SUNSET: 
Explore the Night with Bob King
Earth's Shadow Creeps Up on Us Every Night
The next time you're out watching a sunset, turn around and relish the mighty shadow of Earth looming just behind your back.
Blank Sun? Faculae to the Rescue!
Fascinating faculae provide a way for anyone with a small telescope to track the ups and downs of the solar cycle — even when there are no sunspots.
Explore the Night with Bob King
Predictive Prowess: See an Iridium Flare
Channel your inner superpower by looking up at the night sky precisely when a dazzling blaze of light is beamed to Earth from outer space.
Astronomy and Stargazing Projects
See Summer's Best Naked-Eye Double Stars
Not every set of closely paired stars requires binoculars or a telescope to "split". Here's a guide to summertime doubles you can tackle with your eyes alone.
Two Moon-Planet Conjunctions Juice Up July
On July 5th, the Moon has a remarkably close brush with Mars, followed two nights later by a similar rendezvous with Saturn.
Iapetus Comes Over to the Bright Side
Astronomers now know the secret of this moon's strange two-faced appearance, but it's still remarkable to watch the "now you see it, now you don't" performance as it moves around Saturn.
Summer Quest for Noctilucent Clouds
Noctilucent clouds form at the boundary between Earth and space. Their electric blue billows incite the imagination and inspire us to keep watch at dusk for their arrival.
Explore the Night with Bob King
Comet PanSTARRS Keeps Getting Better
Since C/2012 K1's discovery two years ago, this first-time visitor from the outer solar system has brightened steadily and is now within reach of a small telescope and even binoculars.