A telescopic image showing white stars on a grey background. The coordinates of the Artemis II Orion spacecraft are shown.

A telescopic image showing white stars on a grey background. The locations of the Artemis II Orion spacecraft is marked with a square.

The RA & Dec data at 15:54:30 (UT), namely 18 02 08.81 -26 36 26.6, is highlighted and entered into ASTAP. The time corresponds to the start time (UT) of the 30sec exposure stored in the FITS header. ASTAP then marks the image with the location of the crewed Artemis II Orion spacecraft.

A table of celestial coordinates computed using ASTAP software.

The same coordinates can also be used to identify Artemis in images using the astrometric plate solver ASTAP (www.hnsky.org/astap.htm). This table lists the computed RA & Dec coordinates for Artemis II at specific times (UT) on 2026-04-02 for my location.

The celestial coordinates of Artemis II can be precisely calculated using the JPL Horizons Web App at: ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/horizons/app... The resulting RA & Dec values can then be used to direct a computer-controlled telescope to point at the position of Artemis at a specific time.

Artemis II Astronauts Did Starship Practice Docking in Space (Real Footage) YouTube video by Scientia Plus

The Artemis crew practiced proximity operations, manoeuvring Orion near and docking with the ICPS to inform future missions. Upon completion of the test, Orion performed a departure burn pulling away from the ICPS to continue its mission.
Learn more in this video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEYJ...

An annotated telescopic image showing white stars on a grey background. The locations of the Artemis II Orion spacecraft and the ICPS are marked.

NOT ONE, BUT TWO | Further examination of my Artemis II images reveal not one but two objects in motion. The two objects are the crewed Orion spacecraft capsule (3.3m x 5.0m) and the larger (hence brighter) Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (13.7m x 5.1m). 🔭
#space #Artemis #astrophotography

A simulated image of the Moon showing its appearance at this time. Credit: SkySafari Pro.

🌖 The Moon will reach apogee (farthest from Earth) at 9h UT (now) on 7 April 2026. At this time the Moon's distance from Earth will be 404,970 km or 251,637 miles and span an angular size of 29.5 arc-minutes. 🔭
April 2026 Sky Calendar: skymaps.com/articles/n26...

🌖🌟 In a few hours time, Antares the brightest star in Scorpius will be occulted by the waning gibbous Moon. The event begins around 18h UT on 6 April 2026 and will be visible from Antarctica, Madagascar and Mauritius. 🔭
in-the-sky.org/news.php?id=...
#stargazing #Moon

Artemis II appears as a short streak in this 30 second image taken 12 hours ago at 15:35 UT (2 April 2026). JPL Horizons was used to compute the position of the spacecraft every few minutes, thus enabling it to be found using plate solving. 🔭
#Artemis #space

Artemis II imaged a few minutes ago from my Bortle 7 backyard in southern Australia. The 29x30sec Live Stack shows a distinct pattern of brightening and dimming as the Orion spacecraft headed into a Sagittarius star cloud (M20 & M8 nearby). The Full Moon added to the imaging challenge. 🔭
#Artemis

A detailed telescopic photograph of the Full Moon against a black background. The image exhibits a range of gray tones that emphasize its craters, plains, and other surface features. The image was taken with a Sky-Watcher Maksutov-Newtonian telescope described at: skymaps.com/ir2/ Image Credit: Kym Thalassoudis

🌕 The Full Moon occurs at 2:12 UT (now) on 2 April 2026. Step outside this evening to enjoy the view knowing that 4 astronauts are currently on their way to the Moon. 🔭
April 2026 sky events: skymaps.com/skycalendar/
Imaging rig: skymaps.com/ir2/

The Evening Sky Map is a 2-page monthly publication in the PDF format that features an all-sky map of the night sky, a calendar of celestial events, and a list of celestial objects visible to the naked eye, binoculars and telescopes.

🌟 The April 2026 edition of The Evening Sky Map (PDF) is now available for download at skymaps.com/tesm/. The PDF features easy-to-use sky maps for the northern & southern hemispheres, and for the equatorial regions. Please share, and enjoy exploring the Universe! 🔭
#stargazing #space

⭐ In a few hours time, the Moon will once again pass near the bright star Regulus. Closest approach is at 18h UT on 29 March 2026, with an occultation visible from parts of Asia, Africa, Europe and western Russia. 🔭
More info: in-the-sky.org/news.php?id=...
#stargazing #moon

A telescopic photograph of a First Quarter Moon showing well defined craters along the terminator.

🌓 25 March: First Quarter Moon at 19:18 UT (now).
The days around First Quarter are a great time to explore and view craters and other lunar features. A telescope will provide the best views. 🔭
📖 NG Moon Map (Amazon): skymaps.com/a1/1566959535/
#stargazing #moon

A telescopic photograph of the Pleiades star cluster showing many bright white stars with light blue coloured nebulosity surrounding most of the brighter stars.

