Astronomy for Change Celebrates the 2026 Summer Solstice with Two Jewels of the Summer Sky

Imaged with Insight Observatory's Remote Telescope Network

---

As the 2026 Summer Solstice arrived on June 21 at 4:24 AM EDT, marking the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, Thomas Madigan from Astronomy for Change took the occasion to turn his attention to two of the most stunning deep-sky objects the summer sky has to offer — and he did it using Insight Observatory's world-class remote telescope network.

In a feature article published on the Astronomy for Change website, Dr. Daly explores the science behind the Summer Solstice — explaining how the Earth's 23.5-degree axial tilt, not its distance from the Sun, is responsible for the seasonal changes we experience — before guiding readers toward the southern summer sky and two spectacular globular clusters now well-placed for observation.

---

Two Globular Clusters, Two Hemispheres, One Network
Leveraging Insight Observatory's remotely accessible 0.40-meter (16″) Ritchey-Chrétien Deep-Space Reflectors, Dr. Daly captured 16-minute exposures of both targets from opposite sides of the world:

Messier 22 imaged by Thomas Madigan on Insight Observatory's affiliate remote telescope, AFIL-19, located in Pie Town, New Mexico, USA.

Messier 22 in Sagittarius was imaged using Insight Observatory's instrument at Pie Town, New Mexico, USA. Located approximately 10,000 light-years from Earth, M22 is one of the brightest and most richly populated globular clusters in the night sky, harboring between 100,000 and 300,000 ancient stars.

Messier 4 imaged by Thomas Madigan on Insight Observatory's affiliate remote telescope, AFIL-40, located in the Rio Hurtado Valley, Chile.

Messier 4 in Scorpio was captured with Insight Observatory's telescope in the Rio Hurtado Valley, Chile. At just under 7,000 light-years distant, M4 is one of the closest globular clusters to Earth — a proximity that makes it appear notably larger in the field of view, even though its stellar population is comparable to M22. It can be found just west of Antares, the brilliant red giant heart of the scorpion.

Hertzsprung-Russell (H-R) diagram of Messier 4 from the image data by Insight Observatory and created by Thomas Madigan.

Both clusters are currently well-placed in the southern sky through June and July and are accessible to backyard observers with a good pair of binoculars — a point Mr. Madigan enthusiastically emphasizes in his article.

---

Science Beyond the Image
What makes this collaboration particularly noteworthy is what Mr. Madigan plans to do with the data next. In an upcoming follow-up post, he will release full-resolution images of both M22 and M4 alongside Hertzsprung-Russell (HR) diagrams generated using PixInsight's HR Plotter — a third-party add-on tool that produces scientifically valuable stellar classification diagrams directly from imaging data. The HR diagram, one of the most fundamental tools in stellar astrophysics, reveals a cluster's age, stellar composition, and evolutionary history — elevating these images from purely aesthetic works to scientifically meaningful datasets.

This kind of work is precisely the mission that drives the partnership between Astronomy for Change and Insight Observatory: combining the accessibility of remote telescope technology with rigorous scientific methodology and public education.

---

About the Partnership
Insight Observatory's remotely accessible telescope network spans five continents, giving educators, researchers, and enthusiasts worldwide access to professional-grade instrumentation from their homes or classrooms. The collaboration with Astronomy for Change reflects a shared commitment to advancing public engagement with astronomy and making deep-sky observation accessible to all.

To read Mr. Madigan's full Summer Solstice 2026 article and view the complete imagery, visit: 🔗 https://astronomyforchange.org/summer-solstice-2026-and-two-favorite-celestial-jewels-of-the-summer-sky/

Read More

Beyond the Classroom: 4th Graders Photograph Nebulae and Galaxies

Students in Ms. DeSantis’ 4th-grade class at Plymouth South Elementary School, located in Plymouth, MA, recently had the privilege of participating in Insight Observatory's educational outreach program, an experience that proved both motivating and deeply inspiring.

The project began with students exploring the Insight Observatory website to familiarize themselves with the 16” Dream Aerospace System astrograph reflector telescope and its location at the Utah Desert Remote Observatories. Through guided discussion, they examined why Beryl, Utah, serves as an ideal site for deep space photography and broadened their perspective by researching other premier observing locations around the world. With that foundational knowledge in place, each student selected either a planetary nebula or a galaxy to be photographed by the telescope using Insight Observatory's Educational Image Request (EIR) application.

Students then undertook a comprehensive research project on their chosen object, covering the three main classifications of nebulae, the processes by which nebulae form, and the remarkable distances and physical scales involved. By the time their images arrived, students were already deeply familiar with their subjects — which made the moment of receiving their photographs all the more rewarding.

Just a few of the deep sky targets, Ms. DeSantis ' 4th-grade class imaged remotely on Insight Observatory's affiliate remote telescope, ATEO-1, located at Utah Desert Remote Observatories.

Upon seeing their images, the class engaged in rich discussion about the immensity of cosmic distances and the extraordinary variety and beauty found among deep space objects. Students consistently highlighted two aspects of the project as most memorable: the vivid colors and diverse shapes revealed in their images, and the anticipation of waiting for their photographs to arrive. They also expressed a sense of wonder at the fact that a ground-based telescope on Earth is capable of capturing objects located light-years away.

The class extends its sincere gratitude to Insight Observatory for providing both the imagery and the supporting information that made this project such a meaningful and enriching experience.

Read More