Me and the Milky Way

Standing in dark conditions and making sure to get night vision with the Milky Way over the sea is a beautiful sight. Seeing the dust clouds of our galaxy the Milky Way visually is a fantastic experience. This picture was taken last Saturday night with myself standing on a cliff looking over the Baltic Sea.

Light pollution threatens the night sky and wildlife and all the satellites are also destroying the night sky. what will we see in the future when we look up at the starry sky? Will this view be gone? This week is International Dark Sky Week https://darksky.org/ check out the website and help to protect the night sky.

Cygnus nebulosity

The constellation Cygnus (The Swan) is extremely rich in nebulosity and gas clouds because it lies directly in the plane of the Milky Way. It is one of the most active regions of star formation and contains several known emission nebulae and supernova remnants.

Here are some of the most prominent nebulae in Cygnus:

The North America Nebula (NGC 7000): A large emission nebula resembling the North American continent, complete with a "Gulf of Mexico". It is located near the star Deneb.

The Pelican Nebula (IC 5070): Located right next to the North America Nebula and separated only by a dark dust cloud.

The Veil Nebula (Cygnus Loop / Veil Nebula): A gigantic supernova remnant formed by a massive star that exploded 10,000–20,000 years ago. It consists of several filaments (veils) that stretch across the sky.

Crescent Nebula (NGC 6888): An emission nebula created by stellar winds from a Wolf-Rayet star, located about 5,000 light-years away.

Butterfly Nebula (IC 1318): Located in the region around the star Sadr, in the center of the constellation.

Cygnus also contains the Cygnus Molecular Nebula Complex (Swan Complex), a huge cloud of gas and dust where new stars are being born. Because of all this nebulosity and dust, the region is a popular target for astrophotography.

Single exposure by the east coast of  Sweden

Solar Prominences

A solar prominence is a massive, bright feature extending outward from the Sun's surface into its outer atmosphere (the corona). 

They consist of relatively cool, dense plasma—primarily hydrogen and helium—held in place by tangled magnetic field lines.

When seen at the edge of the Sun against space, they appear as bright, glowing loops (often pinkish-red). When viewed against the bright solar disk, they look like dark, snake-like lines called filaments.

Comet C/2025 R3 (PANSTARRS) taken from Sweden

Comet C/2025 R3 (PANSTARRS) is currently (April 2026) a bright object in the sky approaching its absolute maximum. It is currently visible to the naked eye under dark conditions and will reach its closest approach to the Sun (perihelion) on April 19, 2026.

The comet has reached a brightness (magnitude 3 to 4) that makes it visible without a telescope in places with little light pollution.

It is best seen in the morning sky just before dawn. It is currently located in the constellation Pegasus.

This is an extremely rare guest from the Oort cloud, having not visited the inner solar system in about 170,000 years.

Because it is a "hyperbolic" comet, scientists are unsure whether it will survive the intense heat of perihelion on April 19 or whether it will break apart.

The Sun

Solar filaments are enormous arcs of dense, ionized gas (plasma) that float above the surface of the Sun, held together by powerful and intricate magnetic fields. They are part of the Sun's dynamic atmosphere and are closely linked to the phenomenon of prominences.

1. What is the difference between a filament and a prominence?

They are essentially the same physical phenomenon, but the name comes from perspective:

Filament: When the structure is viewed from the front against the bright solar disk, it appears as dark, thread-like lines. This is because the plasma in the arc is slightly cooler (and therefore less luminous than the hot solar surface (photosphere) behind it).

Protuberance: When the structure is viewed at the edge of the Sun (limb) against the dark background of space, it appears as a bright, glowing arc extending from the solar surface.

2. Properties and Formation

Structure: Filaments form along magnetic "neutral lines" where regions of opposite magnetic polarity meet. They consist of fine threads that follow the magnetic field lines.

Size: They can be hundreds of thousands of kilometers long, which is often significantly larger than the Earth or even Jupiter.

Lifespan: Stable filaments can exist for anywhere from a few days to several months before either collapsing or breaking apart. Sun photographed 2026-04-11 Carpe Noctem Observatory.

 

Moon and Jupiter

A clear night in the Swedish mountains where the starry sky is free from light pollution. The bright planet Jupiter lies to the left of the moon this evening with the stars Castor and Pollux obliquely up to the left of Jupiter. Obliquely up to the right of the moon is the star Capella in the constellation Auriga. Below the moon and Jupiter is the constellation Orion with the bright star Sirius far down to the left. Around the moon are thin clouds that almost create a complete halo.

Fantastic Aurora display

A magical night in the Swedish mountains. It started as a green glow in the north that developed into an arc that then increased in strength and went higher in the sky, finally to the zenith with curving green waves of light. The green glow flashed across the entire sky as if the atmosphere was shaking.

