821–840 of 1,204 results

Astronomy in Space with David Dickinson

FRIPON: A New All-Sky Meteor Network

An innovative new meteor detection network will engage researchers and the public in a search for space rocks.

16 Hours of Sunlight

Explore the Night with Bob King

Solstice Brings Late Nights, Bright Sights

Celebrate the June 20th solstice, when the Sun and the full Strawberry Moon combine their powers to illuminate both day and night.

LISA Pathfinder

Space Missions

LISA Pathfinder Surpasses Expectations

First science results from ESA's LISA Pathfinder mission exceed expectations, with five times the sensitivity. This result paves the way for a future full-scale gravitational wave observatory in space.

Another Dwarf Bites the Dust

Explore the Night with Bob King

Dual Supernovae Light Up June Nights

Supernovae are popping up everywhere! Two stars flamed out millions of years ago and at least one is an easy catch right now in amateur telescopes.

Scott Kelly aboard International Space Station

Cosmic Relief with David Grinspoon

International Space Station: Our Year In Space

ISS astronauts are reviving our passion for space travel in novel ways.

Open All Night

Celestial News & Events

Saturn's Splendid Summer Show

It's showtime for the King of the Rings! Time to get your telescope out to see and share Saturn, which comes to opposition this week.

A Sense of Scale

Explore the Night with Bob King

There Be Monsters Here! How to Find the Biggest Star

Antares and Betelgeuse may be colossal stars, but we take it to the next level of stellar monstrosity with a visit to UY Scuti, a star that makes our Sun seem no bigger than a pinpoint.

International Space Station

Celestial News & Events

Watch the International Space Station Marathon

The orbiting science laboratory begins a series of marathon passes this week that favor the northern hemisphere.

Big, Bold Mars This Week

Celestial News & Events

Follow Mars to His Double Star Lair

Let Mars be your guide to no fewer than 15 diverse and delightful double stars that pepper its path through Scorpius and Libra this opposition season.

ExoMars 2020

Space Missions

ExoMars Rover Launch Delayed Until 2020

The European Space Agency is opting to send its first rover to the Red Planet two years later than originally planned.

Comets

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.

Natural Artistry

Deep Sky

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.

Space Missions

Russian Space Observatory Launches

Russia's Mikhailo Lomonosov observatory takes to the skies on the hunt for gamma-ray bursts, cosmic rays, and near-Earth asteroids.

First Look at the King of the Planets

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.

Hitomi in space

Space Missions

Recovery Attempts End for Hitomi X-ray Satellite

The Japanese space agency JAXA has released a timeline covering the Hitomi space observatory's failure last month. Salvage efforts continue but recovery appears unlikely.

Two For T

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?

Mystery Dark Spot?

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.

252P Drags its Tail

Celestial Objects to Observe

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.

A U.S. Navy officer uses a sextant at sea.

Astronomy and Society

Navy Resumes Celestial Navigation Course

Modern security threats have brought back an old method — celestial navigation — to help U.S. Navy sailors navigate the high seas.

Stellar Fingerprints

Explore the Night with Bob King

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.