On the evening of 23 March, look up to view a close approach of the Moon and the Pleiades star cluster (aka The Seven Sisters). Closest approach is at 10h UT. Use binoculars if available. 🔭
#stargazing #space
Image taken with an Askar SQA55: skymaps.com/ir0/

The Vernal Equinox occurs at 14:45 UT on March 20th (now). This is the moment when the Sun, moving along the ecliptic, passes into the northern celestial hemisphere signifying the onset of Spring in the Northern Hemisphere and the start of Autumn in the Southern Hemisphere. 🔭

The 1.3 day old waxing crescent Moon (2.0% illuminated) appears near Venus (mag –3.9) at 10h UT (now) on 20 March 2026. Near impossible to observe at only 18° from the Sun, the event nevertheless marks the return of the Moon to the evening sky. 🔭
#stargazing #moon

New Moon occurs at 1:25 UT (now) on 19 March 2026. Start of lunation 1277.

🌟 The next few days remain a great time for evening stargazing. Download The Evening Sky Map (PDF) (skymaps.com/tesm/) and enjoy exploring the Universe with your eyes, binoculars or a telescope! 🔭
#stargazing #space

A simulated image of the Moon created with SkySafari 6 Pro.

The Moon will be at its southernmost declination (–28.4°) in 2026 on March 11th at 21h UT (now). Two weeks ago on February 25th, the Moon was at its northernmost declination (+28.4°) in 2026. 🔭
#astronomy #Moon
March 2026 Events: skymaps.com/skycalendar/

🌗 The Last Quarter Moon occurs on March 11th at 9:40 UT (now) marking the onset of moonless evening skies. This is an ideal time for stargazing over the next week or so. Download The Evening Sky Map (PDF) from skymaps.com/tesm/ and go outside to explore the Universe! 🔭
#stargazing

The Moon will reach apogee (farthest from Earth) at 14h UT (now) on 10 March. At this time the Moon's distance from Earth will be 404,384 km or 251,273 miles and span an angular size of 29.5 arc-minutes.🔭
#stargazing #moon

March 2026 events: skymaps.com/skycalendar/

7 March: Mercury at inferior conjunction with the Sun at 11h UT (now). The innermost planet passes into the morning sky. 🔭
#stargazing

🌖 🌟 Over the next few hours, the Moon will appear near Spica, the brightest star in Virgo. Best seen in the morning sky with closest approach at 17h UT on 6 March. Spica's location near the ecliptic makes for regular close encounters with the Moon.🔭
Sky Lore Books: skymaps.com/myths/

Taken a few minutes ago during the Total Lunar Eclipse of 3 March 2026... 🔭

During totality, when the Moon is fully within the Earth’s shadow, the Moon will appear red-orange in colour. This is the colour of all the sunsets and sunrises in Earth’s atmosphere being projected onto the Moon's Earth-facing side.

More info: eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/LEplot/LEplo...

A Total Lunar Eclipse will occur between 11:04 UT to 12:03 UT on 3 March 2026, with greatest eclipse at 11:34 UT. Partial phases begin at 9:50 UT and end at 13:17 UT. 🔭

The total eclipse will be widely visible from east Asia, Australia, Pacific Ocean and the Americas.

Lunar occultation of Regulus 2 March 2026: The Moon will pass in front of Regulus (Alpha Leonis), creating a lunar occultation visible from countries and territories including Russia, China, Mongolia and Japan amongst others. –…

⭐ Over the next few hours, the Moon will once again pass near the bright star Regulus. Closest approach is at 11h UT on 2 March 2026, with an occultation visible from eastern Russia, eastern China, Mongolia and Japan. 🔭
in-the-sky.org/news.php?id=...
#stargazing #moon

The Evening Sky Map is a 2-page monthly publication in the PDF format that features an all-sky map of the night sky, a calendar of celestial events, and a list of celestial objects visible to the naked eye, binoculars and telescopes.

🌟 The March 2026 edition of The Evening Sky Map (PDF) is now available for download at skymaps.com/tesm/. The PDF features easy-to-use sky maps for the northern & southern hemispheres, and for the equatorial regions. Please share, and enjoy exploring the Universe! 🔭
#stargazing #space

A simulated image of the Moon created with SkySafari 6 Pro.

The Moon will be at its northernmost declination (+28.4°) in 2026 on March 25th at 23h UT (now). Then, in 2 weeks time, the Moon will be at its southernmost declination (–28.4°) in 2026. 🔭
#astronomy #Moon
February 2026 Events: skymaps.com/skycalendar/

A telescopic photograph of a First Quarter Moon showing well defined craters along the terminator.

🌓 24 February: First Quarter Moon at 12:28 UT (now).

The days around First Quarter are a great time to explore and view craters and many other lunar features. A telescope will provide spectacular views. 🔭

📖 NG Moon Map (Amazon): skymaps.com/a1/1566959535/
#stargazing #moon

A simulated image showing the close pairing of the planets Saturn and Neptune as they would appear through a 120mm f/5 refractor fitted with a 24mm eyepiece. Saturn has a distinct yellow colour and appears much brighter than blue-coloured Neptune. Image created with SkySafari 6 Pro.

The ringed-planet Saturn is in a close conjunction with Neptune at the moment. The planetary pairing will be located in the evening sky for several days, but requires a low-power telescope to view both planets at the same time. Good luck! 🔭
#stargazing