SUNSET: 
A Great Year for the Perseids
The most dependable of all meteor showers reaches the peak of its display in a moonless sky.
A Late-Night Jupiter Occultation
The waning Moon covers bright Jupiter before dawn on December 7th for observers in the eastern two-thirds of the US and Canada.
Celestial Highlights for 2004
Eclipses, occultations, comets, and a transit of Venus — it’s going to be an exciting year for observers.
Catch Comet Machholz at Its Best
For observers in the northern hemisphere, all the circumstances are at their best in the first half of January for viewing this fine little comet.
Call for Observations: Saturn's Moons
Advanced amateurs with CCD-equipped telescopes are encouraged to measure the "opposition effect" — a brightening expected to occur in the Saturnian system during this upcoming opposition (January 13–14).
A Beautiful Lunar Eclipse
Clear skies throughout much of the Americas and parts of Europe and Africa allowed millions of people to enjoy a beautiful lunar eclipse during the evening of Nov. 8–9, 2003.
The Geminids: An Exception to the Rule
The source of December's annual Geminid meteor shower is not what you might expect.
Comet Machholz Observed
Comet Machholz, C/2004 Q2, continues to brighten on schedule as it moves toward the northern sky.
New Comet Heading Sunward
Comet Bradfield is plainly visible in this image acquired by SOHO's LASCO C3 coronagraph on April 18, 2004. The Sun is in mid-frame, hidden by an occulting disk. Comet ASAS will not appear as bright and, unlike Bradfield, may not survive its close encounter with the Sun.Courtesy SOHO. Grzegorz Pojmanski…
Machholz Discovers His 10th Comet
This new comet, discovered August 27, 2004, will be well positioned for Northern Hemisphere observers by year's end.
Orionids in a (Reasonably) Dark Sky
This is a fairly good year for observing the annual Orionid meteor shower, whose maximum generally lasts from around October 20th to 26th.
The Moon Meets Jupiter and Venus
The crescent Moon joins Jupiter and Venus in the east at dawn to create a beautiful scene on November 9th and 10th.
The World-Series Eclipse
Scattered clouds seemed to be the norm across most of the eastern parts of Europe and almost all of the Americas: the visibility zone of the last total lunar eclipse until 2007.
October's Ideal Lunar Eclipse
The total lunar eclipse on October 27th is beautifully timed and placed for skywatchers in the Americas. Don't miss it: it's the last one until 2007.
November Meteors
Two meteor showers peak this month: the weak Taurids produce up to 8 or 10 meteors per hour throughout early and mid-November while the Leonids peak on the morning of the 17th.
September Taurids Again?
The September Taurids might peak on the evening of September 13–14, which coincides with the new Moon. The exact date and time of maximum activity, however, are uncertain.
Sunspots Visible
After weeks of having a face free of large blemishes, the Sun now sports a Jupiter-sized spot, large enough to be visible without magnification if you use a safe solar filter.
LINEAR Puts in an Appearance
Comet LINEAR is visible to midnorthern observers until late June, after which it becomes a Southern Hemisphere object.
Two Comets Head North
Early in June midnorthern observers can see Comet NEAT high in the western evening sky at about 4th magnitude and LINEAR emerging low in the west-southwest a little past its prime.
Five Planets In a Twilight Sky
Until early April, all five planets that are ever visible to the unaided eye shine at once during dusk.
