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.

Low water level in a icy landscape

The Baltic Sea is currently experiencing historically low water levels. During February 2026, persistent high pressure and strong northeasterly winds pushed enormous amounts of water – almost 300 cubic kilometers – through the Öresund and the Belts towards the North Sea.

Historical levels: Several measuring stations have approached or broken previous records for low water levels.

Cause: A strong and stationary high pressure combined with cold winds has acted as a "pump" that has drained the sea of ​​water.

Good news for the environment: The extremely low water level creates a "place" in the Baltic Sea. When the weather turns, this can pave the way for a strong influx of salt and oxygen-rich water from the Western Sea, which is crucial for saving oxygen-poor seabeds.

So why not head out to the east coast on a starry night! And indeed, the water level was very low. I could see barnacles on the rocks where the water's edge used to be. Amazing ice formations everywhere and when I shone UV light many interesting things under the ice fluoresced in different colors. I have no idea what it was, but probably algae, seaweed and minerals.

And on top of all this beauty the Northern Lights appeared with a nice spectacle!

The lonely pine cone

Finally some starry skies! Orion is beautifully high in the sky with the bright planet Jupiter to its left. Took a walk in the woods and saw this pine cone lying on the ground. Took a close-up of it and the starry sky. The pine cone is the spruce's equivalent of a flower. It acts as a protection for the tree's seeds and reacts to humidity by opening when dry and closing when wet.

Quick facts:

Seed bank: A single pine cone can contain up to 200 seeds.

Maturation: The cones mature during their first autumn and release the seeds during sunny spring and winter days.

Who eats them? Squirrels often gnaw them clean, while woodpeckers wedge them into the bark to get to the seeds.

Cone year: The spruce produces abundant cones about every five to seven years, which is called a cone year.

Lichens with Jupiter and lightpollution

Bright planet Jupiter in the night sky on this clear and cold evening. In the foreground is a birch with lava in different colors as I have used UV light to create fluorescence. Lichens on birch are usually harmless, superficial organisms that use the bark as a base without damaging the tree, often a sign of clean air. Common species include blue lichen and various crust lichens. Lichens do not penetrate the bark, do not cause rot and can benefit biodiversity by offering food to insects. The bright night sky is due to light pollution, caused by excessive or misdirected artificial night lighting, disrupting ecosystems, disrupting the circadian rhythm of humans and animals and obscuring the starry sky. It is a rapidly increasing environmental problem that negatively affects biodiversity, insect and bird migration patterns, and can be counteracted by targeted, warm white lighting, motion sensors and timers

Snow Moon and Planet Jupiter

A dramatic scene in the sky as clouds obscure the snow moon and the planet Jupiter. If you look closely at Jupiter in the right corner, you can also see three of its moons. The light is refracted in the clouds, creating beautiful colors.

When moonlight hits water droplets in clouds or rain, the light is refracted and reflected, splitting the white light into all the colors of the rainbow (red to violet). This optical phenomenon is called dispersion and occurs when light rays pass through the surface of the water droplets, bounce off the back, and are refracted again.

 

Lonely lingonberry leaves

Many nights with clouds and no photography. But tonight the sky was clear and I went out in the moonlit forest and found this lonely lingonberry leaves sticking up above the snow. They can withstand temperatures down to -45 degrees. This night in the moonlight the temperature is -11 degrees. Lingonberry leaves (Vaccinium vitis-idaea) are known to be rich in substances such as arbutin and proanthocyanidins, which makes them traditionally valuable for urinary tract problems. They can be used as a tea or tincture but should be used in moderation and not during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

Health effects: Lingonberry leaves are often used as a natural home remedy for urinary tract infections, like bearberry leaves. They are also considered to have antioxidant properties.

Uses: Dried leaves can be used to make tea, where 1-3 teaspoons of leaves are brewed in 200 ml of boiling water for 10-15 minutes.

Good seeing watching the moon

Very good view through the telescope when I looked at the moon the other week. At the top is Montes Jura, it surrounds the smooth lava bed Sinus Iridum (Bay of Rainbows) on the northwestern edge of Mare Imbrium (Sea of ​​Rain). A little to the south is the mountain range Montes Recti where the highest peaks reach a height of about 1.8 km (Latin for "Straight Mountains") is a distinctive, linear mountain range on the moon, located in the northern part of Mare Imbrium. Below are the mountains Montes Teneriffa (Tenerife Mountains) with individual peaks at heights of up to 2.4 kilometers. The crater Plato (in Swedish often called Platon) is one of the moon's most famous and easily recognizable impact craters. It is particularly famous for its dark, flat bottom and its location at the edge of one of the large lunar oceans. Plato has one of the darkest surfaces on the moon because it is filled with old, solidified basaltic lava. Astronomers like Johannes Hevelius once called it "The Great Black Lake"

 

Moonlit snow crystals

97% moon and the bright planet Jupiter next to it. In the cold snowy landscape, small crystals of different colors are seen in the snow taken with a macro lens. Even the two-bright stars Castor and Pollux are seen above the moon.

Snow crystals appear in different colors primarily due to light interference (thin films, prisms) or contamination, with thin-film interference causing iridescent blues, purples, and rainbow hues from light reflecting off layers, while contamination from algae (watermelon snow, green) or dirt/pollen creates vibrant reds, greens, and even blacks, altering the crystal's pure white appearance