217 Today: Curious about astrophotography in C-U? Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at the craft

Tiktok Instagram Facebook-f
University of Illinois sophomore Pierson Lipschultz captured this image of the North America Nebula around 2 years ago. "This was my first ever astro shot,” Lipschultz said. He used his Canon 6D and telescope to make 60-second exposures over a 20-hour period and stacked them to create this image.
  • Photo: Courtesy of Pierson Lipschultz

Friday, November 14, 2025

Today’s headlines: 

  • Illinois Governor JB Pritzker is not giving up hope on legislation to crack down on homeowners insurance price hikes. 
  • Central Illinois Congressman Darren LaHood voted with the majority of House Republicans in passing the bill that ended the longest government shutdown in history. 
  • Air travel leading up to Thanksgiving might look a little bit different this year. 
  •  Students and faculty at several university campuses in Illinois are calling on Governor JB Pritzker to release more than $29 million in higher education funding.

In today’s deep dive, astrophotographers in Champaign, Urbana share what’s so awe inspiring about their work. 

217 Today is produced by Stephanie Orellana. Reporting today contributed by Mawa Iqbal, Eric Stock, Arjun Thakkar, Capital News Illinois, and Adrien Reetz. 

 

WILL and the Illinois Newsroom are committed to bringing you in-depth, relevant coverage that keeps you informed and engages you with our community and state. Join with thousands of others to keep this important public media-based resource available to all. Donate today >>

Stephanie Orellana