Golden Ears Observatory

I'm excited to announce that Golden Ears Observatory is partnering with a number of vendors to make the Nano Dome available as both DIY kits and ready-to-use assembled units for those who don't have access to a 3D printer.

I'm also pleased to welcome the Astronomical Society of Brunei Darussalam (BruneiAstronomy) as one of our first official partners. They have been granted a Commercial Maker License to manufacture and sell the Nano Dome, making it more accessible to astronomy enthusiasts in Brunei and, potentially, throughout Southeast Asia.

This is an exciting step for the Nano Dome project, and I look forward to announcing additional authorized makers as they come on board.

Clear skies! 🌌

I'm honestly thrilled to see so many people building and enjoying the Nano Dome. Over the past few weeks I've been receiving several emails every day from people around the world sharing their builds, asking questions, and offering suggestions. I never expected this little project to generate so much interest, and I truly appreciate all the support from the community.

The feedback has also inspired me to keep improving the design. I'm already working on a future version with the goal of adding provisions for full automation for those who want a remotely operated setup.

On another note, I recently came across an instance of someone advertising the Nano Dome for sale without authorization. While I'm genuinely happy to see that there's enough interest for people to want to sell it, I believe they may simply be unaware that the design files are intended for personal use only. I've reached out and kindly asked them to stop the sales until we can discuss the appropriate licensing.

I have to admit though—they did do a good build and take a really nice photo of the Nano Dome for their ad, so I've included it here! 😊

Thank you all again for your continued support, encouragement, and for making this project far more successful than I ever imagined. Clear skies!

A beautiful night under Bortle 2 skies near Princeton, British Columbia, with excellent seeing conditions.

Mike Dziak has been one of the earliest supporters of the Nano Dome project, and it's been amazing to watch the ingenuity he's brought to it. Mike didn't even own a 3D printer when he first became interested—but where there's a will, there's a way! He found someone to print it and has turned it into a truly impressive build.

His custom touches include a reflective chrome exterior to reduce solar heating, an ultra-flat black interior for maximum stray-light absorption, four miniature 12V cooling fans with a thermostat to keep the interior cool and dry, and he's even considering adding a Lazy Susan bearing so the dome can rotate for better access to low-horizon targets.

This is exactly the kind of creativity and collaboration I hoped Nano Dome would inspire. Seeing members of the community share ideas, improve on designs, and help each other is incredibly rewarding.

At a time when the world can sometimes feel divided by conflict and disagreement, it's refreshing to see people from different backgrounds come together over a shared passion for astronomy. The night sky belongs to all of us, and communities like this are a reminder of what we can accomplish when we work together.

Thanks, Mike, for your enthusiasm, creativity, and continued support. I can't wait to see what you come up with next! 🌌🔭

🌌 Big News — Nano Dome V2 is here!
The V2 files are now available for download here:

👉 https://buymeacoffee.com/5nja3nwppq/extras

The V2 is fully modular, meaning one package covers all supported instruments — whether you have a ZWO Seestar S30, S30 Pro, DwarfLab Mini, or the bigger scopes like the Seestar S50, DwarfLab Dwarf 2, or Dwarf 3. Print what you need, for the scope you have with a standard 3D printer.

With the V2, upgrading to an S50 build from an S30 is easy — just print the extension cylinder pieces and glue them to your existing dome. No need to reprint the clamshell or start from scratch.

🎉 Special Launch Offer — Build it and get a full refund!
If you download the files, print your dome, and post your build on any social media platform — Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or anywhere else — within the next two weeks (deadline: July 10th, 2026), I will refund your purchase in full. Just send me proof of your post and consider it done.

I would love to see what you all build! 🔭🖨️

Clear skies! ☁️✨

Nano Dome V2 3D print files are coming soon! (update - the files are now available)
This version adds support for Seestar (S30, S50) and Dwarf (2, 3, Mini) smart telescopes.

Price: $20 for the digital files on https://buymeacoffee.com/5nja3nwppq/extras. This will support me on working on more enhancements like adding electronic actuation.

