Desde que colimamos el telescopio, vemos mejor la nebulosa.

Desde que means since or ever since when it introduces a point in time followed by a verb.

In this sentence, Desde que colimamos el telescopio means:

• Since we collimated the telescope
• Ever since we collimated the telescope

It connects a past event (colimamos el telescopio) with a present situation (vemos mejor la nebulosa).

Yes — colimamos is one of those Spanish forms that can mean either:

• we collimate (present indicative), or
• we collimated (preterite)

The form is identical for nosotros.

Here, the context makes it clear that it is preterite:

• Desde que usually points to a starting moment in the past
• vemos describes what has been true from that moment until now

So here colimamos means we collimated / we aligned.

Because the sentence describes something that is true now, starting from a past event.

So the structure is:

• past starting point: colimamos el telescopio
• present ongoing result: vemos mejor la nebulosa

Spanish often uses the present tense after desde que when something began in the past and is still true now.

In English, you might say:

• Since we collimated the telescope, we see the nebula better
• or more naturally, We’ve been seeing the nebula better since we collimated the telescope

Spanish does not need a special continuous/perfect form here.

Colimar is a technical verb, especially used in optics and astronomy. It means to align optical elements correctly so that the instrument works properly.

With a telescope, colimar el telescopio means to collimate the telescope — that is, to adjust it so the mirrors or lenses are properly aligned.

It is not a very common everyday verb, but it is completely normal in scientific or astronomy contexts.

Both are possible, but vemos mejor la nebulosa is the more natural order here.

In this sentence, mejor modifies the verb vemos, meaning we see better. So the idea is:

• we see the nebula better

Placing mejor before the direct object often sounds smoother and more neutral:

• vemos mejor la nebulosa

If you say vemos la nebulosa mejor, it is understandable, but it can sound a bit less natural or slightly more marked, depending on context.

Because mejor is the comparative form of bien and means better.

• ver mejor = to see better

By contrast, más bien usually means something like:

• rather
• more accurately
• actually, more like...

So here you need mejor, because the sentence is about improved quality of seeing, not correction or rephrasing.

In Spanish, specific direct objects often take the definite article.

Here, la nebulosa means the nebula — a specific nebula the speakers are observing.

Spanish usually sounds more natural with the article in cases like this:

• vemos la nebulosa
• observamos la galaxia
• fotografiamos la Luna

Without the article, vemos mejor nebulosa would sound incomplete or unnatural in standard Spanish.

Because Spanish normally leaves out subject pronouns when the verb ending already shows who the subject is.

• colimamos = we collimate / we collimated
• vemos = we see

So nosotros is not necessary.

You could say:

• Desde que nosotros colimamos el telescopio, vemos mejor la nebulosa

but that would usually add emphasis or contrast. In ordinary speech, Spanish prefers to omit it.

Not always.

You can use:

• desde
  • noun/time expression
    
    • desde ayer = since yesterday
    • desde 2022 = since 2022

or:

• desde que
  • clause with a verb
    
    • desde que colimamos el telescopio = since we collimated the telescope

So desde que is specifically used when what follows is a full clause, not just a noun or time phrase.

Yes, depending on how natural you want the English to sound.

A very close translation is:

• Since we collimated the telescope, we see the nebula better.

But natural English often prefers:

• Since we collimated the telescope, we’ve seen the nebula better.
• Ever since we collimated the telescope, we’ve been able to see the nebula better.

Spanish and English do not always match tense-for-tense here. Spanish often uses the simple present (vemos) where English may prefer a present perfect or another structure.

Here it clearly means nebula, the astronomical object.

In other contexts, nebuloso/a can also be an adjective meaning misty, cloudy, or vague, but that is a different use.

In this sentence:

• la nebulosa = the nebula

So it is a noun, not an adjective.