SUNSET: 
Merged Stellar Pairs May Orbit the Milky Way’s Black Hole
The merged remnants of stellar pairs may orbit the Milky Way’s central, supermassive black hole.
Newly Discovered Asteroid Circles the Sun Inside Venus’s Orbit
Astronomers have discovered a second asteroid in the inner solar system, circling the Sun almost entirely within the orbit of Venus.
Objects at the Edge of the Solar System Behave in an Unexpected Way
In a surprise to researchers, the small, icy bodies beyond Pluto's orbit tend to rotate opposite the way they move around the Sun, which might say something about how they formed.
New Study Identifies Organic Molecules Spewing from Saturn's Icy Moon Enceladus
The discovery of a new array of molecules spouted from Enceladus indicates new promise for habitability within its frozen-over ocean.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, October 17 – 26
After checking out the two binocular comets right after dark this week, catch a double shadow transit on Jupiter and the late-night Orionid meteors.
Black Hole Eats through Star, Explodes it from Within
The longest-duration burst of gamma rays on record might mark the moment a black hole tunneled through a star and blew it up from within.
Dip a Toe in the Orionid Meteor Stream on Oct. 20-21
Circumstances are ideal for watching debris from Halley's Comet set the morning sky ablaze.
Mars Orbiters' Front-row Seats to the Interstellar Comet
Spacecraft orbiting the Red Planet will aim a suite of instruments at Comet 3I/ATLAS to capture details about this enigmatic object.
In the Footsteps of Galileo
Sky & Telescope’s 2025 “Galileo’s Italy” tour offered much more than sightseeing, as participants enjoyed multiple opportunities to stand on astronomical hallowed ground.
A “Great Wave” Is Crashing through the Milky Way
Precise measurements of stars’ motions show that a wave is propagating outward from our galaxy’s center — perhaps from a long-ago collision with another galaxy.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, October 10 – 19
Never caught a double shadow transit on Jupiter? This week offers several chances. Meanwhile, Cassiopeia stands high and the Little Dipper leans over.
Palomar's First Woman Director Leads Historic Observatory to New Era in Transient Astronomy
Astrophysicist Mansi Manoj Kasliwal, whose work has been key to understanding the changing infrared sky, is guiding Palomar Observatory into its next chapter.
Rogue World Found Gobbling Material at Unprecedented Rate
Astronomers discovered a small, free-floating object that’s accreting matter at a breakneck pace, suggesting that some planet-size worlds could form similar to stars.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, October 3 – 12
It's Harvest Moon week, when the Moon shines low and bright at nightfall for many days running. Along the way it passes edge-on Saturn.
NASA Faces Government Shutdown, Funding Fears Rise
While civil servants are furloughed or working without pay, funding for NASA remains uncertain.
Two Bright Comets Converge on Northern Hemisphere Skies
After a dearth of bright comets earlier this year, we look forward to an exciting month ahead.
October Podcast: Pegasus Leads the Way
Pegasus is a large, distinctive constellation that’s easy to spot. During October, you can use it — along with Saturn — to find some amazing celestial sights in their vicinity. Get all the details and lots more stargazing info by downloading this month’s Sky Tour podcast!
Water Worlds Might Be Few and Far Between
Primordial chemistry might destroy most of the water on sub-Neptunes; if so, there could be far fewer “water worlds” than previously thought.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, September 26 – October 5
The waxing crescent Moon crosses Scorpius on its way to a meetup with Saturn, while the Moon's own sunrise line unveils more and more lunar lands for telescopes.
NASA's VIPER Mission Has Found Another Ride to the Moon
VIPER, a water-seeking rover, has gotten a new lease on life, with a new launch vehicle and lander announced by NASA.
