SUNSET: 
May 20th's Annular Eclipse of the Sun
On Sunday afternoon, those in central or western United States will have a "ringside" seat to the annular eclipse. Look here for links to last-minute planning tools — including weather forecasts along the track!
How Many Rogue Planets Are There in the Milky Way?
A new analysis suggests that "nomad" planets, ejected from their home stellar systems and now adrift in the icy dark of interstellar space., could outnumber stars by as many as 100,000 to 1.
Tour March's Sky! | February 28th, 2012
Venus and Jupiter form a dazzling pair after sunset, but they're just the opening act in a sky full of bright planets and late-winter stars.
Changes in Latitude
Hundreds of observers, who'd grown tired of cold, dreary midwinter skies, headed to the Florida Keys last week. There they viewed the heavens in shirtsleeve weather at the 28th annual Winter Star Party.
Great Heights Reached with Gaffer Tape
Spectacular photos of Earth’s curvature from the atmosphere are just one balloon and camera click away. Able to reach an altitude of more than 20 miles, so-called space balloons are an inexpensive hobby for those with an eye for the sky.
Old S&T Buildings: Going, Going, Gone!
The converted homes that housed Sky & Telescope's editorial offices for six decades bit the dust yesterday, literally, as demolition crews tore them down.
Mars and Moon: Not Dead Yet?
The Martian and lunar surfaces were thought to be geologically dead. But twitches of recent activity are turning up in extreme closeups from orbiting spacecraft.
Venus During the Day
The Venus-Moon conjunction on Saturday, February 25th, is an ideal opportunity to view Venus during broad daylight.
In Memoriam, Star-style
Twenty-five years ago, a star exploded in the Large Magellanic Cloud. The first easily seen supernova since before astronomers turned telescopes to study the heavens, the explosion heralded a new age of astronomy.
Don't Miss the Brightest Objects in the Night Sky
The night's six or seven brightest objects are all visible simultaneously in late February and early March.
GJ 1214b: A Steam-Bath World
Ever since its discovery in 2009, an exoplanet orbiting a nearby, red-dwarf star has attracted lots of attention from astronomers. New Hubble observations confirm that GJ 1214b is most likely enveloped in a steamy, superheated atmosphere.
Wednesday's Mercury-Moon Challenge
Shortly after sunset on Wednesday, February 22nd, Mercury will be paired with an extraordinarily thin crescent Moon very low in the west.
Closure Looms for Keck Interferometer
With NASA funding ending, astronomers will soon shut down the optical plumbing that links the giant Keck telescopes — the most powerful interferometer of its kind on the planet.
Venus on the Rise
Noticed an exceptionally bright beacon in the evening sky? The planet Venus has begun its highest foray up the sky's dome, surprising at least one casual observer as it prepares for its conjunction with the Moon and Jupiter in March.
No Winds of Change for Eta Carinae
Faint echoes from the massive, hot star’s Great Eruption suggest that a standard explanation for that event may not match what really happen. Not conclusive, the new study is sure to kick off debate among stellar astronomers.
Sunspots' Secrets Unraveling
For the first time, astronomers have detected an elusive molecule in the cool interiors of sunspots that might help them understand what causes the phenomena and better predict changes in space weather.
New Evidence for Ancient Martian Ocean
For decades planetary scientists have speculated about whether a huge depression that dominates the northern hemisphere of Mars was once flooded with water eons ago. Now radar soundings are showing that the answer might be "yes".
The Dwarfs are for the Dwarfs
Two teams of astronomers have independently announced the detection of a dwarf galaxy being eaten by another dwarf galaxy, NGC 4449. Seen in this image as a faint swipe of red stars, the satellite will probably be shredded after only a few orbits of its host, adding its stars to that galaxy's collection.
Comet Garradd Stays the Course
Comet Garradd (C/2009 P1) was closest to Earth in early March. So the moonless period in mid-March is your best remaining chance to view this remarkable comet, which is now conveniently placed in the evening sky.
The Spin's the Thing
Astrophysicists’ new work suggests that a black hole spits out a more powerful jet if it’s spinning the same direction as the hot material falling into it. The conclusion adds to an ongoing debate about how (or whether) the direction of a black hole's spin affects the outflow it spews into space.
