Universal Object Lookup

• Messier, NGC, IC, Caldwell, Sharpless, clusters, stars, galaxies, planets, moons, comets, and spacecraft — all searchable from a single box.
• Names and magnitudes — distances, velocities, fluxes, orbital parameters, closest approaches, ephemerides.
• One image per target for quick visual context.
• Camera framing with your setup — sensor, rotation, and focal length — computes FOV and fit for each target.

Weather Intelligence

• 14-day, hour-by-hour forecast restricted to true astronomical darkness.
• Conditions graded into a 0–100 Imaging Score — clouds, moonlight, humidity, wind, and pressure condensed into a single metric.
• Powered by Astronomical Timing for your exact position (set manually or by map), ensuring forecasts align with your true night sky.

Target Finder

• Tonight’s best deep-sky objects ranked by visibility, altitude, airmass, and angular size.
• Grades calculated using the same Astronomical Timing as the forecasts — factoring in sky darkness, moonlight, and observing windows at your chosen location.

Solar System Map

• Live, high-precision visualization of the Solar System using NASA JPL ephemerides.
• Shows real-time planetary positions and accurate elliptical orbits.
• All distances are computed relative to Earth for true observational context.
• Interactive view — zoom and pan to explore the current configuration.

How We Measure Cosmic Distances

Astronomical objects span vastly different scales, so no single method works for all. Distances are determined by a cosmic distance ladder — a hierarchy of techniques applied according to distance range:

• Parallax (nearby stars): Tiny apparent position shifts (e.g., Sirius) as Earth orbits the Sun yield direct distances through geometry.
• Gaia proxies (nebulae and stellar groups): Gaia’s precise parallaxes and proper motions provide distances to nebulae and young associations.
• NED-D (galaxies): For galaxies (e.g., M51, M106), standard-candle and empirical relations (Cepheids, Type Ia supernovae, Tully–Fisher) are compiled; we show the median value and number of estimates.
• Literature fits (clusters): Distances to clusters (e.g., NGC 346) come from isochrone fitting to stellar evolution models.
• Radial velocity (nearby galaxies): For galaxies such as NGC 3109, recession speed via Hubble’s law gives approximate distances, though local motions introduce uncertainty.
• Hubble redshift (quasars): For extremely distant sources (e.g., 3C 273), redshift z from cosmic expansion defines their cosmological distance.

Together these methods form a calibrated hierarchy: parallax anchors the nearest rungs, Gaia extends them, standard candles calibrate galaxies, and redshift reaches the edge of the observable universe.

• Camera: Nikon D3500 (APS-C DSLR) – ISO 400
• Telescope: Askar 103 Triplet APO
• Mount: Bresser EXOS-2 + OnStep Belt
• Control: KStars EKOS
• Guiding: SVBONY SV165 + ZWO ASI120MM Mini

My name is Photios, and I am an engineer, explorer, and astrophotographer.
From a young age, I was fascinated by the night sky and the mysteries it holds.
My journey into astrophotography began with a simple camera and a tripod but quickly evolved into a lifelong pursuit of capturing the hidden beauty of galaxies, nebulae, and star clusters.
With a background in engineering, I approach astrophotography with precision and scientific discipline.
Every image I capture is not just data or light; it is a story written across thousands or millions of years of cosmic history.
I live and work in Europe, often traveling with my caravan and telescope setup to dark-sky locations. There, beneath some of the clearest skies, I capture deep-sky objects with patience, dedication, and the belief that the wonders of the universe should be shared with everyone.
Through fzastro.com, I want to make the infinite feel closer—to inspire curiosity, awe, and a deeper connection with the cosmos.