SUNSET: 
Does a Fifth Force Permeate the Universe?
A team of theoretical physicists thinks a fifth force could explain an anomaly spotted in a nuclear physics experiment. If true, it could have huge ramifications for particle physics and dark matter — but that’s a pretty big if.
Two Planet Pairs Perform at Dusk
As twilight fades for the rest of August, follow two planetary groupings happening at dusk in different parts of the sky.
Amateurs Help Discover Pulsing White Dwarf
Amateur astronomers worked together with the pros in the discovery of the pulsing white dwarf in the variable system known as AR Scorpii. Hear from Josch Hambsch, one of the amateurs on the team, on what it was like to take part.
Tabby’s Star: Weird Star Gets Weirder
A new study on KIC 8462852, the star of alien megastructure fame, finds yearlong trends that effectively rule out the one working theory astronomers had to explain this strange star.
Yes, the Perseids Did Quite Nicely!
Many observers who had a dark, starry sky late last night (Aug. 11-12, 2016) were rewarded with an especially rich Perseid meteor shower. And it's probably not over yet.
1967 Solar Flare Nearly Took U.S. and Soviets to Brink of War
An historical study from former U.S. military officials found that a solar flare was nearly responsible for military conflict with the Soviet Union in May 1967.
Dawn at Ceres: The Inside Story
Careful tracking of NASA's Dawn spacecraft reveals that Ceres has a rocky core and a thick ice-and-salt crust. Maybe a briny ocean still lies buried inside.
Titan’s Flooded Canyons
Cassini radar observations reveal a channel system on Saturn’s biggest moon, Titan, that is drowned in liquid methane.
Dark-Sky RV Parks in the U.S.
Watching the Perseids from an RV park? Find campgrounds with dark skies that are ideal for observing meteor showers and other celestial sights.
Search for Fourth Neutrino Goes Cold
The Antarctic observatory known as IceCube has ruled out the existence of a fourth type of neutrino particle — and one-time dark matter contender — known as the light sterile neutrino.
A Real Scorcher! — Sirius At Heliacal Rising
Make a connection to a time when stars were used to track seasons and predict natural events by watching the heliacal rising of Sirius.
Will You See a Bumper Crop of Perseid Meteors?
After the Moon sets on August 11–12, the Perseid meteor shower could be unusually rich.
Possible Replacement for Hitomi
JAXA and NASA are looking at the possibility of replacing the dead Hitomi X-ray observatory, with a potential launch around 2020.
Cloud Punches Hole in Milky Way
An intergalactic cloud has slammed into the Milky Way Galaxy and left a big hole.
Sending 37,000 Solar Glasses to Africa for September's Annular Eclipse
Astronomers Without Borders wants to equip children across Africa with the solar shades they'll need to see September 1st's annular eclipse. Here's how they'll do it.
Comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1 Blows Its Top . . . Again!
An otherwise faint and distant periodic comet underwent a bright outburst at the end of last month. Now it's visible in amateur telescopes at nightfall.
Tour August's Sky: Planets Aplenty
Download or play Sky & Telescope's astronomy podcast, and you'll get a guided tour of the night sky. In early evening look for Mars and Saturn embedded in Scorpius toward south, and key an eye out for Perseid meteors.
Students Discover a Galactic Eye of Horus
Undergraduate students in Japan stumbled upon a rare lensing of two distinct background galaxies.
Delta Aquariids Kick Off Summer Meteor Showers
The meteors are coming! Three annual meteor showers are already active and guaranteed to spark up your summer nights.
NASA’s K2 Mission Confirms 100+ Exoplanets
Kepler’s K2 mission has confirmed 104 new exoplanets — including a rocky, four-planet system.
