AstroSidSpace

Protecting dark skies doesn't mean living in darkness or rejecting light. It means being aware, responsible, and thoughtful about how we use it.

Dark sky advocacy isn't against light. It's against excessive, unnecessary, and careless use of light. Preserving the dark is about respecting nature's rhythm, day as day and night as night. When nature stays in balance, we live better too. We don't overpower nature and we live as part of it, alongside other habitats, without harming the environment or life around us.

As someone who loves dark skies, astronomy, astrophotography, and everything space, I do have a personal interest in protecting the night sky but that passion exists because of a simple reason that I was able to experience truly dark skies which sparked my love for space in the first place. Without the stars, my journey would have never begun.

I'm honored to share these thoughts with Canada's National Observer, an authentic voice in Canada, to talk about the impact of light pollution, my efforts to raise awareness for dark skies, and the wonder that continues to guide my work. www.nationalobserver.com/2025/11/03/opinion/siddha…

#DarkSky #siddharthpatel #Astronomy #Astrophotography #AstroSidSpace

8 hours ago | [YT] | 0

AstroSidSpace

I have some awesome news to share today!

Two of my asteroid discoveries, 2024 RH39 and 2024 RX69, have been officially recognized as provisional discoveries by the Minor Planet Center (MPC), which runs the world’s asteroid database used by NASA and planetary defense programs. This makes me one of the youngest known Canadians to contribute multiple discoveries to the MPC catalog.

I made these as preliminary detections in September 2024 through the International Astronomical Search Collaboration (IASC), a NASA citizen science program. I used professional telescope data and software to check images, measure potential asteroid positions, and submit accurate reports. The MPC reviewed them and confirmed they are real asteroids.

Provisional status means the MPC has accepted them as genuine asteroids, most likely in the main belt between Mars and Jupiter. They’ll be tracked until their orbits are secure, then they’ll receive permanent numbers,

AND... I’ll get the chance to propose their names!

Since 2006, more than 18,500 preliminary detections have been made through IASC, but only about 160 have advanced to provisional status. I feel really grateful to have two provisionals at age 12.

Where are asteroids found?
Most asteroids orbit in the main belt between Mars and Jupiter. Some come closer to Earth, and some travel with Jupiter as Trojans.

👉 And cool part, you can swipe to see where my two asteroids are orbiting right now, along with their official MPC details!

What is IASC?
IASC connects professional observatories with citizen scientists worldwide. They share real telescope data, and when candidates are verified, they send the reports to the MPC for further analysis.

Why does this matter?
Tracking asteroids is a key part of planetary defense. It helps us know where objects are, especially the ones that come close to Earth. Citizen science helps catch more objects that might otherwise go unnoticed.

From professional telescopes ➝ citizen scientists ➝ MPC ➝ numbered discoveries, it takes people everywhere working together to understand our solar system and keep our skies safe.

#astronomy #space #asteroid #science #universe #nasa #cosmis #astrosidspace

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3 months ago | [YT] | 4

AstroSidSpace

Another stunner from NYAA Starfest 2025!

I captured this spectacular Eastern Veil Nebula (NGC 6992) during StarFest using the ZWO Seestar S50.

I collected about 871 light frames at 10 seconds each for just over 2 hours on a wonderful clear night, plus another short cloudy session of ~15 minutes the next evening.

For this image, I spent extra time refining my stacking and processing workflow, experimenting with new customizations. I used Siril, GraXpert, Photoshop, and Lightroom to reveal its delicate faint structures and glowing colors.

The final result demonstrates that with persistence and refinement, it is possible to bring out delicate Hα red wisps and OIII teal filaments from a smart telescope in a way that usually requires larger instruments and much longer integration time and exposures.

Equipment: ZWO Seestar S50
Integration: 871 × 10s (~2 hours 25 min)
Location: Starfest 2025, Riverplace Campground, Ayton ON (Bortle 3–4)
Processing: Siril, GraXpert, Photoshop, Lightroom

🔭 About the Eastern Veil

The Eastern Veil is the brightest and most detailed arc of the larger Veil Nebula, located in Cygnus. It marks the shock front of a massive star that exploded 10,000–20,000 years ago.

What makes it special is its intricate filamentary structure. Each glowing thread is a shockwave colliding with surrounding interstellar gas:
Hydrogen (Hα) creates the red wisps
Oxygen (OIII) creates the teal filaments

Although the entire Veil Nebula spans ~110 light-years, this section is especially loved for its brightness, color contrast, and fine threads woven by an ancient explosion. It feels like observing the frozen echo of a star’s last breath. Even in stellar destruction, the universe creates some of its most intricate and breathtaking art.

