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EricTheCat 🇺🇸

@EricTheSpaceCat

Goal is to capture and share the beauty of the universe. Astronomy, nature and weather photographer. Fascinated by meteors. Freedom loving patriot.

 Minnesota
Joined December 2023
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Photo by EricTheCat 🇺🇸 (@EricTheSpaceCat)Photo by EricTheCat 🇺🇸 (@EricTheSpaceCat)Photo by EricTheCat 🇺🇸 (@EricTheSpaceCat)Photo by EricTheCat 🇺🇸 (@EricTheSpaceCat)Photo by EricTheCat 🇺🇸 (@EricTheSpaceCat)Photo by EricTheCat 🇺🇸 (@EricTheSpaceCat)Photo by EricTheCat 🇺🇸 (@EricTheSpaceCat)Photo by EricTheCat 🇺🇸 (@EricTheSpaceCat)Photo by EricTheCat 🇺🇸 (@EricTheSpaceCat)Photo by EricTheCat 🇺🇸 (@EricTheSpaceCat)
One night after the peak of the Perseid meteor shower. Meteors and red sprites from the night of 8/13-8/14. Captured from southern Minnesota which happened to be aiming above a storm over Iowa that started producing red sprites in the morning.
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2 years ago tonight I captured a particularly bright and slow moving meteor. Possibly a Taurid. The Northern Taurid meteor shower peaks tonight into tomorrow morning. 11/11/2024 22:22 CST
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7 years ago today Mercury transited the sun 11/11/2019
Mercury Transit Date: 11/11/2019 Camera: Canon Rebel T4i Telescope: 110mm f/7 refractor Filter: Mylar film solar filter

ALT Mercury Transit Date: 11/11/2019 Camera: Canon Rebel T4i Telescope: 110mm f/7 refractor Filter: Mylar film solar filter

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One year ago tonight there was some incredible aurora. Time-lapse from southern Minnesota. 11/11/2025
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Pretty sky this morning with a nice pairing of Venus and the moon. Only had time for a quick wide shot.
Venus and Moon Date: 11/7/2026 Camera: Canon Rebel T8i (modified) Lens: Sigma 24mm f/1.4 art Exposure: 1/125sec at f/1.4 and ISO 200

ALT Venus and Moon Date: 11/7/2026 Camera: Canon Rebel T8i (modified) Lens: Sigma 24mm f/1.4 art Exposure: 1/125sec at f/1.4 and ISO 200

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Happy Halloween! Here are some clips of red sprites that left a spooky green glow known as green ghosts. 6/10/2026
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I am thrilled that NASA featured some of my footage on this recent video they released about red sprites and other TLEs! The video also features excellent work from @lorigracewx, @frankie57pr and @PaulMSmithphoto
NASA Solar System (@NASASolarSystem) profile pictureNASA Solar System
@NASASolarSystemOct 28
High in the atmosphere, mysterious flashes light up the sky during thunderstorms. Unconfirmed until 1989, these Transient Luminous Events, or TLEs, have mythological names like sprites, TROLLS (Transient Red Optical Luminous Lineaments), and green ghosts. 👻 Now, NASA is on the hunt with a project called Spritacular, where people across the globe photograph and study these TLEs. NASA’s Illuminate: Out-of-this-world images shining light on our Sun and solar system.
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Meteors 10/16-10/22/2026 - Orionid, Leonis Minorid and Epsilon Geminid m... youtu.be/NLIlhfAersY?si=OdXt… via @YouTube
Meteors 10/16-10/22/2026 - Orionid, Leonis Minorid and Epsilon...

Meteors 10/16-10/22/2026 - Orionid, Leonis Minorid and Epsilon...

Meteors from 10/16/2026 to 10/22/2026 - Orionid, Leonis Minorid and...

youtube.com
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20 years ago tonight I shot a different comet. Comet C/2006 M4 (SWAN) Could be processed better. This is as is back in the day. 10/25/2006
Comet C/2006 M4 (SWAN) Telescope: 120mm f/5 (fl=600mm) refractor Camera: Canon EOS-10D Exposure: 129x15sec at ISO 1600 Stacked using Registax

ALT Comet C/2006 M4 (SWAN) Telescope: 120mm f/5 (fl=600mm) refractor Camera: Canon EOS-10D Exposure: 129x15sec at ISO 1600 Stacked using Registax

