [email protected] Text/Voicemail: (973) 404-0380 Links: Feel free to buy us a cup of coffee or two! We really appreciate it! https://tinyurl.com/AstroGuyCoffee Our Facebook group page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/astro... Affiliate Links High Point Scientific: https://www.highpointscientific.com/?... Amazon: https://amzn.to/4gFQmOG Audio Credits: Hymn to the Dawn By Scott Buckley Under the Sun By Keys of Moon Adrift Among Infinite Stars By Scott Buckley www.scottbuckley.com.au Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/ Creative Commons CC BY 4.0 Creative Commons CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...Support the show

Send us Fan MailFebruary 2026 delivers cold nights—and spectacular skies. In this episode of The AstroGuy Podcast, Wayne walks you through everything to watch for in the night sky this month. We take an in-depth look at NASA’s Artemis II mission, the first crewed flight toward the Moon since 1972, including mission objectives, the historic crew, and how you can follow the launch live with our community coverage. This month’s Lunar Feature of the Month highlights the fascinating crater pair Messier and Messier A, known for their unusual shapes and some of the most linear lunar rays on the Moon—plus a look at the legacy of Charles Messier himself. Our deep-sky tour explores the rich but often overlooked constellation Monoceros the Unicorn and it's myriad of deep sky objects. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced observer, this episode is packed with observing tips, history, and inspiration to get outside under the winter stars. 🌙 Clear skies—and Carpe Noctem! Don’t forget to like and subscribe, your support helps bring astronomy to more people every month. Contact: [email protected] Text/Voicemail: (973) 404-0380 If you enjoy the episode, please subscribe, comment, and share, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform. Links: Feel free to buy us a cup of coffee or two! We really appreciate it! https://tinyurl.com/AstroGuyCoffee Our Facebook group page:   / astroguypod   Cranford TV-35: https://www.cranfordnj.org/tv-35 Clark TV-36: https://www.ourclark.com/194/Clark-Ne... The February 2026 Episode Guide: https://tinyurl.com/ The Full Episode Guide of DSO’s sorted by Catalog Name: Support the show

Send us Fan MailIn this episode of The AstroGuy Podcast, I walk you through my current PixInsight workflow, the exact process I’m using right now to turn raw astrophotography data into a finished deep-sky image. This is not a beginner’s overview or a list of tools. Instead, I explain why I use each step, how the processes fit together, and what I look for as the image evolves. Whether you’re refining your own PixInsight workflow or trying to understand how experienced imagers structure their processing, this episode will help you think more clearly and work more efficiently. This workflow reflects about 4 years of experience, experimentation, and refinement and it continues to evolve. If you’re serious about deep-sky astrophotography, PixInsight, and improving your processing results, this episode is for you. You’ll also find free downloadable versions of the pre-processed image stacks used in this episode, so you can follow along with the workflow or try your own processing approach. The data is available in both .XISF and .FITS formats, making it easy to load directly into PixInsight or other astrophotography software. Whether you want to replicate the steps shown in the video or experiment with different techniques, these files give you hands-on access to the exact data used in the episode. It would be great if you could post links to your version of the data in our Facebook Group. NGC 1499 stacked image in XISF format: https://tinyurl.com/NGC1499XISF NGC 1499 stacked image in FITS format: https://tinyurl.com/NGC1499FITSWZ Download a PDF of the work flow here: https://tinyurl.com/AGWorkflowPISpecial thanks to Franklin Marek (Seti-Astro) for his innovative scripts and software. If you use his tools, please consider supporting his work at http://setiastro.com. Thanks as well to Mike Cranfield and Bill Blanshan for their outstanding scripts, generously shared with the community. Mike’s work can be found at https://cosmicphotons.com Bill’s at youtube.com/@anotherastrochannel2173 🔭 Subscribe to The AstroGuy Podcast for monthly sky guides, deep-dive astronomy topics, and real-world astrophotography insights.Leave a comment with your own workflow questions or tips. #PixInsight #Astrophotography #PixInsightWorkflow #DeepSkyImaging #AstroProcessing Support the show

Send us Fan MailIn this episode of The AstroGuy Podcast, Wayne explores the best things to see in the sky in January of 2026, from brilliant planets to iconic deep-sky objects in Orion the Hunter. January offers some of the best stargazing of the year, with long winter nights and clear, steady skies. Learn when and where to observe Jupiter at opposition, how to spot Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. We’ll explore an ancient crater on the moon, discuss some upcoming launches and much more. Whether you observe with your eyes, binoculars, or a telescope, this episode will help you make the most of the January night sky. Don’t forget to like and subscribe, your support helps bring astronomy to more people every month. Contact: [email protected] Text/Voicemail: (973) 404-0380 If you enjoy the episode, please subscribe, comment, and share, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform. Carpe Noctem! Links: Feel free to buy us a cup of coffee or two! We really appreciate it! https://tinyurl.com/AstroGuyCoffee Our Facebook group page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/astroguypod Cranford TV-35: https://www.cranfordnj.org/tv-35 Clark TV-36: https://www.ourclark.com/194/Clark-News---Our-Clark-Media The January 2026 Episode Guide: https://tinyurl.com/AGGuideJan26 The Full Episode Guide of DSO’s sorted by Catalog Name: http://tinyurl.com/AGFullGuide Our “Astronomy Basics” episode: https://youtu.be/MtUkLVneNYs The “Great Astronomers” Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLt4C8zx3Um7L05cMfYQC5z_UaQACdduTF Affiliate Links High Point Scientific: https://www.highpointscientific.com/?rfsn=7714880.bb6129 Amazon: https://amzn.to/4gFQmOG Audio Credits: Hymn to the Dawn By Scott Buckley Adrift Among Infinite Stars By Scott Buckley The Long Dark By Scott Buckley www.scottbuckley.com.au Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/ Creative Commons CC BY 4.0 Creative Commons CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Support the show