- Siddharth, 12

#EasternVeilNebula #VeilNebula #NGC6992 #Supernova #Remnant #DeepSky #highpointscientific #nightsky #space #Astrophotography #astronomy #zwo #SeestarS50 #SmartTelescope #StarFest #photography #DarkSkyAdvocate #skyandtelescopemag #astrosidspace #telescope #Nebula #rasc #milkyway #galaxy #astrophoto

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3 months ago | [YT] | 2

AstroSidSpace

A Milestone to Remember!

I am excited to share that I have been awarded the Certificate of Excellence for my dedication and performance in the International Space Olympiad 2024.

This Olympiad, spanning over a year with three rigorous levels, had brought together young minds from across the globe to celebrate curiosity, perseverance, and knowledge in space science and technology. Each stage pushed me to learn more and deepen my passion for astronomy.

It was truly an intense year of preparation that strengthened my commitment to exploring the universe.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who continue to support and encourage my journey, from Backyard to Beyond! The adventure has only just begun, and I know the universe is waiting 🚀

#space #spacescience #astronomy #universe #science #spaceexploration
#astrophotography #galaxy #stars #nightsky #moon #milkyway #Olympiad #competition #contest #iso #astrosidspace #backyardtobeyond #nasa #YouthInSTEM #FutureAstronaut

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4 months ago | [YT] | 2

AstroSidSpace

Back from the magnificent @nyaastarfest Starfest 2025 and loved every moment of it!

On a clear Thursday night, I explored the skies through my telescope all night and journeyed visually across some stunning celestial wonders such as Whirlpool Galaxy, Andromeda Galaxy, Bode’s Nebula, Hercules Cluster, Dumbbell Nebula, Swan Nebula, Ring Nebula, Deer Lick Group, Eagle Nebula, Lagoon Nebula, Veil Nebula, Trifid Nebula, Owl Nebula, and more. They were absolutely breathtaking!

The Milky Way stretched beautifully across the sky, and I captured a few shots with myself in the glowing arms of the Milky Way using my dad’s Samsung S22 (Since my mom’s phone got all the limelight last couple of weeks, I felt bad for my dad, so I let his phone have some star moment 🤭)

I'll be posting more StarFest photos & experience and also sharing my processed astrophotography target from the party with the stars!

#StarFest2025 #AstroPhotography #DarkSky #MilkyWay #Nebulae #galaxy #Stargazing #astrosidspace #nightsky #lightpollution #savethenight #savethedark #darkskyadvocate #astronomy #starfest #telescope #celestron #nextstar #8se

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4 months ago | [YT] | 0

AstroSidSpace

Chasing the Dark - Milky Way with Comet C/2023

I’m beyond honored to share that I’ve been selected as the People’s Choice Winner in the International Capture the Dark 2025 photography contest.

Thank you so much to everyone who voted for my dark sky photo and supported the story behind it. Thank you to @darksky_intl for this incredible opportunity to share my passion for the night sky.

You can see the official announcement on @darksky_intl featuring the winners of the contest.

I captured this photo using my mom's @samsungwithgalaxy 21 on a night that I’ll never forget. I had been trying to see Comet C/2023 A3 from my city, but I couldn’t as I learned that the sky here was too bright. So I convinced my parents to drive over 40 km into the countryside.

That’s when I saw it, a true dark sky filled with stars, the magnificent Milky Way, and a striking comet passing right next to it. There were many firsts that night!

I was absolutely awestruck. That moment stayed with me, and I was fortunate to capture it.

But that same night, I also realized that I wouldn’t be able to see the same sky back home as it was drowned in lights. And I don’t even live in a big city!

Since then, I’ve been wanting more people and especially kids to experience this, to look up and see the real sky that's unfortunately hidden by the lights.

That’s why I became a Dark Sky Advocate and started working on outreach, videos, a storybook, and other projects to raise awareness about light pollution and the skies we’re losing.

This win has made me believe that this reality has resonated with many, and I'm very grateful for that.

Thank you again to everyone for this honor. I’m truly inspired to keep going.

Together, let’s bring the real night back.

