SUNSET: 
All-Sky Survey Sees Millions of Stars
A collaboration between professional and amateur astronomers is producing a careful map of stellar brightnesses and colors across the entire night sky. The survey should fill a hole that sometimes hampers quick, accurate measurements of events such as supernovae.
Small Planets’ Evolutionary Edge
The discovery that planets can form around a variety of stars — and not just specific types, as previously thought — might open the floodgates on the search for habitable worlds in the galaxy.
X-ray Telescope Launches Successfully
NuSTAR, the first telescope to focus high-energy X-rays, launched today after 20 years of planning.
Starstruck: The Fine Art of Astrophotography
A large astrophotography exhibit opens at Bates College in Lewiston, Maine.
Failed Stars Oddly Rare
Astronomers hunting for brown dwarfs in our solar neighborhood have been thrown a surprise: these star wannabes are far less common than previously thought.
M31 to Hit Milky Way Head-On
If anyone's still around 4 billion years from now, they'll have a ringside seat for a true clash of titans, as the Milky Way and Andromeda galaxies smash into each other and merge.
NASA’s New Spy Scopes
Out of the blue, NASA finds itself the new owner of two new Hubble-class space telescopes sitting in a warehouse, courtesy of a spy agency that didn't want them. But like many gifts, they aren't exactly free.
2012 Venus Transit: S&T Reports
Clouds, veering cabbies, and old optics didn’t deter committed spectators of this last-chance astronomical event.
ALMA Coming Together
As one of the world's greatest new telescopes takes shape, preliminary results impress.
Transits of Venus in History: 1769-today
Read the third and final chapter of transits of Venus in history, as the transits went from being a crucial scientific measurement to an observing curiosity.
Transits of Venus in History: 1631-1716
Read the full account — in three parts — of the history behind the upcoming transit of Venus.
Transits of Venus in History: 1761
Read the next chapter in the history of the transit of Venus, the fantastic voyages in 1761.
Closure Nears for Two Observatories
Although not a total surprise, a decision announced on May 31st by the United Kingdom's Science and Technology Facilities Council means that two long-time residents of Mauna Kea's observatory complex might soon be shut down.
The "Exoplanet" Venus
Observing the Transit of Venus won’t be just a memorable experience. Astronomers hope the event will help them understand alien worlds around other stars, too.
Tour July's Sky! | May 30th, 2012
This month, you can see a pair of planets before sunrise and another pair after sunset. In each case, one of them is situated near a bright star.
What is the Black-Drop Effect?
The famous (or infamous) black-drop effect earned its place in history long before astronomers knew what caused it.
Exotic Objects Test Einstein’s Theory
Pulsars, supermassive black holes, and white dwarfs are all tools in astronomers' arsenals as they continue to push Einstein's theory of general relativity to its limits.
Transits of Venus Explained
The transits of Venus are separated alternately by 8, 105, or 121½ years, making June 5-6's transit the last we'll see in our lifetimes. Find out the method behind the madness of Venus's transit cycle.
Afghans Reach for the Stars
Reach for the Stars aims to bring astronomy back into Afghanistan’s elementary school curriculum in a way that resonates with the region’s culture and history.
Your Viewing Guide to the Transit of Venus
The upcoming transit of Venus is one of those rare and momentous spectacles in observational astronomy that you absolutely don't want to miss. Read about what you can expect to see.