Send us Fan MailIn this episode of The AstroGuy Podcast, Wayne walks you through everything unfolding in the December 2025 night sky, one of the best observing months of the year thanks to long, dark winter nights and crisp, steady air. We start with a full planetary roundup, including Jupiter’s stunning December performance, Saturn’s nearly edge-on rings, and a look at Mercury’s early-morning apparition. We also cover the ongoing activity from Comet Lemmon, the fragmented C/2025 K1 ATLAS, and the rare interstellar visitor 3I/ATLAS, along with clear explanations of what it is, and what it isn’t.December brings two meteor showers, with the Geminids once again offering the year’s most reliable performance, and the Ursids providing a second chance for shooting stars under dark skies. In space news, we discuss NASA’s ESCAPADE mission and Blue Origin’s major landing milestone, along with the final chapter for Japan’s Akatsuki Venus orbiter.This month’s Lunar Feature spotlights the Bay of Rainbows a favorite target for lunar observers. Then we wrap up with a deep-sky tour through Taurus, highlighting Aldebaran, the Pleiades, the Hyades, and the spectacular lunar occultation of M45 on December 3rd and MORE.Whether you’re observing with binoculars, a telescope, or just your winter coat and a clear sky, December has something worth getting outside for.Don’t forget to like and subscribe, your support helps bring astronomy to more people every month.Contact: [email protected] Text/Voicemail: (973) 404-0380If you enjoy the episode, please subscribe, comment, and share, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform. Carpe Noctem!Links:Feel free to buy us a cup of coffee or two! We really appreciate it! https://tinyurl.com/AstroGuyCoffeeOur Facebook group page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/astroguypodCranford TV-35: https://www.cranfordnj.org/tv-35Clark TV-36: https://www.ourclark.com/194/Clark-News---Our-Clark-MediaThe December 2025 Episode Guide: https://tinyurl.com/AGGuideDec25The Full Episode Guide of DSO’s sorted by Catalog Name: http://tinyurl.com/AGFullGuideOur “Astronomy Basics” episode: https://youtu.be/MtUkLVneNYsThe “Great Astronomers” Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLt4C8zx3Um7L05cMfYQC5z_UaQACdduTFAffiliate LinksHigh Point Scientific: https://www.highpointscientific.com/?rfsn=7714880.bb6129Amazon: https://amzn.to/4gFQmOGCreditsAudio Credits:Hymn to the DawnBy Scott BuckleyPhase Shift By Scott BuckleyVoice of Earth By Alex ProductionsUnder the SunBy Keys of MoonThe Long DarkBy Scott Buckleywww.scottbuckley.com.auMusic promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/Creative Commons CC BY 4.0Creative Support the show

Send us Fan MailIn this episode of The AstroGuy Podcast, Wayne sits down with planetary imager Greg Shanos, one of the most dedicated and skilled amateur astronomers working today. Greg recently completed an extraordinary observing project: imaging 15 out of 16 Titan transits across Saturn during this year’s rare transit season. These events only occur during brief windows every 15 years, making his achievement one of the most complete amateur records of the phenomenon.Before the interview, Wayne reminds listeners about the 1,000-subscriber contest, where one lucky viewer will win a free autographed and numbered print. If you haven’t entered yet, be sure to visit the contest video and leave a comment before November 25th.In the main segment, Greg shares how he planned and executed his transit campaign, the gear and imaging workflow he relied on, the challenges he faced along the way, and what these observations reveal about the Saturnian system. Greg was recently honored with the 2025 Walter A. Haas Observer Award from ALPO, recognizing his significant contributions to lunar and planetary observing.This episode offers a deep look at the power and passion of amateur astronomy — and how one dedicated observer can produce scientifically meaningful work that stands alongside professional data.Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and comment—it really helps us grow and reach more interested folks.Contact: [email protected] Text/Voicemail: (973) 404-0380If you enjoy the episode, please subscribe, comment, and share, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform. Carpe Noctem! Links:Feel free to buy us a cup of coffee or two! We really appreciate it! https://tinyurl.com/AstroGuyCoffeeOur Facebook group page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/astroguypodCranford TV-35: https://www.cranfordnj.org/tv-35Clark TV-36: https://www.ourclark.com/194/Clark-News---Our-Clark-MediaThe Full Episode Guide of DSO’s sorted by Catalog Name: http://tinyurl.com/AGFullGuideOur “Astronomy Basics” episode: https://youtu.be/MtUkLVneNYsThe “Great Astronomers” Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLt4C8zx3Um7L05cMfYQC5z_UaQACdduTFWinJupos https://jupos.org/gh/download.htmFirecapture https://www.Firecapture.deSharpcap https://www.sharpcap.co.uk/Autostakkert4 https://www.autostakkert.com/wp/downloadRegistax6 https://www.astronomie.be/registax/Astraimage https://astraimage.comGIMP https://www.gimp.org/downloadsPhotoshop CS4 https://www.adobe.com/photoshop    Here’s the link to Greg’s images: Support the show