Chappel Astro

26-year old astrophotographer in Cibolo, TX, USA

06/02/2026

Jupiter with Io and Ganymede on March 30th, 2026. Tros crater is visible on Ganymede as a bright spot on the left.

2026-03-30 4:32 UTC

Hardware
Sky-Watcher FlexTube 400P SynScan Goto Dobsonian, Player One Uranus-C, Optolong UV/IR-Cut, ZWO CH4, (2x) APM Comacorrecting 1.25" ED Barlow 2.7x, ZWO ADC, Phoenix Wheel 8 x 1.25"

Software
FireCapture, AutoStakkert!, AstroSurface, WinJUPOS, GNU Image Manipulation Program

05/23/2026

Saturn in near-infrared and visible light on May 13th at dawn.

2026-05-13 11:18, 11:32 UTC

Hardware
Sky-Watcher FlexTube 400P SynScan Goto Dobsonian, Player One Uranus-C, Optolong UV/IR-Cut, Baader 685nm+ IR-pass, (2x) APM Comacorrecting 1.25" ED Barlow 2.7x, ZWO ADC, Phoenix Wheel 8 x 1.25"

Software
FireCapture, AutoStakkert!, AstroSurface, WinJUPOS, GNU Image Manipulation Program

05/16/2026

Jupiter with the Great Red Spot on March 30th, 2026.

The Great Red Spot measures about 13,700 km wide in this image, slightly more than Earth's diameter of 12,750 km. I used the "Hello, World" image from Artemis II to make a comparison between our home and the largest planet in the Solar System.

2026-03-30 2:48 UTC

Hardware
Sky-Watcher FlexTube 400P SynScan Goto Dobsonian, Player One Uranus-M, Chroma Red, 550/110, Blue (pre-2019), (2x) APM Comacorrecting 1.25" ED Barlow 2.7x, ZWO ADC, Phoenix Wheel 8 x 1.25"

Software
FireCapture, AutoStakkert!, AstroSurface, WinJUPOS, GNU Image Manipulation Program

05/12/2026

Saturn is back!

After passing behind the Sun in late-March, Saturn is rising out of the morning twilight. The southern hemisphere is tilted more towards us than last year as it moved away from last year's equinox and towards the next solstice in 2032.

2026-05-10 11:25 UTC

Hardware
Sky-Watcher FlexTube 400P SynScan Goto Dobsonian, Player One Uranus-C, Optolong UV/IR-Cut, Baader 685nm+ IR-Pass, (2x) APM Comacorrecting 1.25" ED Barlow 2.7x, ZWO ADC, Phoenix Wheel 8 x 1.25"

Software
FireCapture, AutoStakkert!, AstroSurface, WinJUPOS, GNU Image Manipulation Program

05/08/2026

Jupiter with the Great Red Spot on March 25th, 2026.

2026-03-25 3:54 UTC

Hardware
Sky-Watcher FlexTube 400P SynScan Goto Dobsonian, Player One Uranus-C, Optolong UV/IR-Cut, (2x) APM Comacorrecting 1.25" ED Barlow 2.7x, ZWO ADC, Phoenix Wheel 8 x 1.25"

Software
FireCapture, AutoStakkert!, AstroSurface, WinJUPOS, GNU Image Manipulation Program

05/05/2026

Jupiter with an Io shadow transit on March 23rd, 2026. Notice how the shadow appears elongated as it hits the edge of the planet.

2026-03-23 4:30, 4:23-4:37 UTC

Hardware
Sky-Watcher FlexTube 400P SynScan Goto Dobsonian, Player One Uranus-C, Optolong UV/IR-Cut, (2x) APM Comacorrecting 1.25" ED Barlow 2.7x, ZWO ADC, Phoenix Wheel 8 x 1.25"

Software
FireCapture, AutoStakkert!, AstroSurface, WinJUPOS, GNU Image Manipulation Program

05/01/2026

Jupiter with the Great Red Spot through good seeing conditions despite gusty winds.

2026-03-04 2:05 UTC

Hardware
Sky-Watcher FlexTube 400P SynScan Goto Dobsonian, Player One Uranus-M⁠, Phoenix Wheel 8 x 1.25", (2x) APM Comacorrecting 1.25" ED Barlow 2.7x, Chroma Red, 550/110, Blue (pre-2019), ZWO ADC, Astroasis Oasis Focuser

Software
FireCapture, AutoStakkert!, AstroSurface, WinJUPOS, GNU Image Manipulation Program

04/29/2026

Jupiter with Callisto on March 1st. Close inspection of Callisto reveals hints of its old and battered surface.

2026-03-01 2:18 UTC

Hardware
Sky-Watcher FlexTube 400P SynScan, Player One Uranus-M, Chroma Red, 550/110, Blue (pre-2019), (2x) APM Comacorrecting 1.25" ED Barlow 2.7x, ZWO ADC, Phoenix Wheel 8 x 1.25"

Software
FireCapture, AutoStakkert!, AstroSurface, WinJUPOS, GNU Image Manipulation Program

04/11/2026

Jupiter through good seeing conditions on March 3rd, 2026.

2026-03-03 2:07 UTC

Hardware
Sky-Watcher FlexTube 400P SynScan Goto Dobsonian, Player One Uranus-M⁠, Phoenix Wheel 8 x 1.25", (2x) APM Comacorrecting 1.25" ED Barlow 2.7x, Chroma Red, 550/110, Blue (pre-2019), ZWO ADC

Software
FireCapture, AutoStakkert!, AstroSurface, WinJUPOS, GNU Image Manipulation Program

04/10/2026

Artemis II mission returning to Earth from the Moon on April 8th. Clouds cleared out enough to record them just before dawn started, a relief since it looked like I would be clouded out for the entire mission.

The Integrity spacecraft was 338,000 km away from me at the start of this time-lapse, and nearly 1,000 km closer at the end 23 minutes later. For some perspective, these pairs of cities are roughly the same distance:
Boston & Detroit
San Francisco & Seattle
London & Copenhagen
Canberra & Adelaide
Buenos Aires & Santiago
Cairo & Madinah
Seoul & Tokyo
Beijing & Shanghai
Delhi & Mumbai

2026-04-08 11:07-11:30 UTC

Hardware
Sky-Watcher FlexTube 400P SynScan Goto Dobsonian, Player One Uranus-C, Optolong UV/IR-Cut, Tele Vue Paracorr Type 2, Phoenix Wheel 8 x 1.25"

Software
SharpCap, PixInsight

Address

1927 Park Road 73
Junction, TX
76849

Website

https://www.chappelastro.com/

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