Blogger isn't always the most intuitive platform to navigate - but it is free and simple to use and manage.
To help you find information quickly on this blog, you can
- use the search bar using key words e.g. Asiair mini
- use the blog menu list by date
- use this page which will be regularly updated https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2025/12/want-to-find-something-quickly-on-my.html
- visit my home page https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/p/welcome-to-my-astronomy-and.html
Regular blog readers will know that I try to signpost each blog in its title. I use a 6 tier category system for sorting blog posts and this is shown below. Under the category heading you will find related posts.
I hope all this will help you navigate the blog more easily and find what it is you are interested in. Let me know how it works out by dropping me a comment in the box at the end of this post.
As always, clear skies, have fun and stay safe out there
Steve
Who am I?
If you want to find out more about this blog and what my aims, purpose and philosophy are - then you can those answers here:
https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2025/01/what-is-aim-and-purpose-of-my-new.html aims and purpose of this blog
more about me and why I do astronomy and astrophotography https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2025/01/a-little-more-about-me-and-why-i-am-in.html
1. Astronomy Basics e.g.
- Understanding
the night sky
- Constellations
& monthly sky guides
- Moon
phases & planetary observing
- Light
pollution & observing conditions
- General
Whats in the night sky - monthly summaries
March 2026 https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2026/02/whats-in-march-2026-sky-for-astronomers.html
February 2026 - apologies for missing this one - I have been quite ill since December and so things slipped - sorry!
January 2026 https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2026/01/whats-in-night-sky-for-january-2026.html
December 2025 https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2025/11/
November 2025 https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2025/11/whats-happening-in-night-sky-this-month.html
General:
Joining a local astronomy group https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2025/02/should-you-join-local-astronomy-club.html
How to stay warm on a night session https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2025/01/beginners-guide-to-how-to-stay-warm-on.html
2. Astrophotography Essentials
- Beginner astrophotography How to's - Camera settings & exposure Focusing techniques
- Tracking
vs. non‑tracking setups
- Equipment for astrophotography - Cameras (DSLR, mirrorless, astro‑cams) Mounts & tripods Accessories
- Equipment reviews
- General astrophotography issues
Beginner astrophotography How to's - Camera settings & exposure Focusing techniques etc
https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2025/12/beginners-guide-to-camera-setup.html meteor photography
https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2025/07/beginners-guide-to-using-dslr-camera.html star trails
https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2025/02/beginners-guide-to-taking-your-first_22.html milky way imaging
https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2025/02/beginners-guide-to-taking-your-first_21.html milky way imaging - stacking
https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2025/02/beginners-guide-to-taking-your-first_5.html milky way imaging - composition
https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2025/02/beginners-guide-to-taking-your-first_20.html milky way settings
https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2025/02/beginners-guide-to-taking-your-first_19.html milky way imaging - planning
https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2025/02/beginners-guide-to-taking-your-first.html milky way imaging
https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2025/02/using-gopro-for-night-time-imaging-and.html Using a GoPro for night time imaging
https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2025/02/beginners-guide-to-using-autoguiding.html with ASIair mini and Asiair 120mm mini guide cam
https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2025/06/ taking callibration frames
https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2025/08/ planning a milky way shoot
Equipment:
3 D printed useful accessories https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2026/01/3-d-printed-bits-useful-for.html
Building a simple flats panel https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2025/12/equipment-building-simple-flats-panel.html
Making a right angled viewer for a skywatcher mount https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2025/03/making-right-angled-viewfinder-for-star.html
Setting up the skywatcher star adventurer 2i https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2025/02/beginners-guide-on-how-to-set-up-and.html
https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2025/02/beginners-guide-to-using-autoguiding.html with ASIair mini and Asiair 120mm mini guide cam
Equipment reviews:
Samyang 14mm https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2025/11/equipment-review-samyang-14mm-f28.html
ASIair mini https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2025/11/equipment-review-review-of-asiair-mini.html
Samyang 135mm https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2025/11/equipment-review-samyang-135mm-f2.html
https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2025/10/ zenithstar 61ii
https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2025/05/another-successful-trial-night-with.html EQM-35-PRO
https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2025/05/celestron-lithium-power-tank-review.html Lithium Pro power tank
https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2025/03/a-cooking-stove-for-astronomers-primus.html Primus jet boil stove
