This week, we field listener queries about the vaccine’s rollout, how state and local governments are handling distribution, and when you’ll get your shot.
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Celebrate the Star Wars Galaxy’s Greatest Holiday with Life Day Treasury – Exclusive Reveal
The galaxy far, far away meets wintery tales of holiday cheer? That might sound like a stretch, but it’s a no-brainer according to Star Wars author Cavan Scott. “Winter festivals are all about hope in the darkest times, about being surrounded by family and friends,” says Scott. “What is more Star Wars than that?” He […]
Samsung Has New Galaxy Phones (and New Earbuds Too)
A trio of new Android phones—the S21, S21+, and S21 Ultra—are joined by new Bluetooth earbuds and a Tile-like tracker.
Get out tonight and see the stars!
Tonight will be a great opportunity to see Venus and Jupiter converging. You do not even have to stay up late, just go outside and look for the two brightest stars in the sky, and you will be surprised to know that they are not stars but planets. Jupiter and Venus! Jupiter, Venus Converge in […]
Astrophotography With a Google Pixel Smartphone? Really?
The recent addition of an astrophoto time-lapse mode (uncovered by XDA Developers) coming to Google’s camera app on their Pixel line of phones piqued my interest. Not that I think it will replace all of our “real” cameras, but I do have a deep appreciation for the engineering wizardry required to push right up to the physical limits of a tiny sensor and lens. And as an astronomy enthusiast, any developments that might open an appreciation of the night skies to a wider population get me very interested.
An Intro to Photographing the Planets
Aside from the Perseid meteor shower, the summer hype is on for viewing Saturn. Indeed, Saturn is a great target for visual observers, especially if it’s your very first view through a telescope. But for astrophotographers, it’s a tough target. A bit of an easier target is Jupiter, which is “following” Saturn across the summer sky.
A New Astrophotography Plug-in and Some Thoughts on Topaz Plugins for Astro Work
For astrophotographers who use Photoshop, here’s some interesting and some good news. A just-released plug-in called APF-R (Absolute Point of Focus) can do wonders for your images. Astrophotographer Christoph Kaltseis has developed APF-R in order to achieve high-resolution, ultra-sharp images that still look natural. As astro-imagers know, trying to sharpen point sources like stars can result in ugly halos and other unwanted artifacts.
