Space Missions to Watch in 2023
A tour of Jupiter’s moons and a mission to a "metal asteroid" are among the spacecraft to be launched in 2023.
Astronomy in Space with David Dickinson
NASA's Mars Insight Reaches End of Mission
NASA's groundbreaking Insight lander on Mars has fallen silent.
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.
The Challenge of Weird Black Hole Mergers
When spacetime shivers last only a fraction of a second — as in the case of the massive-black-hole merger GW190521 — astronomers struggle to uncover their origins.
Explore the Night with Bob King
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.
Cosmic Relief with David Grinspoon
Nudging a Space Rock
That’s one small change in an asteroid’s orbit, one giant leap for humanity.
Trio of Spacecraft Launch for the Moon
NASA’s Lunar Flashlight, iSpace’s Hakuto R from Japan, and the United Arab Emirates' Rashid rover are all headed to the Moon after launching aboard a SpaceX rocket.
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!
Status Update: Artemis 1's CubeSat Missions
Some of the small missions deployed from Artemis 1 will go on to do great things, while others remain silent.
Why We Look Up with Jennifer Willis
Under Uncooperative Skies
An abundance of astro images can make up (a little) for cloudy skies and other things in life that may keep us from observing.
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.
Astronomy in Space with David Dickinson
Lift-off! NASA Launches Artemis 1 Mission to the Moon
NASA’s next-generation Moon rocket has left the launchpad on the first flight of the Artemis program.
Explore the Night with Bob King
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.
Why We Look Up with Jennifer Willis
Become a Backyard Cosmic Explorer
No matter how you look up at the sky — with a telescope, binos, or just your eyes — you're a cosmic explorer.
NASA Lander and Orbiter See (and Feel) New Mars Impacts
NASA's Mars Insight lander and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter have witnessed two fresh new planet-probing impacts.
Explore the Night with Bob King
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.
Lucy Mission Will Zoom By Earth This Weekend
With a little luck, observers in Australia and western North America may spy the Lucy spacecraft as it flies by Earth on October 16th.
Cosmic Relief with David Grinspoon
Worlds Apart
Can a newly found exoplanet help explain why Earth and Venus diverged so radically?
Explore the Night with Bob King
Observing the Full Moon: Fringe Benefits
The upcoming Hunter's Moon reminds us of the many ways we can enjoy observing our humble satellite.
Juno's Close View of Jupiter's Europa (New Photos!)
Juno will pass over the surface of Europa this week in our closest view since the Galileo mission, aiding future exploration efforts.