Observing Sessions
I determined to accept nothing on faith, but to see everything with my own eyes which others had seen before me.
- William Herschel
My observing runs over the years. 317 sessions and counting.
2003 - 2005 - 2006 - 2007 - 2008 - 2009 - 2010 - 2011 - 2012 - 2013 - 2014 - 2015 - 2016 - 2017 - 2018 - 2019 - 2020 - 2021 - 2022 - 2023 - 2024 - 2025 - 2026
Latest session
Observing Sessions 2026
2 observing runs thus far, this year: both in the French Ardennes 🇫🇷
March
18 March - Talma (Grandpré), France
19 March - Talma (Grandpré), France
Observing Sessions 2025
14 observing runs: 7 backyard sessions 🇳🇱, 7 in the French Ardennes 🇫🇷
February
March
17 March - backyard session
18 March - backyard session
20 March - backyard session
27 March - backyard session
31 March - backyard session
April
18 April - backyard session
25 April - Talma (Grandpré), France
27 April - Talma (Grandpré), France
28 April - Boureuilles, France
29 April - Boureuilles, France
30 April - Boureuilles, France
August
25 August (morning) - Boureuilles, France
25 August (evening) - Boureuilles, France
Observing Sessions 2024
5 observing runs: 2 backyard sessions 🇳🇱, 2 in the French Alps 🇫🇷, 1 in the French Ardennes 🇫🇷
January
8 January - backyard session
9 January - backyard session
April
2 April - Verclause, France
10 April - Verclause, France
August
Observing Sessions 2023
10 Observing runs: 4 backyard sessions 🇳🇱, 6 in the French Alps 🇫🇷
February
13 February - backyard session
14 February - backyard session
April
8 April - Rémuzat, France
9 April - Rémuzat, France
13 April - Rémuzat, France
September
7 September- backyard session
14 September - backyard session
November
6 November - Mornans, France
7 November - Mornans, France
8 November - Mornans, France
Observing Sessions 2022
14 Observing runs: 5 backyard sessions 🇳🇱, 4 in the French Alps 🇫🇷, 5 in the French Ardennes 🇫🇷
February
22 February - Cornillac, France
23 February - Cornillac, France
25 February - Cornillac, France
26 February - Cornillac, France
March
3 March - backyard session
4 March - backyard session
April
25 April - Boureuilles, France
27 April - Boureuilles, France
August
28 August - Boureuilles, France
30 August - Boureuilles, France
September
1 September - Boureuilles, France
November
13 November - backyard session
19 November - backyard session
December
Observing Sessions 2021
19 Observing runs: 15 backyard sessions 🇳🇱, 4 in the French Alps 🇫🇷
February
11 February - backyard session
12 February - backyard session
March
1 March - backyard session
2 March - backyard session
5 March - backyard session
6 March - backyard session
April
11 April - backyard session
12 April - backyard session
May
June
10 June - backyard session
13 June - backyard session
14 June - backyard session
September
3 September - backyard session
4 September - backyard session
30 September - Cornillac, France
October
6 October - Cornillac, France
7 October - Cornillac, France
8 October - Cornillac, France
28 October - backyard session
2021 Observing blogs
11 April 2021
A backyard observing run in the night of 11-12 April 2021. STF Double stars and galaxies in Leo, STF double stars in Ursa Major and galaxies in Canes Venatici.
12 April 2021
A backyard observing run in the night of 12-13 April 2021. Struve Double stars and carbon stars in Leo, STF double stars in Camelopardalis and galaxies in Leo.
2 May 2021
A backyard observing run in the night of 2-3 May 2021. STF Double stars, globular clusters and galaxies in Coma Berenices.
