Cloud Break Optics

Happy Saturday! Is anyone else in need of some retail therapy this weekend? (I know I definitely am 🔭)

Here are some cult favorites for you: a nice, blue MallinCam 💙, and a sweet Half Hitch mount! Check out these and more on CBO's Used Gear Page 🫡

C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, captured by (probably) the youngest astrophotographer in Colorado! 💫

This shot is by 7th grader Aiden Pahl, who spotted the comet last night. 💫 It’s really incredible how long A3 has been visible, even as it gets further and further away from us. Good eye, Aiden!

Okay, this one is a personal favorite. Sometimes you really just have to say "they don't make em like they used to," and one of those times is when you see a PRISTINE Questar 3.5"! 😍

Not only is this scope completely gorgeous (that detailing! the leather case!), but its Cer-vit mirror is Crisp with a capital C. It was well taken care of in its previous life, and you can tell! 💕

Check out CBO's Used Gear tab to snag it while you can!!

C/2023 A3 coming in hot!! 🔥🔥🔥

In this timelapse from NASA and the ESA’s SOHO LASCO C3 coronagraph (aka, a camera that blocks out the Sun to better see the stuff around it), you can see the comet veering in from the right of frame. Some hefty X-class flares go off around the same time, and you can see Mercury chugging along in the background too!

There’s been a LOT of chatter about C/2023 A3 over the weekend! We’re super excited to see it appear in the evening sky soon 🤩

While we wait, here are some C/2023 A3 fun facts! Check out this Scientific American article for more info :)
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/will-comet-tsuchinshan-atlas-be-the-brightest-of-the-year/

Incredible shot of C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS by Josh Max this morning! 😯 This is ~5 seconds of exposure, taken down near Astoria. This comet is quickly getting swallowed up by the sunrise, so check it out ASAP! Your next chance to see it will be in the evening sky next weekend ☄️

Before we get to the hot new comet on the block, let’s not lose sight of ✨C/2023 A3✨, who we’ve been tracking for months now as it beats the odds and gives us some beautiful views in the southern hemisphere this week 🤩

If you’re in the north like we are, your best bet at seeing C/2023 A3 will come after it leaves solar conjunction and starts appearing in our evening sky. This star chart should help you locate it on its way past Virgo and on towards Serpens 🐍

Those pro-tips in slides 2 and 3 come from BAA astronomer Nick James, whose article you can find linked in our Comet Watch Instagram highlight! 🌠
https://www.instagram.com/cloudbreakoptics/

Exciting news! As of today, we have TWO potentially-super-bright comets coming in hot. C/2024 S1 ATLAS just received its official comet designation, and looks to be a Kreutz sungrazer.

💥 Sungrazers, as the name suggests, get REALLY close to the sun at perihelion, and are often really bright. The pictured comet, Ikeya-Seki, was a Kreutz sungrazer that was so bright it was visible during the day. There's no telling exactly how bright this one will get, but our fingers are crossed 🤞

Check back in coming days for more info about C/2024 S1 ATLAS: when it's expected to peak, where in the sky to look for it, and more - plus more detailed info on A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, lest we forget.

Time for more featured items on consignment! 📸
It's no secret that astrophotography can get pricey. Check out the Used Gear tab on CBO's website to find deals on trusted favorites (like iOptron mounts), plus a chance to snag things that we don't normally carry (like DSLR lenses)! 😊

News alert! Anyone remember ✨ Comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS? ✨
This comet has been much discussed over the last two years, with many fearing that it would start to break up and disintegrate as it approached the sun. However, new reports show that A3 is right on track to keep brightening until it reaches its nearest approach in October! 🌠 No guarantees, of course, but we could be looking at an incredible comet show this fall. ✨
Check out this write-up full of awesome plots and exciting predictions from the British Astronomical Association, featured here: https://britastro.org/section_news_item/comet-c-2023-a3-tsuchinshan-atlas-looking-good-for-october