221–240 of 5,895 results
Dark dusty disk surrounds companion star, passing in front of a more distant red giant star (art)

Stellar Science

Astronomers Discover Giant Blinking Star

A red giant star thousands of light-years away "blinked," dimming significantly for seven long years, before returning to normal.

Alpha Persei Cluster (Melotte 20)

Night Sky Sights

Meet Mirfak, the Supergiant of Perseus

Mirfak, the brightest star in the constellation Perseus, is a yellow supergiant star with an uncertain fate.

Galaxies

The James Webb Space Telescope Is Finding Too Many Early Galaxies

Images and spectra from the James Webb Space Telescope suggest that the first galaxies in the universe are too many or too bright compared to what astronomers expected.

Cloud map for 2023's annular solar eclipse

Celestial News & Events

Solar and Lunar Eclipses in 2023

Although no total lunar eclipses occur this year, skywatchers can look forward to two “central” solar eclipses — including an annular event in October whose path runs from Oregon through Texas.

Moon crossing Gemini at dusk, Jan. 6-7, 2023

Celestial News & Events

This Week's Sky at a Glance, January 6 – 14

Saturn approaches Venus in twilight, Jupiter and Mars ride high, and Mare Orientale peeks around the edhe of the Moon. And, try exploring the many double stars in Orion's Sword.

Light pollution map for North America

Save Dark Skies

Light Pollution Is Creeping Up on the World's Observatories

Astronomical observatories enjoy some of the world’s darkest night skies. But even there light pollution is spreading, a new study suggests.

Winter Pair-a-gon

Celestial Objects to Observe

Explore Double Stars in the "Winter Pair-a-gon"

The Winter Hexagon is not only key to finding six of the season's most prominent constellations but also a gateway to a more than a half-dozen delightful double stars.

Psyche Mission

Spacecraft and Space Missions

Space Missions to Watch in 2023

A tour of Jupiter’s moons and a mission to a "metal asteroid" are among the spacecraft to be launched in 2023.

People, Places, and Events

Remembering Akira Fujii (1941-2022), Photographer Par Excellence

Acclaimed astrophotographer Akira Fujii's wide-field views of the constellations, each with impeccable star images, have been a hallmark of Sky & Telescope magazine for nearly four decades.

Solar eclipse series

Celestial News & Events

What to Look For & When During a Total Solar Eclipse

Look for these astronomical and Earthbound phenomena during the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024.

Venus and Saturn on Jan 22 2023

Sky Tour Astronomy Podcast

January: Goodbye, Saturn (Hello, Venus)

For those well north of the equator, January’s long nights provide lots of time to enjoy the starry sky — and the stars of winter are spectacular! This month’s celestial highlights include a close pass of Saturn and Venus, a strong meteor shower, and much more. Our fun and factual Sky Tour podcast provides all the details.

Venus and fading Mercury after sunset, Dec. 31, 2022

This Week's Sky At a Glance

This Week's Sky at a Glance, December 30 – January 7

Venus creeps up, Saturn sinks down; in three weeks the two shall meet. The Moon meets Mars Tuesday. Orion comes into his own to rule the winter, and Sirius emerges below him.

Pillars of Creation at infrared wavelengths

Astronomy & Observing News

The Top 10 Astronomy News Stories of 2022

The James Webb Space Telescope leads our list of the top news stories of the year. See what else made the Top 10!

Astronomy in Space with David Dickinson

NASA's Mars Insight Reaches End of Mission

NASA's groundbreaking Insight lander on Mars has fallen silent.

rainbow with black lines marking where different atoms have absorbed wavelengths of light

Solar System

What Is the Sun Made Of? New Data Deepens Debate

New data from a detector tucked under a mountain in Italy has shed light on what's inside the Sun.

Celestial Objects to Observe

The Best Meteor Showers in 2023

The two richest, most reliable annual meteor showers, the Perseids and Geminids, are Moon-free in 2023. Others showers await you too.

Pleiades

Night Sky Sights

Getting Started with Your New Telescope

How to start out right with a new telescope — a guide to what you need to know, how to set it up, and things you can start finding with it in tonight's sky.

Crescent Moon passing Venus and Mercury, Dec. 24-25, 2022

This Week's Sky At a Glance

This Week's Sky at a Glance, December 23 – 31

Venus and Mercury glimmer low in the southwest in twilight. The newborn crescent Moon starts the week with them, then visits Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars as it waxes toward full.

June 2022 planets

Solar System

All Eight Planets Line Up ... Again!

Echoing summer's great arc of planets at dawn, winter presents the full octet again, this time splayed across the evening sky.

Cosmic Cliffs close-ups

Stellar Science

Deep Dive Off the Cosmic Cliffs

The James Webb Space Telescope's early-release image of the Cosmic Cliffs is revealing growth spurts in young stars.