Observing Sessions 2020
21 Observing runs: 19 backyard sessions 🇳🇱, 2 in the French Ardennes 🇫🇷
January
20 January - Vendresse, France
21 January - Vendresse, France
March
21 March - backyard session
22 March - backyard session
23 March - backyard session
26 March - backyard session
April
May
19 May - backyard session
25 May - backyard session
August
17 August - backyard session
18 August - backyard session
September
10 September - backyard session
13 September - backyard session
17 September - backyard session
18 September - backyard session
20 September - backyard session
21 September - backyard session
22 September - backyard session
November
December
20 November - backyard session
15 December - backyard session
2020 Observing blogs
19 May 2020
A backyard observing run in the night of 19-20 May 2020.
Double stars in Boötes and DSO's in Canes Venatici.
25 May 2020
A backyard observing run in the night of 25-26 May 2020.
Double stars in Boötes and DSO's in Draco.
18 August 2020
A backyard observing run in the night of 18-19 August 2020. Double stars in Lyra, Vulpecula and Cygnus.
10 September 2020
A backyard observing run in the night of 10 September 2020. Double stars and open clusters in Cygnus, carbon stars and an open cluster in Lyra.
13 September 2020
A backyard observing run in the night of 13-14 September 2020. Double stars in Cygnus, carbon stars in Lacerta, Cepheus and Pegasus, and Mars observations.
17 September 2020
A backyard observing run in the night of 17-18 September 2020. Double stars in Cygnus and a few planetary nebulae in Cygnus and Lacerta.
18 September 2020
A backyard observing run in the night of 18-19 September 2020. Double stars in Cygnus and carbon stars in Cassiopeia.
20 September 2020
A backyard observing run in the night of 20-21 September 2020. Double stars & carbon stars in Cygnus and planetary nebulae in Cepheus.
21 September 2020
A backyard observing run in the night of 21-22 September 2020. Carbon stars in Vulpecula, Sagitta, Delphinus, Lyra & Cygnus and double stars in Cepheus.
Observing Sessions 2019
24 Observing runs: 20 backyard sessions 🇳🇱, 4 in the French Ardennes 🇫🇷
January
February
3 February - backyard session
23 February - backyard session
25 February - backyard session
26 February - La Sauge aux Bois, France
27 February - La Sauge aux Bois, France
April
21 April - backyard session
22 April - backyard session
28 April - backyard session
30 April - backyard session
May
4 May - backyard session
28 May - backyard session
June
22 June - backyard session
23 June - backyard session
27 June - backyard session
28 June - backyard session
29 June - backyard session
30 June - backyard session
July
6 July - backyard session
8 July - backyard session
24 July (morning) - backyard session
24 July (evening) - backyard session
August
25 August - La Sauge aux Bois, France
26 August - La Sauge aux Bois, France
Observing Sessions 2018
34 Observing runs: 25 backyard sessions 🇳🇱, 4 in northern Germany 🇩🇪, 5 in the French Ardennes 🇫🇷
January
February
5 February - backyard session
6 February - backyard session
7 February - Hohenwoos, Germany
8 February - Hohenwoos, Germany
13 February - backyard session
15 February - backyard session
17 February - backyard session
18 February - backyard session
20 February - backyard session
March
14 March - backyard session
19 March - backyard session
April
7 April - Hohenwoos, Germany
8 April - Hohenwoos, Germany
July
8 July (morning) - backyard session
8 July (evening) - backyard session
13 July - backyard session
14 July - backyard session
15 July (morning) - backyard session
15 July (evening) - backyard session
18 July - backyard session
August
3 August - backyard session
5 August - backyard session
6 August - backyard session
September
7 September - backyard session
11 September - backyard session
