My 2022 astrophotography highlights: two lunar eclipses, deep sky imaging, nebulae and galaxies, globular clusters, a comet, a quasar, a supernova, a black hole, the Moon, Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune and Mars.

As an avid astrophotographer, I captured some unforgettable moments in 2022. From lunar eclipses to supernovas, from galaxies to bright nebulae, from planets to sunspots, it was a year filled with exciting celestial events and beautiful cosmic sights.

I was lucky enough to have a clear sky when two lunar eclipses occurred. The first one was a partial lunar eclipse that happened on May 15, and the second one was a total eclipse visible before dawn on November 8 from my location. It was a privilege for me to photograph these beautiful astronomical events.

On May 2, I imaged a supernova in a distant galaxy for my very first time (S2022hrs, located in the NGC 4647 galaxy in Virgo). A supernova is an explosive event that occurs when a massive star collapses and explodes. I was thrilled to capture this supernova with my 8 inch telescope and imaging camera from my light polluted location.

I imaged the first ever discovered quasar (3C 273), located at the heart of a distant galaxy in Virgo. It is breathtaking to think of this mysterious celestial object which is the extremely bright core of an active galaxy powered by a supermassive black hole, that lies at a staggering 2,443 million light-years distance from Earth.

I had dozens of deep sky imaging sessions: I captured galaxies, globular clusters and narrowband images of bright nebulae. I also took some beautiful images of Jupiter and Saturn.

But perhaps the most impressive moment of the year came when I imaged Mars with its features, the North polar cap and its clouds, just a few days before its opposition. It was an amazing year for my astrophotography journey, and I can’t wait to see what 2023 will bring.

Happy 2023 and always remember to look up at the stars!