V1 Owners: V1 owners will be able to upgrade to V2 files by paying only the price difference. For a select few V1 buyers, I will send the files for free for your enthusiasm and your support😁

🎉 Golden Ears Observatory Reaches Its 100th Discovery! 🎉

Tonight marks a very special milestone for Golden Ears Observatory: our 100th astronomical discovery.

The object, internally designated PAPA-SHANKAR-240326, has been identified as a Dwarf Nova in the constellation Cygnus. While every discovery is exciting, this one carries a deeply personal meaning. The designation honors my father, Shankar, who passed away in March of this year. He encouraged my curiosity from an early age, supported my passion for science, and would have been immensely proud to see this milestone reached. This discovery is dedicated to his memory.

🔭 100th Discovery Link:
https://vsx.aavso.org/index.php?view=detail.top&oid=10875875

100 Discoveries List
https://interstellargalactic.com/?page_id=154

Looking back, it is humbling to realize how far the observatory has come.

What started in 2021 as a modest sky survey using an amateur-grade telescope, custom-written software, and many long nights of manual operation searching for minor planets has evolved into a largely autonomous observatory. Today, observations are scheduled automatically, data are processed automatically, and even report submissions are handled through bots and APIs. Yet despite all the automation, one critical step remains human: the careful vetting of every candidate detection. Separating genuine discoveries from artifacts still requires patience, experience, and many hours of manual review.

Over the years, Golden Ears Observatory has contributed to minor planet discoveries, near-Earth object follow-up observations, transient astronomy, and planetary defense activities through the International Asteroid Warning Network (IAWN). Along the way, the observatory has accumulated over 33,000 astrometric observations, observed more than 6,900 unique objects, operated on 447 observing nights, and has been associated with more than 120 discovery MPECs.

One of the most rewarding aspects of these discoveries has been seeing them independently detected and confirmed by some of the world's premier astronomical facilities. Objects first reported by Golden Ears Observatory have subsequently been observed by space-based missions such as GAIA and Canada's NEOSSat, as well as major professional survey programs including ATLAS (Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System), the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF), and the MASTER Global Robotic Network. These independent detections provide valuable confirmation and demonstrate that discoveries made with modest amateur equipment can contribute meaningfully to the global astronomical community.

Based on publicly available MPC statistics, Golden Ears Observatory has become one of Canada's most productive amateur observatories and compares favorably with many larger facilities worldwide. What makes this achievement particularly meaningful is that it has been accomplished with relatively modest amateur-grade instrumentation.

The 100 discoveries represent more than numbers. They represent thousands of hours spent under the stars, weather frustrations, equipment failures and successful recoveries.

Thank you to everyone who has followed, encouraged, collaborated, and shared in this journey.

Here's to the next hundred discoveries.

Clear skies,

Bal

🌌 100 Discoveries
☄️ 33,000+ Observations
🔭 6,900+ Objects Observed
📡 Discoveries confirmed by GAIA, NEOSSat, ATLAS, ZTF, and MASTER
🇨🇦 Maple Ridge, British Columbia
⭐ Dedicated to the memory of Papa Shankar (25/07/1945 - 24/03/2026)

Golden Ears Observatory has a new portable smart telescope setup. 🙂

It uses the ZWO Seestar S30 Pro smart telescope to carry out autonomous follow-up observations of bright asteroids for the Minor Planet Center, and some astrophotography.

To support continuous night-to-night observing during good weather, we also built a small 3D-printed clamshell observatory called the Nano Dome. It helps keep the setup together between sessions, so we don’t have to break everything down and start again each night.

For anyone interested in building their own 3D-printable dome, the files are available here:
https://buymeacoffee.com/5nja3nwppq/extras

We’ve officially kicked off March with the discovery of AT 2026eva, a new variable star candidate! 🌟 This follows hot on the heels of our February discovery, AT 2026ceu, making it our second find of the year.
This brings our all-time discovery total to 94! We are now just a handful away from the big 100. Stay tuned as we keep our eyes on the skies! 🔭✨

https://www.wis-tns.org/object/2026eva
https://www.wis-tns.org/object/2026ceu

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