Astronomical League and NASA Celebrate 35 Years of Hubble

by on with No Comments

The Astronomical League and NASA have announced a new observing program to celebrate 35 Years of the Hubble Space Telescope

Explore the Night Sky Like Hubble!

You can help celebrate the 35th anniversary of the Hubble Space Telescope by taking on the Hubble’s Night Sky Observing Challenge! With a telescope, clear skies, and some star charts, you can observe incredible celestial objects, like nebulae and galaxies, that Hubble has photographed from space. Each month in 2025, a new list of targets will be shared, encouraging stargazers worldwide to find and enjoy these cosmic wonders.

Earn Awards for Stargazing

The Astronomical League and NASA invite everyone, regardless of experience, to join this year-long challenge. Earn silver or gold awards by observing the monthly objects, sharing your discoveries with others through outreach, and comparing your observations to Hubble’s images. Whether you’re an amateur astronomer or part of a star party group, this program is a fantastic way to learn more about the universe while celebrating Hubble’s legacy. The silver award consists of a certificate for taking part in the monthly objectives, while the gold award for completing the objectives each month throughout 2025 consists of a certificate and a pin from the Astronomical League.

January Targets

There are only 12 nights left in January to observe at least 4 of the following objects:

  • M1: The Crab Nebula – A supernova remnant with a pulsar at its core, located in Taurus.
    Photo. by DAS Member Joe Gafford. 18" F/4.5 Newtonian with an SBIG ST-2000XM CCD camera. 60 min Ha, 10 min subs; 18 min LRGB, 3 min subs binned 1x1.
    Photo. by DAS Member Joe Gafford. 18″ F/4.5 Newtonian with an SBIG ST-2000XM CCD camera. 60 min Ha, 10 min subs; 18 min LRGB, 3 min subs binned 1×1.

     

  • M42: The Orion Nebula – A stunning star-forming region glowing brightly in the constellation Orion.
    Photo by DAS Member Isaac Garfinkle. GSO RC10 (reduced to f/5.8), ZWO ASI2600MM-P, Chroma 3nm Ha/O3/S2 filters. *H-alpha = 25 * 120s,*O3 = 25 * 120s, *S2 = 25 * 120s, Total Integration - 2.5hr
    Photo by DAS Member Isaac Garfinkle. GSO RC10 (reduced to f/5.8), ZWO ASI2600MM-P, Chroma 3nm Ha/O3/S2 filters. *H-alpha = 25 * 120s,*O3 = 25 * 120s, *S2 = 25 * 120s, Total Integration – 2.5hr

     

  • M43: De Mairan’s Nebula – A small but beautiful part of the Orion Nebula complex.
    Photo by NASA, ESA, M. Robberto (Space Telescope Science Institute/ESA) and the Hubble Space Telescope Orion Treasury Project Team
    Photo by NASA, ESA, M. Robberto (Space Telescope Science Institute/ESA) and the Hubble Space Telescope Orion Treasury Project Team

     

  • M78 – A reflection nebula that shines with light from nearby stars, also found in Orion.
    Photo by DAS Member Charlie Hagen. Skywatcher Esprit 100ED, Astro-Physics 900gto, QHY268m + CFW3-M, Antlia HaLRGB filters. Lum - 33.2 hr, Ha - 30.1 hr, Green - 13.7 hr, Blue - 13.0 hr, Red - 12.8 hr. Total integration 102.8 hours.
    Photo by DAS Member Charlie Hagen. Skywatcher Esprit 100ED, Astro-Physics 900gto, QHY268m + CFW3-M, Antlia HaLRGB filters. Lum – 33.2 hr, Ha – 30.1 hr, Green – 13.7 hr, Blue – 13.0 hr, Red – 12.8 hr. Total integration 102.8 hours.

     

  • M79 – A compact globular cluster filled with ancient stars, located in Lepus.
    Photo by DAS Member Joe Gafford. 18" F/4.5 Newtonian with an SBIG ST-2000XM CCD camera. 8 min LRGB, 1 min subs, binned 1x1
    Photo by DAS Member Joe Gafford. 18″ F/4.5 Newtonian with an SBIG ST-2000XM CCD camera. 8 min LRGB, 1 min subs, binned 1×1

     

  • Caldwell 46: Hubble’s Variable Nebula – A unique nebula whose brightness changes over time, found in Monoceros.
    Photo by DAS Member Tommy Lease. ASI224MC, Stella Lyra 10" Newt at 1000mm fl, Optolong UV/IR EQ6R-Pro. 600x60s, gain 135 ,bin1. 10 hrs, acquired in NINA, processed in Pixinsight
    Photo by DAS Member Tommy Lease. ASI224MC, Stella Lyra 10″ Newt at 1000mm fl, Optolong UV/IR EQ6R-Pro. 600x60s, gain 135 ,bin1. 10 hrs, acquired in NINA, processed in Pixinsight

Tips for Success

For the best experience, use a telescope with at least six inches of aperture and find a dark sky far from city lights. Explore the objects from the Messier and Caldwell catalogs listed above. Once observed, you can share your sketches or photos as part of the challenge. Though your view won’t match Hubble’s space-based clarity, it’s still thrilling to see these distant wonders for yourself.

More Information

For more information about the Hubble Space Telescope 35th Anniversary Observing Challenge, check out the webpages at the Astronomical League and NASA. You can also reach out to the NASA Observing Challenges and Special Awards Coordinator or the DAS Astronomical League Coordinator if you have further questions.