The northern lights (aurora borealis) affect the Earth's atmosphere, mainly in the upper layers such as the thermosphere and the ionosphere. The phenomenon occurs when charged particles from the sun collide with oxygen and nitrogen in the atmosphere at the magnetic poles. Main effects of the northern lights on the atmosphere: Energy input and heating: The northern lights are the result of an enormous energy input from the solar wind to the atmosphere. This causes local heating in the upper layers of the atmosphere. Electric currents: In connection with the northern lights, strong electric currents arise in the atmosphere, so-called auroral electrojet streams. These currents can affect the Earth's magnetic field. Ionosphere disturbances: Aurora activity can affect the ionosphere (the part of the atmosphere that is ionized), which in turn can disrupt radio communications and satellite navigation. Faint moonlight via a fine crescent moon and bright planet Jupiter also visible.

Aurora Corona

When the northern lights are really strong, you might be lucky enough to see them at their zenith, overhead like a corona. The picture shows the beginning of a corona last week.

An aurora corona is a spectacular form of aurora that occurs when you are directly under the magnetic field lines.

It looks as if all the light rays are radiating from a single point high in the sky (the zenith).

Why? It's a perspective effect, just like when parallel train tracks appear to meet on the horizon. In reality, the aurora rays are parallel and follow the Earth's magnetic field, but from the ground they appear to form a "crown" (corona in Latin).

Cabin Aurora

A week's stay in the family's mountain cabin where the starry sky is very dark. One night the northern lights played fantastically beautifully and went high up in the sky above the cabin. The Big Dipper is seen in the middle of the picture, upside down. It almost forms a corona of the northern lights just above. Earlier in the evening I was able to witness a corona right in the zenith, pictures will come later.

 

Aurora Show in Stockholm

Last night, nature put on a fantastic spectacle! For being in the Stockholm area, this was really nice, even the northern lights at zenith. The northern lights, or aurora borealis, are a light phenomenon that occurs when charged particles from the sun collide with gas atoms in the Earth's atmosphere. It is mainly visible in the polar regions (such as northern Sweden, Norway and Iceland) between September and March, often as dancing green, purple or red lights at an altitude of 80–500 km.

Colors: Yellow-green is most common (oxygen at an altitude of 100–140 km). Red and violet tones also occur, depending on the type of atom that collides with the particles.

Shape: They can look like arches, curtains or rays dancing across the sky.

Origin: The northern lights are caused by geomagnetic storms that affect the Earth's magnetic field.

The dark spots you see on the moon are actually giant, solidified lava fields called maria. These were formed billions of years ago when huge amounts of liquid lava gushed out of the moon's interior and filled large craters after meteorite impacts.

Composition: The fields are mainly composed of basalt, a dark, iron-rich volcanic rock similar to that found on the ocean floor here on Earth.

Volcanic activity: It was long thought that volcanism on the moon died out billions of years ago, but new analyses of lunar samples suggest that there may have been active volcanoes as recently as 120 million years ago.

Lava tubes: Beneath the surface are hollow lava tunnels, or lava tubes. These giant caverns are considered ideal locations for future lunar bases because they protect against radiation and extreme temperatures.

Asymmetry: There are significantly more and larger lava fields on the side of the moon that faces Earth than on the far side, which is because the crust is thinner on the front side.

Worm Moon HDR

Today's full moon, called a worm moon, photographed with a telescope and several images stitched together into one image.

At a full moon, the sun illuminates the lunar surface directly from the front, which hides shadows and makes it more difficult to distinguish topographical details such as craters and mountain walls. The use of HDR photography (High Dynamic Range) and stacking (combining many images) is therefore crucial to highlight geological contrasts and mineral variations that are otherwise lost in the bright light.

Geological details at a full moon

Beam systems: At a full moon, bright beam systems appear most clearly, for example from the crater Copernicus. These consist of material (ejecta) that was thrown out during a meteorite impact.

Albedo and minerals: The contrast between the light, calcium-rich highlands (anorthosite) and the dark, iron-rich oceans (basaltic maria) becomes extremely clear. By saturating the colors in an HDR image (so-called "Mineral Moon"), chemical differences in the soil can be visualized.

Bright Craters: Craters with high albedo, such as Aristarchus, shine brightly and can even be seen with the naked eye.

99% moon and the bird

The full moon is slowly rising in the sky, well, almost full, 99% behind a tree with a blackbird sitting at the top.

Tomorrow, 3/3, a total lunar eclipse will occur. The eclipse will be completely visible over northeastern and northwestern North America and the central Pacific Ocean and will be visible rising over large parts of Asia and Australia and setting over North and South America, unfortunately not from Sweden.

