Explore the Night with Bob King
See Comet PanSTARRS (C/2013 X1) in Binoculars at Dawn
An old friend from winter returns for an encore in the morning sky. Already visible in binoculars, Comet PanSTARRS (C/2013 X1) may reach naked-eye visibility in June.
Explore the Night with Bob King
Hunting Giant Planetary Nebulae
Mind your elders the next clear night and pay a visit to some of Spring's biggest and most ancient planetary nebulae.
Explore the Night with Bob King
Tips for a Successful Star Party
Planning a sidewalk stargazing event? Here are a few suggestions to make sure people walk away smiling.
Explore the Night with Bob King
Is T CrB About to Blow its Top?
The recurrent nova T Coronae Borealis last made a splash just after World War II. Does its current restive state hint at an imminent outburst?
Explore the Night with Bob King
Are You Game for April's Lunar Observing Challenge?
With astronomy being celebrated around the globe this month, join the fun by participating in a unique lunar observing challenge: track down 20 features once thought to show evidence of change from weather, geology, and even life.
Explore the Night with Bob King
Up, Up, and Away with Comet 252P
With the Moon finally put to bed and Comet 252P still bright, there's no better time than now to see it. Nearby Mars and Saturn only sweeten the deal.
Spectral Types For Spring Nights
Hidden within the subtle hues of the stars are the keys to their temperatures and compositions. Get acquainted with the classic OBAFGKM spectral sequence through real stars you can see on a spring night.
Comet 252P Zooms North, BA14 Grows Tail
Splintered comet duo 252P/LINEAR and P/2016 BA14 liven up both dusk and dawn this week. Naked-eye 252P finally debuts in northern skies, while BA14 makes a beeline through the Big Dipper.
Comet PanSTARRS 2016's Historic Flyby of Earth
Not one, but two, possibly related comets will make exceptionally close flybys of Earth on March 21–22. Here's what we know and a guide on how to see them.
Explore the Night with Bob King
Meet the Meager March Moon
Baptized in the fire of yesterday's total solar eclipse, a very young crescent Moon emerges into the night sky.
Explore the Night with Bob King
NGC 2346: A Cosmic Butterfly Plays Peekaboo
Spiraling stars and light-soaking dust clouds enliven the heart of this lesser-known planetary nebula NGC 2346 in Monoceros. Will you be the first to catch it playing peekaboo again?
Explore the Night with Bob King
Frightful Nights Under the Stars
The lure of dark skies often takes us to unfamiliar places where nocturnal animals and encounters with strangers can ignite our primal fears.
Explore the Night with Bob King
Jupiter Jumps Back Into The Evening Sky
Jove begins a new apparition with a redder Red Spot, pirouetting moons, and ever-changing cloudscapes.
Explore the Night with Bob King
Overlooked Wonders In Orion's Shadow
Put the Great Nebula in Orion in the backseat and pay a visit to its humble neighbors
Explore the Night with Bob King
It's Not Over Till The Fast Planet Sinks
This week and early next will be your last chance to see five planets — six if you count Earth — at dawn.
Explore the Night with Bob King
How To Stay Warm Observing In Winter
Does the cold make you think twice about winter observing? Here are a few tips on how to do it in comfort.
Asterisms for Winter Nights
Asterisms appeal to our playful side but also serve as key waypoints in the sky for identifying fainter stars and constellations.
Explore the Night with Bob King
Picking Plums in the Galactic Anticenter
In winter, we face the Milky Way's anticenter, a little-explored region offering goodies for telescopes both large and small. Few give much thought to the Milky Way's anticenter, a lonely locale 180° opposite the busy metropolis of Sagittarius, where the summer Milky Way glitters like Vegas. On winter nights, Sagittarius lies behind us, hidden by Earth's…
Explore the Night with Bob King
Comets To Catch in 2016
A look ahead to see what new and returning comets will spice up the new year in 2016.
Explore the Night with Bob King
Run Away With These Runaway Stars
Three stars that once belonged to Orion flew the coop millions of years ago, but you can catch up with them with binoculars the next clear night.