SUNSET: 
This Week's Sky at a Glance, January 19 – 28
Jupiter shines high, bright, and obvious after dusk. Mercury and Mars glimmer low, dim, and elusive for their close conjunction in the dawn.
Solar and Lunar Eclipses in 2024
Although no total lunar eclipses occur this year, skywatchers can look forward to two “central” solar eclipses — including a much-awaited total eclipse that spans the U.S. from Texas to New England.
Clouds, Large and Small, of the Southern Sky
Jonathan Nally sets out to explore the Southern Hemisphere sky, starting with two uniquely southern sights: the Small and Large Magellanic Clouds.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, January 12 – 21
The evening Moon passes Saturn, then Jupiter. Venus and Mercury march in lockstep in the eastern dawn. Capella, as always, paces Orion's bright foot. And who's winning the Sirius-Betelgeuse race?
The Best Meteor Showers in 2024
The beloved Perseid meteor shower of the August vacation season will evade the moonlight in 2024, at least during the best early morning meteor-watching hours. The Lyrids and Geminids aren't so lucky.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, January 5 – 14
How does the Sirius-Procyon balance, newly risen, tilt for you? Depends on your latitude! Meanwhile, Triangulum and Aries teeter in balance on Jupiter.
Catch Luyten's Star and the Quadrantid Meteor Shower
Relish the slow, steady pace of nearby Luyten's Star then switch things up with speedy meteors from a well-timed shower.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, December 29 – January 5
Scintillating Sirius rises ever earlier to scintillate in colors. The Quadrantid meteors in the Thursday-morning dark are well timed for Eastern North America. Two triangle constellations stack over Jupiter.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, December 22 – 31
Christmas week this year puts the late-night Moon at the highest overhead you'll ever see it. High Jupiter lights the evening. Venus is the bright "star" lower in the east at dawn.
Watch Jupiter's Moons in Unusual Lineups
You'll have five opportunities in the coming months to see Jupiter's moons in interesting alignments.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, December 15 – 24
The waxing Moon passes Saturn, jumps over Jupiter, then jumps the Pleiades. Sirius and Procyon rise earlier, but the Summer Triangle still hangs on.
Vesta Sets Sail Across Orion
Look who's visiting this winter in Orion: Vesta, a bright asteroid with a dark side.
Get Ready to Greet the Geminid Meteor Shower!
The year's most spectacular meteor shower is upon us. Prepare to enjoy the Geminids under a dark, moonless sky, when you might see more than 100 meteors per hour.
Asteroid to Cover Betelgeuse on Night of December 11-12 (Updated: Livestream Link)
Astronomers are gearing up for an unusual celestial event: an asteroid’s occultation of an iconic star.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, December 8 – 17
The best meteor shower of the year peaks late Wednesday night. And if you're not positioned to see the tiny asteroid occult Betelgeuse Monday evening, watch by livestream!
This Week's Sky at a Glance, December 1 – 9
These moonless evenings open up the deep sky. For many of us the viewing is especially crisp through the low-humidity December air. The Big Dipper lies low, Cassiopeia stands high, and the Andromeda Galaxy crosses the zenith.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, November 24 – December 3
This Tuesday the 28th we will see the Moon rise in twilight as far north as it possibly can. Do you know why?
How Did the Ancients Predict Eclipses? The Saros Cycle
Before the advent of computers or even a working theory of the solar system, the ancients predicted solar eclipses. How did they do it?
Watch Uranus's Moon Titania Cover a Star Monday Night
Observers across much of the U.S. and Canada have a unique opportunity Monday night, November 20–21, to see Uranus's brightest moon occult a star.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, November 17 – 26
The bright gibbous Moon this week passes Saturn, then Jupiter, inviting telescopes of all sizes. And as winter approaches, Orion rises earlier and earlier.