Like glowing jewels and Starry Sky

A beautiful view of the coast of Väddö, Sweden. On the ground, algae and seaweed stuck in the ice fluoresce like glittering jewels thanks to UV light. A cold night with beautiful Icelandic scenery and low water. In the sky, the bright star Sirius is also reflected in the water. Sirius, often called the Dog Star, is the brightest star in the night sky with an apparent magnitude of -1.46. Located in the constellation of the Great Dog (Canis Major) and only 8.6 light-years away, it is one of Earth's closest neighbors. It is part of a double star system (Sirius A and B) and is easy to find in the winter sky by extending Orion's belt. The planet Jupiter also shines as a bright star high in the center of the image. To the right, the constellation Orion is visible. Between Orion and Jupiter, our Milky Way galaxy is seen as a faint band.

We live on a beautiful planet.

Let's take care of it and each other - stop these insane wars and misery. It is up to us, the people!

A quick look at the moon

A quick visit to the Carpe Noctem Observatory tonight. It cleared up and I managed to take a quick photo of the moon before fog clouds ruined the session.

The picture shows beautiful mountain ranges on the right side of the Mare Imbrium lava field.

The top mountain range is the Montes Alpes, one of the most distinctive mountain ranges on the moon, located between Mare Imbrium and Mare Frigoris. It stretches for about 250 km and is best known for being literally split in half by an enormous valley.

Important peaks and landmarks

Mont Blanc: The highest point of the mountain range, located on the eastern side, with an altitude of about 3,600 meters. The name is taken from the highest mountain on Earth in the European Alps.

Vallat Alpes (Alpine Valley): The most spectacular formation in the area. It is a straight, 166 km long and about 10 km wide trough that cuts straight through the chain. It is a favorite for amateur astronomers to observe.

Promontory Agassiz: A headland at the southern end of the chain, rising about 2,300 meters.

Below the Alps and the Caucasus Mountains" most often refers to the lunar mountain range named after the Caucasus Mountains on Earth. These mountains lie on the northern part of the lunar far side and form a boundary between Mare Imbrium and Mare Serenitatis.

Peaks of the Lunar Montes Caucasus

Unlike Earth's mountain ranges, most individual peaks in the lunar Montes Caucasus do not have official names.

Highest peak: The highest point reaches an elevation of about 6,000 meters (19,000–20,000 ft) above the surrounding lunar surface.

Geographical location: The mountain range extends for about 445 km and is located near prominent craters such as Aristillus, Autolycus, and Calippus.

Below lies the beautiful Montes Apenninus mountain range, the most impressive mountain range on the lunar far side. It extends for about 600–950 km and forms the southeastern rim of the giant impact hole Mare Imbrium.

The Most Prominent Peaks

Here are the highest and most famous named peaks in order from north to south:

Mons Hadley: A massive peak at the northern end of the range, with an elevation of about 4,500–4,800 meters.

Mons Hadley Delta: Located south of Mons Hadley and is about 3,500–3,600 meters high. The valley between these two mountains was the landing site of Apollo 15 in 1971.

Mons Bradley: Located further south with an elevation of about 4,200 meters.

Mons Huygens: The highest peak of the range (and often considered the moon's) rising about 5,300–5,500 meters above the surrounding plains.

Mons Ampère: A peak west of Mons Huygens with an elevation of about 3,000 meters.

Mons Wolff: Marks the southwestern end of the range near the crater Eratosthenes and reaches about 3,500 meters

Pine lichen and crescent moon

Fluorescent lichens and moss on a pine tree by illuminating with UV light.

Lichens on trees are usually completely harmless and are not a sign of disease. They only use the tree as a foothold and do not take nutrition from it. The lichens indicate clean air and serve as homes for insects, which attracts small birds.

Key facts about lichens on trees:

No harm: Lichens do not penetrate the bark, do not cause rot and do not harm the growth of the tree.

Epiphytes: They grow as so-called epiphytes, mainly on older trees, and get nutrition from water and air.

Air quality: Abundant occurrence of lichens is a sign of a good air environment.

Common types: Examples are leaf lichens such as lung lichen, beard lichen and crust lichen.

Ecological benefit: Lichens provide habitat for small animals, which benefits bird life.

In the sky, a slightly overexposed crescent moon with thin clouds in front.

Double Arc of Aurora

An aurora arc (northern lights arc) is the most classic and stable form of the northern lights. It looks like a luminous bridge spanning the sky, usually in a faint green color.

Characteristics and origin

Shape: The arc follows the Earth's magnetic latitudes. When you see an arc, you are actually looking at a small part of the giant aurora oval that surrounds the Earth's magnetic pole.

