
Understanding the Tails of Comet ZTF (C/2022 E3)
We explore Comet ZTF's remarkable trio of tails and share the latest news and photos.

See Comet ZTF (C/2022 E3) Dash Between Big and Little Dippers
Forget the hype and go outside to enjoy the real thing — a relatively bright comet you can see in binoculars from a dark sky.

Explore the Night with Bob King
Tiny Asteroid 2023 BU to Miss Earth
A recently discovered asteroid will pass exceptionally close to Earth on January 26th. Here's how to see it. Also, Comet ZTF (C/2022 E3) is brightening nicely, with three tails visible in binos.

Explore Double Stars in the "Winter Pair-a-gon"
The Winter Hexagon is not only key to finding six of the season's most prominent constellations but also a gateway to a more than a half-dozen delightful double stars.

All Eight Planets Line Up ... Again!
Echoing summer's great arc of planets at dawn, winter presents the full octet again, this time splayed across the evening sky.

Catch the Geminid Meteor Shower; Plus, Watch RW Cephei Fade
The luminous Geminid meteor shower returns. We also meet a binocular-bright star that may be experiencing Betelgeuse-like convulsions.

Explore the Night with Bob King
Mars Mesmerizes at Opposition
It may not be the closest opposition, but this time around Mars arcs high across the sky where good seeing promises sharp views. That's not all. On December 7th, one night before opposition, the full Moon occults the Red Planet!

Explore the Night with Bob King
Sneak Peek at Two Promising Comets
Ready to chase comets? We look at two fuzzy solar system travelers that will keep you on your toes all fall and winter long.

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Election Eclipse — Last Total Lunar Eclipse till 2025
Set the alarm and bring plenty of coffee. We've got a total lunar eclipse coming that you don't want to miss.

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All About the Dust — Orionids and Zodiacal Light
It doesn't take much to create a spectacle when it comes to astronomical observation. Just a pinch or two of dust.

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Observing the Full Moon: Fringe Benefits
The upcoming Hunter's Moon reminds us of the many ways we can enjoy observing our humble satellite.

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Jupiter's Exceptionally Close Opposition
A sentinel in the autumnal sky, Jupiter marks its closest opposition since 1963.

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Vega, the Star at the Center of Everything
While we may quibble about how to pronounce its name, there's no denying that Vega is one of the most fascinating and useful stars in the heavens.

Observe Vesta — and Own a Piece of It, Too
Vesta's bright and easy to find in binoculars and maybe even with the naked eye in late summer skies. It's also just as easy to acquire a piece of it without a multi-billion dollar space mission.

Perseids Are Coming, Full Moon or Not
Don't use a full Moon pass to skip this year's Perseid meteor shower. Right here, right now, we're going to help you make the most of it.

Solving an Earthshine Mystery
Something we take for granted about the crescent Moon's appearance may be nothing more than an optical illusion.

See a Rare Transit of Iapetus on July 17–18
It's tiny. It's challenging. But you won't get the chance to see Iapetus transit the globe of Saturn again until 2037!

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Titan Occults a Bright Star, Mira Awakens, and Comet PanSTARRS Shines
Pick one or see them all. July offers a potpourri of celestial events for both naked-eye observers and telescope users that include a rare occultation by Saturn's moon Titan, a bright comet, and Mira at maximum.

Explore the Night with Bob King
Solar System Gets its Ducks in a Row
We'll have not one but many opportunities to enjoy a rare lineup of the bright planets over the next few weeks. Amazingly, they'll be aligned in order of their distance from the Sun.

Explore the Night with Bob King
Tau Herculid Meteors Surprise and Delight
We touch on the highlights of the memorable Tau Herculid meteor shower and also report on the recent outburst of the recurrent nova U Scorpii.