SUNSET: 
Treasure Hunting in the Hall of the Deep-Sky King
Cepheus, the King, has hidden his treasure well but not so much that curious amateurs can't find more than enough to stuff their pockets.
October 2019: Giant Planets & Bits of Comet
This month's Sky Tour let's you enjoy close pairings of the Moon with Jupiter and Saturn; explore interesting stars and constellations, and keep watch for blazing bits of Halley's Comet.
Two Eyes to Hunt Stray Planet Masses
How can we measure the masses of free-floating planets wandering around our galaxy? A new study identifies one approach that combines the power of two upcoming missions.
Exoplanet Hunter Sees a Black Hole-Shredded Star
NASA's TESS exoplanet-hunting satellite has provided astronomers with a front-row seat as a black hole shreds a close-venturing star.
Video: Black Hole Warps Light
The hypnotizing effect of a black hole on its surroundings appears to dramatic effect in this simulation.
Are There More Stars Like Boyajian’s Star?
Remember KIC 8462852, better known as Boyajian’s star (or you may have seen it referred to as the “alien megastructure” star)? We still don’t have a definitive explanation for this source’s odd behavior — in part because we thought that Boyajian’s star was one-of-a-kind.
The Clouds of Venus Puzzle Scientists
Japan’s Akatsuki spacecraft has revealed some previously unknown dynamics in the Venusian atmosphere, but their origin is far from clear.
Video: Chasing Dust Devils
Scientists are flying instrument-laden drones through whirlwinds on Earth to better understand their counterparts on other worlds in the solar system.
When Will This Trickster Volcano Erupt?
Loki, a faraway volcanic feature on Jupiter’s moon Io, is acting up and planetary scientists want to know why.
Will Amateurs Be Able to See the New Interstellar Comet?
Only the second object thus far to visit the solar system from interstellar space, Comet Borisov is expected to reach perihelion in December. What can we see now?
CubeSat to Blaze a Trail for Lunar Gateway
NASA's proposed Capstone mission could enter lunar orbit in late 2020.
100 Days Until Christmas “Ring of Fire” Eclipse
Here’s everything you need to know about the annular solar eclipse that will cross over much of Asia on December 26, 2019.
60-Second Astro News: Black Hole Hubbub
The Milky Way's black hole' flares unexpectedly, a distant black hole gets the hiccups, and a reanalysis of LIGO data shows the first detection of black hole "ringdown."
Milestone: Astronomers Discover Water Vapor on a Super-Earth
Two independent teams of astronomers have discovered the signature of water vapor in the atmosphere of super-Earth K2-18b.
Another Interstellar Visitor Is Headed Our Way
An amateur astronomer has discovered a comet that might be the second interstellar visitor after 'Oumuamua — and it's heading for its closest approach to the Sun late this year.
Planetary History Written in Saturn’s Rings
Saturn is subtly pulsing and oscillating — and those oscillations impose a pattern on its rings that could tell us about the planet’s history.
India's Chandrayaan 2 Loses Contact with Vikram Lunar Lander
India's attempt to land softly on the Moon has failed — the Chandrayaan 2 orbiter has lost contact with the Vikram lander.
Meet Barnard’s Star, Our Red Dwarf Neighbor
This faint red dwarf star is famous not because it's bright but because it's fast-moving — you can actually see it moving across the sky if you track it over several years.
Untangling Stellar Strings in the Milky Way
Long-lived, string-shaped groups of stars align with the Milky Way’s spiral arms — and they may provide clues to what those arms looked like long ago.
Volcanoes Turn Twilights Purple
A rash of unusually colorful sunsets follows in the wake of two major volcanic eruptions.