13 September - backyard session
October
4 October - backyard session
5 October - Talma (Grandpré), France
8 October - Talma (Grandpré), France
November
2 November - Bar-lès-Buzancy, France
3 November - Bar-lès-Buzancy, France
4 November - Bar-lès-Buzancy, France
Observing Sessions 2017
21 Observing runs: 17 backyard sessions 🇳🇱, 4 in the French Ardennes 🇫🇷
January
19 January - backyard session
21 January - backyard session
February
13 February - backyard session
14 February - backyard session
March
23 March - backyard session
25 March - backyard session
26 March - backyard session
27 March - backyard session
April
August
September
15 September - backyard session
22 September - backyard session
23 September - backyard session
24 September - backyard session
October
13 October - backyard session
14 October - La Sauge aux Bois, France
15 October - La Sauge aux Bois, France
16 October - La Sauge aux Bois, France
17 October - La Sauge aux Bois, France
November
17 November - backyard session
22 November - backyard session
Observing Sessions 2016
Observing Sessions 2015
9 Observing runs: 7 in the French Alps 🇫🇷, 2 in the French Ardennes 🇫🇷
March
21 March - La Sauge aux Bois, France
22 March - La Sauge aux Bois, France
April
8 April - La Montagne, France
9 April - La Montagne, France
11 April - La Montagne, France
12 April - La Montagne, France
13 April - La Montagne, France
September
7 September - La Montagne, France
9 September - La Montagne, France
Observing Sessions 2014
7 Observing runs, all in the French Alps 🇫🇷
April
19 April - La Montagne, France
23 April (morning) - La Montagne, France
23 April (evening) - La Montagne, France
September
20 September - La Montagne, France
22 September - La Montagne, France
25 September - La Montagne, France
26 September - La Montagne, France
Observing Sessions 2013
18 Observing runs: 11 in the French Alps 🇫🇷, 2 in the French Ardennes 🇫🇷, 5 in the Netherlands 🇳🇱
March
4 March - Knardijk, the Netherlands
April
7 April - La Montagne, France
9 April - La Montagne, France
12 April - La Montagne, France
13 April (morning) - La Montagne, France
13 April (evening) - La Montagne, France
14 April - La Montagne, France
August
1 August - Vinkel, the Netherlands
4 August - Vinkel, the Netherlands
5 August - Vinkel, the Netherlands
September
2 September - Vinkel, the Netherlands
4 September - La Sauge Bois, France
5 September - La Sauge aux Bois, France
27 September - La Montagne, France
29 September - La Montagne, France
30 September - La Montagne, France
October
2 October - La Montagne, France
5 October - La Montagne, France
Observing Sessions 2012
5 Observing runs, all in the Netherlands 🇳🇱
January
15 January - Vinkel, the Netherlands
16 January - Vinkel, the Netherlands
March
14 March - Vinkel, the Netherlands
15 March - Knardijk, the Netherlands
May
Observing Sessions 2011
19 Observing runs: 6 in the French Alps 🇫🇷, 1 in southern France 🇫🇷, 12 in the Netherlands 🇳🇱
January
29 January - Vinkel, the Netherlands
March
2 March - Vinkel, the Netherlands
7 March - Vinkel, the Netherlands
April
27 April - La Montagne, France
29 April - La Montagne, France
30 April - La Montagne, France
May
1 May - La Montagne, France
3 May - La Montagne, France
4 May - La Montagne, France
July
21 July - Bagnols-en-Forêt, France
September
1 September - Vinkel, the Netherlands
28 September - Vinkel, the Netherlands
29 September - Vinkel, the Netherlands
30 September - Vinkel, the Netherlands
October
1 October - Knardijk, the Netherlands
2 October - Vinkel, the Netherlands
22 October - Knardijk, the Netherlands
31 October - Vinkel, the Netherlands
November
Observing Sessions 2010
9 Observing runs: 6 in the French Alps 🇫🇷, 3 in the Netherlands 🇳🇱
April
10 April - Vinkel, the Netherlands
17 April - Vinkel, the Netherlands
June
5 June - Vinkel, the Netherlands
July
3 July - La Montagne, France