https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2025/02/my-first-telescope-skywatcher-star.html skywatcher star discovery 150i wifi GOTO
General astrophotography issues
Upgrading your astrophotography kit https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2025/03/upgrading-your-astrophotography-kit.html
astromodding the canon 800D DSLR https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2025/02/astro-modifying-my-canon-800d-should-i.html
https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2025/02/have-i-accidently-broken-my-skywatcher.html star adventurer 2i tracker
3. Equipment & Gear
- Telescopes and eyepieces (types, setup, maintenance)
- Mounts
& tripods
- Cameras
(DSLR, mirrorless, astro‑cams)
- Accessories
(filters, power, dew control)
choosing eyepieces https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2025/01/beginners-guides-to-choosing-eyepieces.html
accessories for your first telescope https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2025/01/beginners-guide-to-accessories-you.html
choosing a telescope mount https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2025/01/my-beginners-guide-to-choosing-mount.html
types of telescopes for amateurs https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2025/01/my-beginners-guide-to-what-different.html
buying your first telescope https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2025/01/beginners-guide-to-buying-your-first.html
4. Processing & Workflow
- Stacking
tutorials
- Editing tutorials Siril and Affinity Photo
- Workflow strategies
- Editing how to's
Stacking:
https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2025/11/beginner-tutorial-how-to-stack-comet.html stacking comet images
https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2025/02/ using sequator
Editing tutorials:
https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2026/03/post-processing-rosette-nebula-in-siril.html editing workflow for The Rosette Nebula using SIRIL and the Veralux Suite of Tools
https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2025/12/editing-tutorial-guide-to-how-i-post.html editing milky way images
https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2025/11/beginners-guide-to-post-editing-stacked.html editing comet images
https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2025/06/further-post-editing-of-ngc-7000-north.html editing the NGC 7000
https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2025/03/learning-to-blend-foreground-image-with.html blending a separate sky and foreground image in affinity photo
https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2025/03/trying-to-learn-techniques-of-blending.html blending two images into a composite one
Workflows:
https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2025/12/beginner-tutorial-workflow-for-using.html for using SIRIL vs 1.4 (regularly updated)
https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2025/01/ original SIRIL workflow at start of 2025
5. Personal Learning Journey
- Field
reports - imaging sessions
- Mistakes
& lessons learned
- Behind‑the‑scenes
stories
- “What I’m learning this month”
- Creating astrophotography videos
- Up for discussion
Field reports - imaging sessions
https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2026/03/imaging-sessions-rosette-nebula-2244.html Imaging the Rosette nebula NGC 2244
https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2025/08/ planning a milky way shoot
https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2025/12/imaging-session-ic-63-ghost-of.html IC 63 Ghost of Cassiopeia
https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2025/11/imaging-session-on-ngc-1499-california.html NGC 1499
https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2025/11/imaging-session-chasing-comet-lemmon.html Comet Lemon
Pacman nebula
https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2025/07/imaging-ic1396-and-elephant-trunks.html IC1396 Elephant trunk nebula
https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2025/06/noctilucent-clouds.html Noctilucent clouds
https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2025/05/a-spring-mission-shooting-globular.html Globular clusters
https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2025/04/taking-milky-way-images-during-85-full.html Milky way imaging
https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2025/03/astrophotography-timelapse-on-gopro.html GoPro timelapses
Mistakes and/or lessons learned
unplanned meridian flips
Creating astrophotography videos
https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2026/01/technique-tutorial-writing-script-and.html writing a video script and B roll shots checklist
Up for discussion
https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2026/02/what-does-progress-look-like-in-your_0874930512.html - What does progress look like in your post editing learning journey?
https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2026/02/practical-decision-trees-for-solving.html Decision making trees for problem solving in astrophotography
https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2026/02/what-does-progress-look-like-in-your.html what does progress look like in your post editing skills?
https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2026/01/can-we-turn-our-astrophotography.html Is there such a thing as 'tiers of learning' in astrophotography?
https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2025/09/ laptop upgrades
6. Quick‑Find Resources
- Glossary
- Recommended
apps
- Checklists
& field cards
- Beginner
roadmaps
- Reviews
Recommended apps
https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2025/02/my-beginners-guide-to-useful-apps-for.html Useful apps
Checklists and field cards
equipment list for milky way shoot https://undersouthwestskies.blogspot.com/2025/03/an-equipment-check-list-for-milky-way.html
Reviews
