SUNSET: 
Charred Earth Hugs Star
Two independent teams have confirmed that the planet Kepler-78b is roughly Earth-size and less than twice Earth's mass, making it the smallest exoplanet with a known density.
The World of Astronomy Communicators
Almost 200 science journalists, teachers, photographers, and amateur and professional astronomers met in Warsaw, Poland, to discuss better ways of communicating astronomy with the public.
SkyWatch Now Available
Whether you're new to stargazing or an old hand, you'll find our annual SkyWatch publication the perfect guide to stargazing throughout the year. Check out a sample sky chart for free!
Why Do We Call Them "Asteroids"?
When astronomers discovered the first objects orbiting between Mars and Jupiter, at first they didn't know what to call them. Today we know them as asteroids, and the creator of that term has finally been identified.
A Galaxy Near Cosmic Dawn
Astronomers have confirmed that light from a distant galaxy is reaching us from about 700 million years after the Big Bang. The galaxy's emission hints that star formation during that era might have proceeded at a much faster rate than previously thought.
A Timely Cover-up by Ceres
Before dawn on Friday, October 25th, observers along the East Coast have an opportunity to watch the large asteroid Ceres cover a faint star — an event that could aid the forthcoming arrival of NASA's Dawn spacecraft.
Partial Solar Eclipse Sunday Morning, Nov. 3rd
Much of the world can see at least a partial eclipse of the Sun on November 3rd. Near North America's Eastern Seaboard, you can catch the partial eclipse in progress at sunrise.
Announcing the Comet ISON Photo Contest
Sky & Telescope is now accepting submissions to the Comet ISON Photo Contest!
Planck Spacecraft Shut Down
After four years of exquisite observations, the latest mission to study the universe's earliest light has been shuttered. But this end is a happy one and comes with a significant cosmological legacy.
Amateur Astronomers Report Comet Outburst
Next door to Comet ISON in the eastern pre-dawn sky, Comet C/2012 X1 (LINEAR) exploded without warning from magnitude 14 to 8.
Preserving an Astronomical Legacy
More than 220,000 fragile glass plates of yesteryear's night sky are now being preserved forever in digital form.
Professionals and Amateurs Get Together
Astronomers are building new pro-am collaborations and actively seeking participants in these projects.
(Maybe) Watch a Binary Asteroid "Wink Out"
If you live along the U.S. midsection, from California to the Mid-Atlantic states, you've got a chance to watch a star occulted by the binary asteroid Patroclus on October 20–21.
Undue Ado About Asteroid 2013 TV135
The world's news media are making a big deal about a largish near-Earth asteroid discovered on October 8th that has a very slim chance of striking Earth in 2032.
A Planetary System Out of Whack
The red giant star Kepler-56 spins on an axis offset by a bizarre 45 degrees from its transiting planets. The discovery of a third companion could explain why.
Meade Instruments Completes Merger
Meade Instruments has completed a merger agreement with affiliates of Ningbo Sunny Electronic Co., Ltd.
Huge Meteorite Pulled from Russian Lake
Meteorite specialists around the world have wondered whether a massive fragment of the Chelyabinsk mini-asteroid would ever be resurrected from the murky bottom of Lake Chebarkul in Russia. Today they got their answer.
Cloudy with a Chance of Diamonds
Researchers suspect that tiny diamonds could pepper the lower cloud decks of Jupiter and Saturn. These diamonds should be created by lightning strikes and intense atmospheric pressure.
November 3rd's Rare Solar Eclipse
Syzygially speaking, the year's big event is a "hybrid" solar eclipse with a path that zooms across the Atlantic Ocean and central Africa. Lucky viewers along the Eastern Seaboard can (carefully) view a partial solar eclipse at dawn.
Warm Glow from an Orphaned Planet
Observers have found an object floating in Capricornus, far from any star, that appears to be a free-floating planet with six times the mass of Jupiter.
