SUNSET: 
Explore the Night with Bob King
See Comet Leonard at its Best
The year's brightest comet is now on display in the predawn sky this week and next. Here's how to find it.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, December 3 – 11
The crescent Moon at dusk hangs under Venus, then Saturn, then Jupiter. Comet Leonard is at its best before dawn. And welcome in, Orion!
Nearest Supermassive Black Hole Pair Discovered
Astronomers have observed a pair of supermassive black holes set to collide in 250 million years.
December: Geminid Meteors & Comet Leonard
December’s solstice brings the longest northern nights, and it’s a busy month for stargazers: the Geminid meteors, a visit from Comet Leonard, and a plethora of bright stars and constellations.
Meet Proxima Centauri: The Closest Star
Proxima Centauri is the dimmest and smallest of the Alpha Centauri system, but it has the honor of being the nearest star.
Astronomers Watch Black Hole Jet Launch
Astronomers have watched a jet launch from a stellar-mass black hole inside the Milky Way.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, November 25 – December 4
While the Jupiter-Saturn-Venus line keeps shrinking, all kinds of deep-sky sights, naked-eye to telescopic, show themselves on these moonless evenings.
NASA’s DART Mission Launches for Head-on Collision with an Asteroid
The first-ever planetary defense mission is now on its way to the asteroid Didymos and its moon, Dimorphos.
Deep-sky Fishing in Cetus, the Whale
Small telescopes can reel in some big ones in the constellation Cetus, the Whale.
Solar Orbiter to Fly Past Earth Thanksgiving Weekend
The Solar Orbiter mission will fly past Earth Friday night, setting up a dramatic sunward plunge.
Can This Near-Earth Asteroid Help Us Understand the First Interstellar Visitor?
Astronomers have observed an object like ‘Oumuamua — but unlike the first known interstellar visitor, this one is in the solar system.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, November 19 – 27
Orion now rises in the east around 8 p.m. Will Betelgeuse or Rigel be the first of his bright stars to come up? That depends on your latitude; Los Angeles and Atlanta are balance points. The Pleiades and Aldebaran watch this scene from high above.
Did Astronomers Spot a Black Hole in Another Galaxy? Maybe Not
Astronomers might have spotted a stellar-mass black hole in another galaxy — but not everyone agrees with what they found.
A Near-Miss Total Lunar Eclipse
A near-total lunar eclipse will be widely visible across North America on the night of November 18–19. Dress warmly and go for it!
Astronomy in Space with David Dickinson
Russia Conducts Antisatellite Test; Space Station Crew Takes Cover
A Russian missile struck a defunct satellite early Monday morning, forcing International Space Station crew to shelter in place.
Has a Stray Piece of the Moon Become a Quasi-satellite of Earth?
A quasi-satellite of Earth, named Kamoʻoalewa, might actually be a chip off our Moon.
Did a Comet Explode Over South America 12,000 Years Ago?
Huge chunks and twisted slabs of dark glass are strewn across a patch of the Chilean Atacama Desert. Do they have a cosmic origin?
Astronomy in Space with David Dickinson
NASA Announces Drilling Site on the Moon
NASA has revealed the landing site for Intuitive Machines’ ambitious drilling mission, set to launch for the Moon in 2022.
Mariner 9: The Martian Semicentennial
A half century ago, Mariner 9 — our first orbiter at another planet — showed us the real Mars.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, November 12 – 20
Venus, Jupiter and Saturn highlight the dusk. Mercury and Mars are a dawn challenge. And get ready for the barely-almost-total eclipse of the Moon.