4 July - La Montagne, France
5 July - La Montagne, France
7 July (morning) - La Montagne, France
7 July (evening) - La Montagne, France
8 July - La Montagne, France
Observing Sessions 2009
24 Observing runs: 10 in the French Alps 🇫🇷, 4 in South Africa 🇿🇦, 10 in the Netherlands 🇳🇱
March
2 March - Vinkel, the Netherlands
17 March - Vinkel, the Netherlands
19 March - Vinkel, the Netherlands
20 March - Vinkel, the Netherlands
21 March - Vinkel, the Netherlands
April
20 April - La Montagne, France
21 April - La Montagne, France
22 April - La Montagne, France
23 April - La Montagne, France
25 April - La Montagne, France
July
15 July - Vinkel, the Netherlands
25 July - Vinkel, the Netherlands
August
15 August - Vinkel, the Netherlands
September
13 September - La Montagne, France
14 September - La Montagne, France
17 September - La Montagne, France
21 September - La Montagne, France
22 September - La Montagne, France
October
14 October - Vinkel, the Netherlands
18 October - Vinkel, the Netherlands
November
15 November - Sutherland, South Africa
16 November - Sutherland, South Africa
17 November - Sutherland, South Africa
18 November - Sutherland, South Africa
Observing Sessions 2008
20 Observing runs: 8 in South Africa 🇿🇦, 12 in the Netherlands 🇳🇱
January
1 January - Welgevonden game reserve, South Africa
6 January - Sutherland, South Africa
7 January - Sutherland, South Africa
8 January - Sutherland, South Africa
9 January - Sutherland, South Africa
February
9 February - Vinkel, the Netherlands
April
26 April - Vinkel, the Netherlands
May
3 May - Vinkel, the Netherlands
4 May - Vinkel, the Netherlands
7 May - Vinkel, the Netherlands
July
31 July - Vinkel, the Netherlands
August
15 August - Vinkel, the Netherlands
29 August - Vinkel, the Netherlands
30 August - Vinkel, the Netherlands
September
6 September - Vinkel, the Netherlands
October
20 October - Cape Town, South Africa
22 October - Sutherland, South Africa
23 October - Sutherland, South Africa
December
26 December - Vinkel, the Netherlands
29 December - Keldonk, the Netherlands
Observing Sessions 2007
29 Observing runs: 2 in South Africa 🇿🇦, 27 in the Netherlands 🇳🇱
January
14 January - Vinkel, the Netherlands
February
15 February - Vinkel, the Netherlands
March
5 March - Vinkel, the Netherlands
9 March - Vinkel, the Netherlands
10 March - Veluwe, the Netherlands
11 March - Vinkel, the Netherlands
26 March - Vinkel, the Netherlands
April
5 April - Vinkel, the Netherlands
7 April - Vinkel, the Netherlands
12 April - Vinkel, the Netherlands
May
5 May - Vinkel, the Netherlands
14 May - Vinkel, the Netherlands
August
11 August - Vinkel, the Netherlands
24 August - Vinkel, the Netherlands
September
1 September - Vinkel, the Netherlands
7 September - Vinkel, the Netherlands
13 September - Vinkel, the Netherlands
15 September - Voorst, the Netherlands
16 September - Vinkel, the Netherlands
October
4 October - Keldonk, the Netherlands
6 October - Vinkel, the Netherlands
7 October - Vinkel, the Netherlands
13 October - Vinkel, the Netherlands
14 October - Vinkel, the Netherlands
November
17 November - Vinkel, the Netherlands
21 November - Vinkel, the Netherlands
23 November - Vinkel, the Netherlands
December
28 December - Franschhoek, South Africa
30 December - Cape Town, South Africa
Observing Sessions 2006
3 Observing runs, all in the Netherlands 🇳🇱
January
23 January - Vinkel, the Netherlands
29 January - Vinkel, the Netherlands
April
Observing Sessions 2005
5 Observing runs, all in the Netherlands 🇳🇱
April
3 April 2005 - Spreeuwelsche Heide
July
17 July 2005 - Vinkel, the Netherlands
August
2 August - Vinkel, the Netherlands
7 August - Vinkel, the Netherlands
November
Observing Sessions 2003
2 Observing runs, both in the Netherlands 🇳🇱
October
11 October - Enschede, the Netherlands
27 October - Enschede, the Netherlands