Log Astronomy: New Year brings a New Giveaway!

Plus, check out our January calendar to see what might be coming to a sky near you!

Start 2026 off with a chance to win!

We are celebrating a new year and the promise of new skies with a NEW giveaway! Now through January 31, 2026, you can enter to win an observing package that includes a FirstLight 80mm Refractor and a Twilight Nano mount. Entering is simple - just click the image above or the button below to fill out the form.

Also, there are multiple ways to earn additional entries, so be sure to take advantage of all the opportunities to snag this stargazing package. Click the button below to find out more!

CLICK TO ENTER

About the prize:

The FirstLight 80mm Refractor with Twilight Nano Mount is a versatile, beginner-friendly telescope that delivers detailed views of the Moon, planets and brighter deep-sky objects. Its 80mm aperture and 640mm focal length (f/8) balance magnification and wide-field capability, making it ideal for both planetary and deep-sky observation. Fully coated optics enhance light transmission for crisp, high-contrast images. The Twilight Nano alt-azimuth mount features a smooth panhandle control, allowing intuitive manual tracking of celestial targets.

Lightweight yet sturdy, it supports up to 15 lbs and includes a full-size tripod with an accessory tray for stability and convenience. Complete with a Plössl eyepiece, diagonal, red-dot finder, built-in dew shield, and a smartphone adapter, this telescope has everything you need to start exploring the night sky and capturing your discoveries.

Coming soon to a sky near you ...

With the aid of an Explore Scientific ED80 Triplet Refractor, astrophotographer Marty Hendrix captured this image of the Messier 78 reflection nebula in the Orion constellation.

Check out our latest astronomy calendar to discover what awaits in January's skies!

At any moment of the day, countless awe-inspiring celestial events are unfolding in the sky. With a universe of options, it can be hard to pin down what to observe. Our monthly astronomy calendar provides a peek into what's happening in the sky and in the world of astronomy in general and gives a quick list of highlights that can jumpstart your own explorations.

So what's coming up this month? Highlights include a comet reaching peak brightness as it zips through Virgo, the Moon having some memorable meet-ups and the Orion constellation revealing its plethora of stunning nebulae.

Click the button below to discover more about what you might see in this month's night skies and to track the Moon phases to plan the best time to observe.

CLICK TO VIEW JANUARY'S HIGHLIGHTS

Want to navigate the night sky with ease?

The Tirion Double-Sided Multi-Latitude Planisphere is a comprehensive sky map for northern hemisphere stargazers located between the equator and latitude 60° north that makes it easy to identify what constellations and major celestial objects are up in your night sky based on the date and time.

This night sky guide, which features maps crafted by noted celestial cartographer Wil Tirion, uses a double-sided design to minimize the distortion that is inherent to any polar-centered projection. This design choice means observers can see truer representations of the constellations located outside the equator (noted by a green line) by simply flipping the planisphere over.

In addition to showcasing constellations, this planisphere indicates the location of notable variable stars, open clusters, nebulae and galaxies. Other features include a line representing the ecliptic, a faint blue band for the Milky Way and a magnitude scale that indicates the brightness of the stars that are shown.

This astronomy planisphere is made of durable plastic that easily wipes clean, and the rotating components are secured with sturdy brass rivets for smooth manipulation. Guidance for using your sky map is printed on the device for quick reference.

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