SUNSET: 
Black Hole Facts
Learn what a black hole is, what we mean by “singularity” and “ergosphere,” and why we think black holes are real.
Explore the Night with Bob King
Swing Low, Sweet Sun: It's Solstice Time
Daylight ebbs to a minimum on Wednesday's winter solstice, but not for long. The very next day, the Sun turns back north and the cycle of light begins again.
Explore the Night with Bob King
Colored Double Stars, Real and Imagined
Colorful lights twinkle everywhere during the holiday season, including up above in some remarkably tinted double stars. Find out what makes them so alluring.
Astronomy in Space with David Dickinson
ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter Gets to Work
Welcome to Mars: the European Space Agency's ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter sets up shop around the Red Planet.
Astronomy in Space with David Dickinson
Watch Resupply Mission Chase Down the International Space Station
Find out how to see a cargo mission headed to the International Space Station this weekend.
Amazing Views of Saturn's "Polar Hexagon"
NASA's Cassini spacecraft delivers stunning views from its new orbital perch.
Supermoon and Geminids Duke it Out
In a spectacular case of bad timing, the full Moon coincides with the annual Geminid meteor shower. Don't feel put out. There's still something for everyone, including a consolation prize.
Astronomy in Space with David Dickinson
The Beginning of the End for Cassini
Cassini's final main engine burn this weekend sets up the first act of a grand finale.
Astrophotography with Jerry Lodriguss
Planning a Night of Imaging
Thinking about going out for night of astrophotography? Remember the five P’s – Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance.
Explore the Night with Bob King
Comet Campaign Seeks Imagers Worldwide
Calling all imagers! Three comets will make close flybys of Earth over the next two years. Join a new pro-am effort to make the most of this rare triple play.
Explore the Night with Bob King
Quasar CTA 102: Historically Bright, Violently Variable
The normally faint quasar CTA 102, once thought to harbor an advanced civilization and made famous in a 1967 song by the Byrds, is currently bright enough to see in an 8-inch telescope. In the history of SETI, the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence, there have been two great false alarms.…
Catch a NASA Launch This Weekend
There's a good chance to catch a rocket launch at dusk on Saturday night, when an Atlas V rocket with GOES-R takes to space.
Explore the Night with Bob King
Uranus: In Seventh Heaven with Planet Seven
With our eyes often glued to the bright classical planets, Uranus is easy to overlook. Now well-placed for viewing at a convenient hour, why not pay this pale blue dot a visit the next clear night?
Cosmic Relief with David Grinspoon
Thank Our Lucky Planets: How Planets Really Do Shape Our Fate
Human history has always been linked to the influence of distant orbits, from climate change (past and present) to our exploration of the solar system.
Astronomy in Space with David Dickinson
New Clues on the Fate of Beagle 2
An innovative technique sheds new light on what doomed Britain's Beagle 2 spacecraft when it tried to land on Mars in 2003.
Explore the Night with Bob King
Behold November's Super-Duper Supermoon
You won't want to miss the biggest, brightest full Moon in more than 68 years. Find out what makes this supermoon so special and how best to view it.
Curiosity Finds "Egg Rock" Iron Meteorite
NASA's intrepid Mars rover gets a close-up view of a bizarrely shaped space rock that landed on the lower slope of Mount Sharp.
Explore the Night with Bob King
The Merope Nebula and Its Well-Kept Secret
Did you know that the brightest part of the Merope Nebula in the Pleiades is also the hardest to see? We'll make sense of this seeming contradiction while honing key observing skills.
Astrophotography: Tips & Techniques
Astrophotography: Cable Management
The art of astrophotography can quickly turn into the art of cable management. Learn how to tame the cable monster and get back to photographing the night sky.
Astronomy in Space with David Dickinson
Schiaparelli: Requiem for a Mars Lander
New glimpses from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and ongoing data analysis are revealing the fate of the Schiaparelli lander.