Color: The most common color is yellow-green, which is created when electrons collide with oxygen atoms at an altitude of about 100–150 km.

Development: A quiet arc is often the starting point. If geomagnetic activity increases, the arc begins to "dance", form folds (curtains) or split into several bands

A double aurora arc (aurora borealis double arc) occurs when the northern lights split into two or more parallel bands that stretch across the sky from horizon to horizon. The phenomenon is particularly captivating because it creates a symmetrical and structured view of the otherwise often chaotic light show.

How they are formed:

Magnetic field lines: Particles from the sun are guided by the Earth's magnetic field down towards the poles. A double arc often forms when geomagnetic activity increases, causing the aurora oval to expand and split into several discrete bands.

Geomagnetic substorms: During the most active phases of a "substorm", a single arc can quickly split into several parallel arcs.

Perspective: To an observer on the ground, the aurora appears as an arc due to the curvature of the Earth and the distance from the light show.

On the left, the constellations Cygnus and Cepheus run through one of the most star-dense and interesting parts of the Milky Way in the northern sky. These areas are particularly popular for both observation and astrophotography.

The "Handle" of the Big Dipper is seen at the top right, consisting of three bright stars that form a curved line. These stars are part of the larger constellation Ursa Major.Here are the three stars in the handle, counting from the dipper outwards:Alioth: The brightest star in the entire dipper. It is closest to the "dipper" itself.Mizar: The middle star. It is known to be a double star. If you have good eyesight (or binoculars), you can see a smaller, fainter star right next to it called Alcor.Alkaid: The star that sits at the far end of the handle.

Moon & planets

A cold, colorful afternoon in Vallentuna, Sweden. In the sky, a thin crescent moon with earthshine is visible, and to the left of the moon, the planet Saturn, and to the lower right, the planet Mercury.

Earthshine is an astronomical phenomenon in which sunlight is reflected from the Earth onto the dark night side of the moon, making the entire lunar disk faintly visible even when only a thin crescent is directly illuminated by the sun.

Mercury is the smallest planet in the solar system and the one closest to the sun. It is a rocky, so-called terrestrial planet with a surface filled with craters, which makes it very reminiscent of our moon.

Saturn is the second largest planet in the solar system and is best known for its spectacular and complex ring system. It is a gas giant that consists mainly of hydrogen and helium.

Where life once evolved.

 A clear and cold night by the sea on planet Earth. In the sky, the constellation Orion is visible with the star factory Orion Nebula under Orion's belt, visible to the naked eye. Our star Sun was probably created from a similar star factory long ago. The Orion Nebula (M42) consists primarily of gas and dust, where the absolutely dominant elements are hydrogen and helium. It is an emission nebula that shines because young, hot stars ionize the gas.

The Earth formed about 4.6 billion years ago from a rotating disk of gas and dust that surrounded the young Sun. By clumping together pebbles and cosmic dust, the planet grew. Originally, the Earth was a red-hot melt that cooled and formed a solid crust. Water was added later, probably via comet impacts. The theory of the origin of life is that life on Earth arose in the ocean about 3.5–3.8 billion years ago, probably in close proximity to hot springs on the seafloor where amino acids and simple bacteria were formed. The ocean served as a protective environment for the first organisms before oxygen and the ozone layer made life on land possible. The oldest traces of life are 3.5–3.7 billion years old and are found in marine environments. Early theories focused on the "primordial soup" in shallow sea bays, while more recent research often points to hot springs (hydrothermal vents) in deep water. Complex organic molecules (amino acids) formed in the water and assembled into simple bacteria. These first organisms were independent of oxygen, but later began to produce it through photosynthesis. Evolution started with simple microorganisms, followed by algae, and later the first multicellular animals developed in the sea. The picture shows algae and seaweed that fluoresce via UV light. They are clearly visible thanks to the current record low sea level. Algae contain chlorophyll for photosynthesis. When chlorophyll is hit by UV light or blue light, it absorbs the energy, but cannot use it all. The excess energy is emitted as a red or pink glow. This is called fluorescence and can often be seen underwater with special lighting or when analyzing algae. Under Orion, light pollution from civilization is seen, life has developed into an intelligent species Homo Sapiens Sapiens that eventually invented electricity. The place where the picture was taken, Nothamn Sweden, is known for its geology, 1.9 billion years ago there were explosive volcanoes here that spewed ash and lava over a shallow sea that covered the area. Early forms of life, microorganisms, lived on the seabed, which together built up limestone layers. Iron precipitated in the limestone and layers of iron ore were formed, something that is common throughout Bergslagen. Deep down, beneath the volcanoes, large magma chambers have solidified into the rocks diorite and gabbro. So the rocks in the picture were created during this time.