241–260 of 282 results
All-season Triangle

Night Sky Sights

This May, Find the Star Pattern That Spans All Seasons

Widen your view to see the All-Season Triangle asterism, whose stars span the year.

Night Sky Sights

Comet SWAN Expected to Put on a Splendid Show

Comet SWAN will grace northern skies in the days to come.

Labeled Big Dipper

Night Sky Sights

The Big Dipper: Hop to Spring's Sky Sights

The Big Dipper is one of the most familiar sights in the Northern Hemisphere’s night skies. You can use its stars to locate other fun targets.

Venus & Mercury on May 21 2020

Night Sky Sights

May 2020: Venus & Mercury at Dusk

Would you like to learn your way around the night sky in just 10 minutes? This month's Sky Tour astronomy podcast helps you to navigate all across the late-spring sky like a stargazing veteran. No experience or equipment needed!

Big Dipper, stars labeled

Night Sky Sights

Meet Dubhe, Giant of the Big Dipper

Of the seven stars in the Big Dipper, Dubhe is an outlier. Its color, speed across the sky, and evolutionary age set it apart from its comrades.

Bob King blog post

Night Sky Sights

Shadow-casting with Venus

Venus has a been powerful presence at dusk for months — bright enough to cast shadows. How would you like to put it to the test? The Moon won't spoil the darkness until at least April 24th — April 25th if you wait till after moonset — making it the perfect time to see your own shadow by the light of another celestial body.

Night Sky Sights

A Farewell to Orion

As winter transitions into spring, the mighty hunter is gradually slipping into evening twilight as new constellations rise in the east.

Sky Tour podcast: Moon and planets at dawn April 2020

Night Sky Sights

April 2020: Planets Aplenty

This month's Sky Tour astronomy podcast highlights how Venus flirts with the Pleiades star cluster after sunset, then leads you to views of Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars together in the predawn sky.

Canis Major

Night Sky Sights

A Bino Tour of the Big Dog

For observers looking for a quick outing with binoculars, Canis Major offers a set of lovely attractions that includes a trio of open clusters.

Night Sky Sights

Easy-to-find Deep-sky Objects for Cold Nights

Cold weather keeping you inside at night? Limit your time outdoors and make the most of your telescope time with these easy-to-find deep-sky gems.

Gibbous Moon

Night Sky Sights

Diving Into the Moon's Bay of Rainbows

This curious lunar feature — visible the nights of March 4th and April 2nd — is a delight in small scopes or even binoculars.

Pleiades

Night Sky Sights

Meet the Pleiades, the Seven Sisters

The Pleiades are actually a star cluster of thousands of stars enshrouded in dust and gas, and they're easy to find if you know where to look.

M35 in Gemini

Night Sky Sights

Explore the Winter Hexagon

This expansive region is home to plenty of bright stars and deep-sky wonders.

Night Sky Sights

Catch the Full Moon High in the Sky for Telescope Treats

A nearly full Moon offers plenty to see and ponder.

Night Sky Sights

A Quick Tour of Orion, the Hunter

The evening sky this week presents a near perfect opportunity to explore winter's marquee constellation, Orion, with binoculars or a small telescope.

The Great Square of Pegasus

Night Sky Sights

Deep-sky Dive Into the Great Square of Pegasus

We return to Pegasus, but this time with a telescope to find a grab-bag of overlooked deep-sky treasures.

The Great Square of Pegasus

Night Sky Sights

Counting Stars in the Great Square

Test the limits of your vision — and the darkness of your sky — by taking a plunge into the Great Square of Pegasus.

Altair skyscape

Night Sky Sights

Meet Altair, the Eagle’s Eye

Altair, centerpiece of Aqulia, the Eagle, is the twelfth-brightest star in the night sky and one of the closest stars to Earth.

Night Sky Sights

Treasure Hunting in the Hall of the Deep-Sky King

Cepheus, the King, has hidden his treasure well but not so much that curious amateurs can't find more than enough to stuff their pockets.

Night Sky Sights

Meet Barnard’s Star, Our Red Dwarf Neighbor

This faint red dwarf star is famous not because it's bright but because it's fast-moving — you can actually see it moving across the sky if you track it over several years.