Discover the Great Comet of 1811—Napoleon’s Comet that blazed during the New Madrid earthquakes, inspired Tecumseh, and created the legendary 1811 comet wine vintage.
Tag Archives: Spring
NGC 2627: A Quaint, Open Cluster in Pyxis
Explore NGC 2627, a subtle open star cluster in Pyxis, featuring faint stars, rich history, and intriguing stellar evolution clues.
NGC 4038 and 4039: The Antennae Galaxies
A look at the Antennae Galaxies (NGC 4038/4039): a merging pair in Corvus, starburst activity, and a suburban observation using Seestar S50.
Catching April’s Dawn Comet: C/2025 R3 PanSTARRS
Track Comet C/2025 R3 (PanSTARRS) in April 2026 skies. Read personal observations and learn when and where to see this rare dawn comet and capture it before perihelion.
Shattered by the Sun: The Great Comet of 1882
Discover the Great Comet of 1882: a brilliant sungrazer that split apart. Explore its impact on astronomy and the early life of observer E.E. Barnard.
Lyrid Meteor Shower: A Trail of Ancient Falling Light
Trace the history of the April Lyrid meteor shower from ancient China to the 1803 Richmond outburst. Discover Comet Thatcher’s trail and tips for stargazing.
Caldwell 74: The Eight-Burst Nebula in Vela
Discover the Eight-Burst Nebula (Caldwell 74), a southern planetary nebula in Vela with a hidden white dwarf at its heart.
T Coronae Borealis (The Blaze Star): Observing Before Explosion in 2024
The binary star T Coronae Borealis is expected to go nova in 2024. To prepare for this stellar event, I share why it’s special and share how the star appears before it explodes using an astrophoto and a sketch taken from my backyard in Seattle in June 2024. The binary is also registered as T CrB, SAO 84129, HR 5958, HD 143454, HIP 78322.
The Garden Astronomer 