SUNSET: 
Long-Ago Supernovae Littered Earth
Roughly 2 million years ago, as the human ancestor homo erectus was descending from the trees, two supernovae exploded nearby and showered Earth with debris.
Up, Up, and Away with Comet 252P
With the Moon finally put to bed and Comet 252P still bright, there's no better time than now to see it. Nearby Mars and Saturn only sweeten the deal.
Crescent Moon To Cover Aldebaran
On Sunday afternoon, April 10th, you'll see the waxing crescent Moon hanging high in a sunny blue sky if the weather is as good as we hope it'll be. Look with a telescope from nearly anywhere in North America, and you can find something else too. Somewhere in the Moon's…
Navy Resumes Celestial Navigation Course
Modern security threats have brought back an old method — celestial navigation — to help U.S. Navy sailors navigate the high seas.
It's International Dark-Sky Week!
What began as a student's simple idea a decade ago has grown into a worldwide celebration of the night sky and easy ways to reduce light pollution.
April 1st Astronomy Hijinks
In breaking news today, astronomers have discovered Pi in the sky, proposed a revolutionary search for extraterrestrial environmentalism . . . and oh yes, April Fools’!
Tour April's Sky: Morning & Evening Planets
This month's astronomy podcast takes you on a guided tour of the night sky. You'll find Mars and Saturn near each other before dawn, while Jupiter and Mercury join the fading constellations of winter in the evening sky after sunset.
Hot Nights, Hotter Days on Exoplanet 55 Cancri e
A new thermal map of a super-Earth exoplanet is puzzling astronomers.
Spectral Types For Spring Nights
Hidden within the subtle hues of the stars are the keys to their temperatures and compositions. Get acquainted with the classic OBAFGKM spectral sequence through real stars you can see on a spring night.
Another Impact on Jupiter?
Two amateur videos shot early on March 17th show a brief but bright flash on the edge of Jupiter's disk. Did the King of Planets get whacked again?
Astronomers Gauge Spin in Black Hole Duo
Astronomers have measured the spin of one of the universe's most massive black holes — and provided evidence that the behemoth has a companion.
Malfunction Cripples Hitomi X-ray Observatory
Ground controllers are scrambling to recover the Hitomi satellite from a mysterious 'debris anomaly' over the past weekend.
Pluto's Atmosphere Confounds Researchers
Observations by NASA's New Horizons spacecraft, combined with new modeling of long-term trends, suggest that Pluto's atmosphere is far more dynamic than anyone imagined.
Hidden Galaxies Revealed
Astronomers studying the infrared glow that pervades the universe have pinned down its source: dusty, faint, and faraway galaxies.
Comet 252P Zooms North, BA14 Grows Tail
Splintered comet duo 252P/LINEAR and P/2016 BA14 liven up both dusk and dawn this week. Naked-eye 252P finally debuts in northern skies, while BA14 makes a beeline through the Big Dipper.
Mars Gravity Map
By tracking deviations in spacecraft orbits, planetary scientists have created a high-resolution map of the Red Planet's gravitational pull.
Super Spiral Galaxies
Astronomers have identified 53 “super spirals” — spiral galaxies that are huge and incredibly luminous — as part of a project exploring archived observations.
Comet PanSTARRS 2016's Historic Flyby of Earth
Not one, but two, possibly related comets will make exceptionally close flybys of Earth on March 21–22. Here's what we know and a guide on how to see them.
ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter Heads to Space
The launch of ESA's ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter and Schiaparelli lander heralds a new phase of Mars exploration.
Galactic Archaelogy in the Milky Way Halo
The motions of thirteen stars in our galaxy’s halo outline a shell-like structure, perhaps the remains of an ancient galactic collision.
