
Foraging for Deep-sky Delights with Capella, the Goat Star
We explore deep-sky riches within a stone's throw of Capella, one of the season's brightest stars.

Space Missions to Watch in 2021
The coming year will feature three space missions arriving at Mars, the launch of SLS and James Webb, and much more.

Jupiter and Saturn Embrace in Solstice Conjunction
Jupiter and Saturn fashion the Great Conjunction of 2020 when they pair up on December 21st, the winter solstice. That evening they'll be closest in nearly 400 years.

Chang'e 5's Lunar Sample Arrives on Earth
China’s Chang’e 5 lunar sample-return capsule has arrived safely on Earth.

The Black Hole Files with Camille Carlisle
Survey Finds Newborn Black Hole Jets in Distant Galaxies
Astronomers have spotted a surprising number of quasars with jets launched within a couple of decades.

Explore the Night with Bob King
A Banner Year for the Geminid Meteor Shower
With no Moon to brighten the night, this year's rich Geminid meteor shower should be one of the best ever. Find a spot away from city lights, dress warmly, and don't forget the hot chocolate.

Hayabusa 2 Returns Sample of Asteroid Ryugu to Earth
The predawn operation to recover the Hayabusa 2 sample-return capsule in the Australian Outback was a success.

China's Chang'e 5 Collects Samples, Departs from the Moon
China's Chang’e-5 ascent vehicle has departed Oceanus Procellarum with pieces of lunar soil after a lightning-quick sample collection.

Astronomy in Space with David Dickinson
China Lands Ambitious Sample-Return Mission on the Moon
The aim of China's Chang'e 5 mission is to return samples of lunar soil to Earth by the end of 2020.

Astronomy in Space with David Dickinson
Earth's New "Minimoon" May be a 1960s-Era Rocket Booster
An object set to pass near Earth next month may in fact be a relic of the early Space Age.

Imaging Foundations with Richard Wright
Two Ways to Use Video for Astrophotography
Use high-speed cameras to capture spectacular live views of galaxies and high-res images of the Moon and planets.

Explore the Night with Bob King
Leonid Meteor Shower to the Rescue
Modest but reliable, the annual Leonid meteor shower returns this week. Take an hour or two to relax and enjoy the show.

Astronomy in Space with David Dickinson
SpaceX Launches Four Astronauts to the International Space Station
A crew of four is headed to the International Space Station, on Crew Dragon’s first operational launch, Crew One.

Astronomy in Space with David Dickinson
Another Cable Snaps at the Arecibo Observatory
Engineers are looking at stabilizing the dish, as the Arecibo Observatory has suffered a second cable failure.

Big Black Holes Dominate New Gravitational-Wave Catalog
Gravitational-wave scientists have unveiled their latest catalog of events, revealing a surprising number of massive black holes.

Tiny Asteroid Flora and Mighty Uranus Team Up
Both Uranus and the asteroid 8 Flora came to opposition on Halloween. Catch them both in the same corner of the sky the next clear night.

Astronomy in Space with David Dickinson
NASA's Osiris-REX Has Stowed Its Bite Out of Asteroid Bennu
NASA’s Osiris-REX successfully stowed its sample of Bennu's regolith, collected earlier this week. Images show a good haul.

Astronomy in Space with David Dickinson
Osiris-REX "TAGs" Bennu, Returns Stunning Views
See images and video from NASA’s Osiris-REX spacecraft as it samples the Nightingale site.

Comets Crawl through the Skies at Dawn and Dusk
Comets have been scarce since NEOWISE departed the scene. Not anymore. Suddenly, there are four fresh faces visible from dusk til dawn.

Osiris-REX Successfully Collected Sample from Asteroid Bennu
NASA's Osiris-REX mission has successfully touched down on the asteroid Bennu to collect a sample of its surface for return to Earth.