SUNSET: 
This Week's Sky at a Glance, August 4 – 13
We're approaching the peak of the Perseid meteors. Vega claims the zenith as the Teapot claims the south. In twilight, Mars has a friendly but not very intimate date with Mercury.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, July 28 – August 6
Venus turns super-interesting and then disappears. Mercury lingers behind it in twilight. So does little Mars in third place. On the other side of the sky, the Moon passes Saturn.
Explore the Night with Bob King
View the Thin Crescent of Venus
With Venus approaching inferior conjunction in August here's a foolproof way to follow its thinning crescent as the planet transitions from Evening Star to Morning Star.
See Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks in Outburst!
Comet Pons-Brooks, a dim comet on its way to a great apparition next spring, suddenly sprang into action overnight, brightening by five magnitudes. Now you can see it in a 4-inch telescope.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, July 21 – 30
Low in twilight, Mercury consorts with Venus and squeaks by Regulus. The waxing gibbous Moon does what it does every July: crosses Scorpius and Sagittarius.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, July 14 – 23
Venus, Mercury, and Mars, very unequal, gather low in the western twilight with the crescent Moon stepping over them and Regulus in their midst. And do you know which way the Kite of Boötes bends?
This Week's Sky at a Glance, July 7 – 16
Mars meets Regulus while Venus looks on. Scorpius comes to its July height — bearing its double stars, Cat's Eyes, and Little Cat's Eyes. And keep a lookout for noctilucent clouds at the end of dusk.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, June 30 – July 9
Full Moon in the Teapot. Are the colors of brights easier to discern in moonlight? Twilight? Mars closes in on Regulus as Venus watches. And the supernova in the Pinwheel Galaxy is still 12th magnitude.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, June 23 – July 3
Venus almost meets Mars in the western twilight, then runs away. Vega and Arcturus become equally balanced across the zenith. Down from Vega hangs the Summer Triangle.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, June 16 – 25
Venus and Mars are getting closer together in the western dusk. And why does Mars always turn so puny when it approaches Venus? The "Betelgeuse of Summer" is up, and the Little Dipper stands on end.
Explore the Night with Bob King
Eking Out Observing from under Wildfire Smoke
Smoke from Canadian wildfires has made observing the night sky a challenge for many. Here are some ways you can make the best of a bad situation.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, June 9 – 18
Now it's Venus's turn to pass the Beehive, with Leo looming over. The Summer Triangle lofts high. And the supernova in M101, near the Big Dipper, remains 11th magnitude.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, June 2 – 11
Venus shining in the dusk says goodbye to Pollux, hello to Mars. . . which is busy crossing the Beehive Cluster. Arcturus stands straight over Spica after dark, and Kochab stands straight over Polaris, it's that time of year.
Find a Horizon and Savor the Bending of Light
The full Strawberry Moon on June 3rd invites us to experience the refractive power of Earth's atmosphere.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, May 26 – June 4
Venus starts the week under Pollux and Castor, then lines up with them. Nearby, Mars steps on the Beehive. In the south the Bootes kite flies high.
Bright Supernova Blazes in M101, the Pinwheel Galaxy
A supergiant star exploded as a supernova in the prominent galaxy M101 in Ursa Major. It's now bright enough to see in a 4.5-inch telescope!
This Week's Sky at a Glance, May 19 – 28
As Venus and Mars move toward each other in the western dusk, Venus brightens and Mars shrinks — just like they always do. This week the waxing Moon hops over both.
Explore the Night with Bob King
See the Moon-Jupiter Trifecta: Conjunction, Occultation, and Double-Shadow Transit
The May 17th dawn pairing of Jupiter and the Moon may be one of the most amazing conjunctions you'll ever see.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, May 12 – 21
Mars and Venus each line up with a pair of stars this week. And with the Milky Way lying all around the horizon, the Coma Berenices Star Cluster floats overhead.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, May 5 – 14
Big, macho Venus is closing in on wimpy little Mars in the western sky at dusk. Venus says hi to M35 on the way. In early dawn, the waning Moon guides the way to Saturn.
