SUNSET: 
The Appearance of a Black Hole’s Shadow
In April of this year, the Event Horizon Telescope captured the first detailed images of the shadow of a black hole. In a new study, a team of scientists has now explored what determines the size and shape of black hole shadows like this one.
New Method May Expedite Search for Exoplanets with Atmospheres
A team of astronomers propose screening exoplanets by their temperatures to determine whether they host an atmosphere — and are worth following up.
Counting Stars in the Great Square
Test the limits of your vision — and the darkness of your sky — by taking a plunge into the Great Square of Pegasus.
Heavyweight Black Hole Find Mystifies Astronomers
Observations of a star have found it orbiting an unexpectedly massive black hole. If the discovery pans out, it would change our understanding of how massive stars die.
Three Black Holes May Merge in Nearby Galaxy
New observations of a galactic crash site show that there are not just two but three supermassive black holes on the verge of union. Two of them are only 650 light-years apart, the closest pair known.
Meteor Shower Was a Dud, But Showing Up Was Half the Fun
The Alpha Monocerotids happened as predicted, even if not quite as we expected.
Astronomers See Extreme Photons from Collapsing Massive Stars
Astronomers have detected a long-sought signal from gamma-ray bursts — the highest-energy photons ever seen from these events.
Report from the 2019 Advanced Imaging Conference
S&T Associate Editor Sean Walker gives a rundown of last week's astro-imaging conference.
Remembering Dr. Michael D. Reynolds, 1954 – 2019
Mike Reynolds, passionate astronomy educator and former executive director of the Association of Lunar & Planetary Observers (ALPO), passed away suddenly on October 15th.
Meet Altair, the Eagle’s Eye
Altair, centerpiece of Aqulia, the Eagle, is the twelfth-brightest star in the night sky and one of the closest stars to Earth.
First Global Geological Map of Saturn’s Moon Titan Released
Working with data from NASA’s Cassini mission, scientists have produced the first global map of Titan’s geological features.
New Horizons Flyby Target Receives Official Name: Arrokoth
When NASA's New Horizons flew by a distant Kuiper Belt Object on New Year's Day, they nicknamed it "Ultima Thule." Now, the object has received an official moniker: Arrokoth.
Hayabusa 2 Leaves Asteroid Ryugu and Heads Home
The Hayabusa 2 spacecraft has completed its mission at asteroid Ryugu — including collecting samples — and is now journeying back to Earth.
Do You Take Spectra? Here's Where to Store Your Data — and Contribute to Science
A new database from the American Association of Variable Star Observers enables astronomers (amateur and professional alike) to store data from any variable object in the sky.
The (Almost) Re-Opening of the Yerkes Observatory
Yerkes Observatory, a historic, castle-like building built to house a gigantic telescope, may soon reopen if all goes according to plan.
Intense Meteor Storm Expected from the Alpha Monocerotids
Circle the date November 21st on your calendar, when a brief but potentially spectacular meteor storm might light up the night.
Capturing the Transit of Mercury
Though clouds blocked the sky for many yesterday, those with a clear view had the chance to see tiny Mercury cross the face of the Sun.
SpaceX Launches Latest Batch of Starlink Satellites
A second set of 60 Starlink satellites take to space, amid promise and controversy.
Don't Miss Monday's Rare Transit of Mercury
On Monday, November 11th, Mercury will pass directly in front of the Sun and look a tiny black dot silhouetted against the brilliant solar disk. The event, called a transit, occurs approximately 13 times a century.
Observations Confirm Lensing Planet Discovered by Amateur
Follow-up observations of an amateur-discovered exoplanet show that the planet orbits its star at the snow line, where ice giants may form.
