Our Mission for 2025

TRAC 2025 Intro Video

Hit fullscreen and crank that volume up to max.

Video credit: GL & KK (TRAC)

A short time ago in a galaxy very close to home....

TRAC – EPISODE II: NEPTUNE-ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY

The Year Ahead

We started 2024 as beginners and learnt a lot throughout the year. During 2025, we're hoping we can make more progress as we move towards reaching intermediate level status.

Things We Want To See

We have big plans – there's a lot to see in 2025! We'll tick them off as we go.

Only the most dedicated TRAC members will succeed. Will that be you?

Major Events

• Planetary Parade (Feb-Mar) ✅
• Partial Solar Eclipse (29 Mar 2025) ✅
• Total Lunar Eclipse (07 Sep 2025) 😞 Attempted, but too cloudy

Lunar Observations

• More Moon–Planet conjunctions ✅
• Clair-Obscur Effects ❌
• Explore major craters in more detail ❌
• See the One-Day- and Two-Day-Old Moon ✅
• Lowest Full Moon in 19 years (10 Jun 2025) ✅
• Biggest and brightest "Supermoon" since 2019 (05 Nov 2025) 😞 Attempted, but too cloudy

Solar System Observations

• View the Sun safely and see some sunspots ✅
• Track the movement of sunspots over a few days ❌
• Venus in its crescent phase ✅
• Uranus (telescopic observation) ✅
• Neptune (very difficult!) ✅
• An Asteroid (Vesta in April or Ceres in October) ✅

Beyond our Solar System

• A Nebula (e.g. Orion Nebula or Ring Nebula) ✅
• Star clusters (open clusters and globular clusters) ❌
• The Andromeda Galaxy (clearer than in 2024) ✅
• The famous Teapot asterism in Sagittarius ✅
• Antares, the brightest star in the constellation of Scorpius ✅
• Northern Circumpolar Constellations ❌

Things We Want To Do

Astrophotography

• Research new techniques and improve our skills ✅
• Try out the astro camera ✅
• Learn how to use the various software programs ❌
• Capture photos of major astronomical events throughout the year ✅
• Buy new tripods and camera equipment ✅
• Photograph the Sun ✅
• Take photos of the Moon to show the lunar cycle ✅
• Get some of our photos published in online news articles ✅

Other Projects

• Work out how to connect the telescope to a computer ❌
• Use a remote telescope for remote imaging ❌
• Share our knowledge with family, friends, and neighbours ✅
• Host a public event (e.g. NASA Observe the Moon Night on 04 Oct 2025) ✅
• Make a pinhole projector for viewing the Sun safely ✅