SUNSET: 
A Star Count for Everyone
Take part in this year's Great World Wide Star Count, and you'll be joining thousands of other "citizen scientists" in raising dark-sky awareness around the globe.
Comet Hergenrother Puts on a Show
Astronomers predicted that Comet 168P/Hergenrother wouldn't get any brighter than 15th magnitude this month. But the comet had other ideas: an ongoing outburst has brightened it to within reach of medium-size backyard telescopes.
A "Dream Comet" Heading Our Way?
Veteran skywatchers are trying to contain their enthusiasm for Comet ISON, which, late in 2013, could become the brightest comet in decades.
Uranus's Rare Close Encounter
The planet Uranus is spectacularly close to an almost identically bright star throughout late September.
Big Breakout on Jupiter
One of the big planet's iconic dark belts has been roiling with activity, rewarding observers with the most dramatic eruptions there since 1926.
Bright Fireball Spotted Near Jupiter
Amateur astronomers have spotted a brief flare of light on Jupiter, the third such explosion in as many years. The impactor was too small to penetrate deeply enough into the Jovian upper atmosphere, and no impact "scar" has been seen.
How to See Near-Earth Asteroid 2012 QG42
A fair-sized chunk of rock will pass unusually close to Earth this week. If you don’t have a telescope, dark skies, or a clear night, watch its close approach broadcast live from the Virtual Telescope Project.
Tour September's Sky! | August 31st, 2012
Some of this month's sky sights are low down along the horizon: Saturn and Mars in the west after sunset, the first-quarter Moon in the south, and Jupiter when it rises around midnight in the east.
Americans Will See Total Solar Eclipse in 2017
Mark your calendars for August 21, 2017 — when the Moon's umbral shadow will race coast to coast across the United States for the first time in nearly a century.
Tour October's Sky! | August 27th, 2012
Mars is managing to hang on low in the west after sunset, while in the east you'll see the Square of Pegasus and, later on, the giant planet Jupiter.
August 13th's Occultation of Venus
If you're up for a bit of a challenge, drag out your telescope to watch a thin crescent Moon glide over brilliant Venus. This cover-up is a daylight event in the U.S., but it occurs in dark skies before dawn on the 14th for lucky observers in Japan.
Perseids at Their Prime
The annual Perseid meteor shower peaks this weekend, providing skywatchers with a great opportunity to see some incoming bits of the cosmos.
Mars in the Evening Spotlight
This week countless space buffs will be riveted by Curiosity's arrival at Mars — which can be found, along with Saturn and Spica, in the west after dusk.
Jupiter's Disappearing Act
Skywatchers across the Eastern Hemisphere looked on as the King of Planets briefly ducked behind the Moon on July 15th.
July 15th's Occultation of Jupiter
Lucky skywatchers in Europe and northern Asia can watch a waning crescent Moon slide over Jupiter and its Galilean satellites in the hours before and after Sunday morning's dawn.
Auroras Likely July 14-15
Strong auroras are likely this weekend at high latitudes and possible at middle latitudes.
Sunspot 1520 Rolls Into View
The Sun's spottiness continues with a giant magnetic blotch stretched just below its equator.
Yet Another Nova in Sagittarius
For the fourth time this year, a star has erupted into prominence in the same constellation. This one is relatively bright and easy to spot from your backyard.
Predawn Treats for Early Risers
If you can get yourself out of bed early, spectacular predawn vistas await your eyes, binoculars, and telescope over the next week.
Possible Nova in Sagittarius
If you've got a clear, dark view toward the southern horizon, try your hand at spotting a flaring star that has brightened to near 9th magnitude in northwest Sagittarius.
