Explore the Night with Bob King
The Twisted Path to Unconfounding "Double Star" Messier 40
The story of Messier object No. 40 not only makes for a great yarn, but it also demonstrates the haphazard nature of scientific progress.
Explore the Night with Bob King
Titan Shadow Transit Season Underway
Titan shadow transits are rare, occurring only about every 15 years. Don't miss the chance to see one this observing season.
The Extremely Large Telescope: Our Biggest Eye on the Sky
Sky & Telescope's Govert Schilling visits what will be the world's most powerful optical telescope — the Extremely Large Telescope in Chile.
Explore the Night with Bob King
"Cassini's Bright Spot" Beams at Full Moon
Rayed craters pepper the Moon especially around full. Cassini's Bright Spot is one of the most striking.
Why We Look Up with Jennifer Willis
Galaxy Season: The Season of Wonder
During this season — the one in which galaxies are most abundant in the sky — galactic pursuits can bring us to a state of wonder.
Explore the Night with Bob King
See the Host Sun of Exoplanet K2-18b
While you won't see a trace of this exoplanet or alien life, it's easy to spot the red dwarf star that warms its surface.
Vera Rubin Observatory: Astronomy’s New Workhorse
In February 2025, Sky & Telescope contributing editor Govert Schilling visited three new astronomical observatories in northern Chile. This is the second of a three-part blog series.
Explore the Night with Bob King
Asteroid Vesta Now an Easy Catch in Binoculars
Vesta, both protoplanet and asteroid, reaches opposition on May 2nd. From a dark sky it's even visible with the naked eye.
Explore the Night with Bob King
See the Lyrid Meteor Shower the Night of April 21–22
The annual Lyrid meteor shower should put on a great show this year. Enjoy it with a dash of the "dark side" of Saturn's rings.
Simons Observatory: Big Bang Examiner
In February, Sky & Telescope Contributing Editor Govert Schilling visited three new astronomical observatories in northern Chile. This chronicle of the Simons Observatory is the first of a three-part blog series.
Explore the Night with Bob King
New Comet SWAN Now Visible in Small Scopes
A new comet discovered in spacecraft images is bright enough to make you get out of bed before dawn.
Why We Look Up with Jennifer Willis
Step Out Into Darkness
What’s an amateur astronomer supposed to do if she’s afraid of the dark? Be brave!
Explore the Night with Bob King
New Nova in the "Teapot," Algol Blinks, and Uranus Occults a Star
A new nova for early risers plus three fun observing projects for the week ahead.
Astronomy in Space with David Dickinson
SpaceX Launches Historic Polar Mission
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lit up the skies over the Florida Space Coast Monday night, with the last mission of March 2025. Aboard were four crew members with a unique goal: to reach a polar orbit around the Earth.
Explore the Night with Bob King
Sunrise Solar Eclipse on March 29th for Eastern North America
The March 29th partial solar eclipse offers unique opportunities for photography and viewing alike.
Explore the Night with Bob King
T Coronae Borealis Isn't the Only Star Ready to Blow — Meet U Gem
As we wait on recurrent nova T CrB, dwarf nova U Geminorum is teeing up for its next 8-magnitude outburst.
Astronomy in Space with David Dickinson
EZIE Mission Launches to Study the Aurora
EZIE has launched successfully, poised to probe a poorly understood aspect linking space weather to dazzling aurora.
Astronomy in Space with David Dickinson
A Total Solar Eclipse — from the Moon
Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost mission on the Moon has captured a total solar eclipse — but from a lunar perspective.
Astronomy in Space with David Dickinson
Europe's Hera Mission Swings Past Mars, Sees Deimos
The Hera mission sent back unprecedented views of the Martian moon Deimos as a prelude to the mission's final destination: the asteroid Didymos.
Explore the Night with Bob King
Watch the Total Lunar Eclipse (March 13-14)
After more than two years, the Americas score a lunar eclipse bullseye.
