The Sky-Watcher Skyliner 150P, 200P, and 250P Dobsonians offer the best diameter-to-price ratio on the market. A comprehensive guide to choosing, equipping (laser pointer, Barlow lens, planetary eyepiece, lunar filter, Tele Vue), and preparing for your observation night. Checklist included. Available in-store, but often sell out quickly.
The Sharpstar SCA310, a 310 mm f/3.8 Super Cassegrain astrograph with a built-in triplet field corrector, tested for 3 months by Richard Harris (ScopeTrader). Images of M33 and the Iris Nebula. Comparison with the SCA260 V2 available in stores. Specs, price, and points to note.
A G3 geomagnetic storm triggered the Northern Lights, which were visible from Germany, France, the United Kingdom, and Scandinavia on the night of October 10–11, 2026. A guide to viewing and photographing the aurora from Europe, real-time monitoring tools, and forecasts for October 11 and 12.
The Sky-Watcher SynLink Universal replaces the mini PC, USB hub, and power distribution unit with a single unit mounted on the tube. Here’s an overview of its connections, software, multi-brand compatibility, and initial user reviews. Available in our store for 406.11 CHF (excluding tax).
Since October 2026, Mars and Jupiter have been drawing closer together in the morning sky before dawn. On November 16, they will be just 1°12′ apart. Observation guide for Europe: where to look, what equipment to use, astrophotography tips, the October 16 alignment, and a week-by-week calendar.
An international team co-led by the University of Bern has discovered fully deuterated methanol (CD3OD) for the first time in space, around the protostar IRAS 4A2 in the Perseus Cloud. 100 hours of ALMA observations, 11 protostars, 7 papers in *Astronomy & Astrophysics*. Popular science terms: protostar, deuterium, methanol masers, planetary formation, Swiss involvement.
The Hubble Space Telescope has detected niobium around the white dwarf HS 0209+0832, 270 light-years away. This is the first candidate for a second-generation planet, formed from material ejected by the dying star. Popular science: white dwarf, s-process, niobium, a cold case solved after 25 years in the Hubble archives.
Between October 10 and 12, 2026, before dawn, Mars passes through the Beehive Cluster (M44, Praesepe), the open cluster in Cancer. Through binoculars, it appears as a reddish-orange dot amid about thirty blue-white stars. Observation guide and astrophotography tips. Reference for the 2026 Astronomy Photographer of the Year contest.
At Imaging World 2026 in Nuremberg, Sky-Watcher unveiled the ORBIS 60EDX, billed as its first smart telescope. Amid all the smartphone-controlled instruments, it has one feature that immediately stands out at the booth: a real eyepiece. You can let the device locate and photograph an object, then return to the pleasure of observing it directly. […]
The ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2026, organized by the Royal Observatory Greenwich, has named “The Quiet Predator” by Ali Alobaidly (Kuwait) the winner: an image of the Shark Nebula (LDN 1235). Nearly 4,000 images, 769 photographers, 66 countries. 10,000 pounds for the overall winner. Overview of the 8 categories, special awards, and background information.