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19 years ago Comet Comet 17P (Holmes) was rapidly changing in size and appearance after rapidly brightening around 10/24/2026. This is a composite that starts 19 years ago tonight to show how the comet changed in size and position. 10/25, 10/29 and 11/2/2007
Comet Comet 17P (Holmes) composite over multiple nights Dates: 10/25/2007, 10/29/2007, 11/02/2007 Camera: Canon EOS-10D Telescope: 120mm f/5 refractor

ALT Comet Comet 17P (Holmes) composite over multiple nights Dates: 10/25/2007, 10/29/2007, 11/02/2007 Camera: Canon EOS-10D Telescope: 120mm f/5 refractor

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One year ago tonight I captured a few meteors that left persistent trains. Time-lapses showing persistent trains. 10/24/2025
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12 years ago today there was a beautiful partial solar eclipse. The sunspots! 10/23/2014
Partial Solar Eclipse 10/23/2014 Camera: Canon Rebel T4i (modified) Telescope: 110mm f/7 refractor

ALT Partial Solar Eclipse 10/23/2014 Camera: Canon Rebel T4i (modified) Telescope: 110mm f/7 refractor

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A bright Orionids meteor from this morning. 10/22/2026 05:03 CDT
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A still image of the brightest meteor that I captured this morning. Not an Orionids. More likely a Leonis Minorids. 10/22/2026 05:24 CDT
Meteor 10/22/2026 05:24 CDT Camera: Canon Rebel T8i (modified) Lens: Sigma 24mm f/1.4 art Exposure: 6sec at f/1.4 and ISO 3200 Processed using PixInsight and NoiseXterminator

ALT Meteor 10/22/2026 05:24 CDT Camera: Canon Rebel T8i (modified) Lens: Sigma 24mm f/1.4 art Exposure: 6sec at f/1.4 and ISO 3200 Processed using PixInsight and NoiseXterminator

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Time-lapse of the persistent train left by the meteor this morning that I posted the video of earlier. 10/22/2026 05:24 CDT
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A really nice meteor this morning. Not an Orionids but possibly a Leonis Minorids.
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12 years ago tonight I captured this image of NGC6946 (the Fireworks Galaxy), a spiral galaxy in Cepheus & Cygnus. Re-processed recently using modern tools. Captured 10/21/2014
NGC 6946 Spiral galaxy in Cepheus & Cygnus Date: 10/21/2014 Camera: Canon Rebel T4i (modified) Telescope: 110mm f/7 ED refractor (Orion) Exposure: 126x3min (6hr 18min total) at ISO 1600 Stacked using DeepSkyStacker. Processed using PixInsight, BlurXterminator, NoiseXterminator and StarXterminator

ALT NGC 6946 Spiral galaxy in Cepheus & Cygnus Date: 10/21/2014 Camera: Canon Rebel T4i (modified) Telescope: 110mm f/7 ED refractor (Orion) Exposure: 126x3min (6hr 18min total) at ISO 1600 Stacked using DeepSkyStacker. Processed using PixInsight, BlurXterminator, NoiseXterminator and StarXterminator

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Meteors from this morning. Many likely Orionids. The Orionids meteor shower peaks tonight! The best time to look will likely be tomorrow morning after the moon sets before it starts getting light out.
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2 years ago today I had my hands full. ISS solar transit, Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) and a fireball meteor. All on 10/20/2024.
Image from EricTheCat 🇺🇸 (@EricTheSpaceCat)
Image from EricTheCat 🇺🇸 (@EricTheSpaceCat)
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A nice meteor this morning. This one appears to be an Epsilon Geminids meteor, not an Orionids. I captured a few small Orionids overnight. The Orionids meteor shower peaks tomorrow night into Thursday morning. Thursday morning after moon set should be the best time to look.
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A nice likely Orionids meteor from last night. The Orionids meteor shower is active and will peak the night of 10/21-10/22. The best time to view will likely be the early hours Thursday morning after the moon sets and before it starts getting light.
Meteor 10/18/2026 23:04 CDT Camera: Canon Rebel T8i (modified) Lens: Sigma 24mm f/1.4 art Exposure: 6sec at f/1.4 and ISO 3200

ALT Meteor 10/18/2026 23:04 CDT Camera: Canon Rebel T8i (modified) Lens: Sigma 24mm f/1.4 art Exposure: 6sec at f/1.4 and ISO 3200

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