#CaptureTheDark #DarkSkyAdvocate #AstroSidSpace #LightPollution #DarkSky #NightSky #MilkyWay #CometA3 #Astrophotography #Astrophotographer #Astronomer #SkyPhotography #SaveTheNight #BringBackTheStars #SpaceLover #samsunggalaxy #YouthAstronomer #YoungAstrophotographer #CitizenScientist #ProtectTheNight #StarsForEveryone #FightLightPollution #NightSkyPreservation #SkyAwareness #ExploreTheSky #LookUpToTheStars #Inspiration #DarkSkies

4 months ago | [YT] | 1

AstroSidSpace

Hi everyone!

I’ve entered my Milky Way and Comet photo into the Capture the Dark 2025 contest from Dark Sky International, and this one is really special to me.

It’s my first-ever Milky Way capture, and I took it using my mom’s phone (Samsung S21 Ultra).

Last year, I really wanted to see Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan–ATLAS) from my home… but I couldn’t. The sky was too bright, completely washed out by city light pollution. So my parents took me out to the countryside, and that’s where I finally saw it. I stood there speechless! Not only could I see the breathtaking comet, but also the majestic Milky Way, with my naked eyes.

It was an unforgettable moment, and I captured it. I couldn’t believe I actually got it on my mom’s phone!

That experience made me realize how important it is to protect the night sky. I believe everyone should get the chance to see real stars, not just an empty orange glow. That’s why I share photos like this, and that’s why I’ve taken up dark sky advocacy to help others experience the same wonder I did.

Thanks to Dark Sky International for the opportunity to enter this photo that has many stories behind it.

Thank you for helping me speak up for the sky.
– Siddharth

#CaptureTheDark #AstroSidSpace #LightPollutionAwareness #Comet2023A3 #TsuchinshanATLAS #MilkyWay #MobileAstrophotography #YouthAstrophotographer #SamsungS21Ultra #CometHunt #DarkSky2025

5 months ago | [YT] | 1

AstroSidSpace

A YEAR AMONG THE STARS, ISO 2024-2025 JOURNEY COMPLETED! ✨

After nearly a full year of rigorous study that started from May 2024 concluding in Apr 2025, demanding consistent hard work and many sleepless nights, I’m glad to share that I have:

🏅Ranked 9th overall international ranking based on average performance.

🏅Ranked 13th internationally in the final level of the International Space Olympiad 2024 - 2025

This Olympiad was more than just a competition for me. It was a full cosmic adventure in which I got to explore galaxies, black holes, telescopes, space missions, and whatnot! I gained immense knowledge and insights that I’ll carry with me for life.

Here’s what I studied at a high level and competed on across the stages:

Preliminary Level
• Earth’s motion, tilt, rotation, atmosphere, and seasons
• The Moon’s phases, origin, and tides
• Deeper aspects of solar system, comets, asteroids, nearest stars, galaxies, and universe structure

Intermediate Level
• Stellar evolution: life of stars, neutron stars, black holes, supernovae, and much more
• Doppler Effect, astrophysics, spectroscopy, redshift, and cosmic measurements
• Cosmology, Big Bang theory, cosmic background radiation, dark energy and dark matter

Final Level
• Types of space missions: rovers, orbiters, landers, flybys, impactors
• Satellite classifications and orbits
• Earth - and space-based telescopes (JWST, Hubble, radio, X-ray, gravitational wave)
• History of space exploration and humanity’s greatest missions

This was one of the most intense and inspiring things I’ve done in these years, and even though I know I could have done better, I’m grateful for how far I came and the consistency and discipline it demanded from me.

There’s always a next time, and I’m excited to come back stronger, learn even more, and keep growing my passion for space science! 🚀

This is a memory I’ll carry with me forever, in knowledge, in effort, and in spirit.

- Siddharth

#astrosidspace #astronomy #astrophysics #cosmology #iso #iso2024 #earth #moon #solarsystem #comet #asteroid #star #supernova #neutronstar #blackhole #space #missions #telescope #passion #spacescience #stem #satellite

7 months ago (edited) | [YT] | 1

AstroSidSpace

🚀 It’s LIVE! My first unboxing video of smart telescope – Seestar S30!


Hey friends! Just dropped my full unboxing of the amazing Seestar S30 Smart Telescope! 🔭
Watch here ➡️ https://youtu.be/GkIARAVefTE

Let me know what you think in the comments!

#astrosidspace #SeestarS30 #unboxing #smarttelescope

8 months ago (edited) | [YT] | 0

AstroSidSpace

9 months ago | [YT] | 2