Spirit Gets High on Mars
Nothing is more satisfying after a climb than a hard-earned view from the top — Spirit has finally reached the summit of Husband Hill.
Venus and Jupiter Kiss in Twilight
This evening brings the much-awaited conjunction of the two brightest planets low in the west-southwest.
Astro Image in the News:
Dragon in the Sky
Courtesy Gemini Observatory. Famous nebulae such as the North America (NGC 7000) and Swan (M17) nebulae look more or less like the objects they are named after. In keeping with that tradition, astronomers might consider assigning the moniker "the Dragon Nebula" to NGC 6559 in Sagittarius. As shown in this…
Supernova in M51
A 14th-magnitude supernova is shining near the nucleus of the Whirlpool Galaxy, M51, after being discovered by an amateur astronomer on June 28, 2005.
Astro News Briefs: August 1521
American Association of Variable Star Observers's fall meeting
Seeing the Milky Way Take Shape
Our galaxy has been redrawn to include a galactic bar that is longer and thinner than previously thought.
Perseids 2005: A First Report
Despite only average rates, this year's shower brought an unusual proportion of bright meteors.
Astro News Briefs: August 814
NASA's next Mars mission and the "10th planet's" size might grow more.
The Whirlpool's Supernova Surprises
German amateur astronomers Werner Klug and Hermann von Eiff captured SN 2005cs (arrowed) on July 9th, a little more than a week after its discovery. The supernova flared in the Whirlpool Galaxy (M51).Courtesy Werner Klug and Hermann von Eiff. On June 28th, German amateur Wolfgang Kloehr discovered a 14th-magnitude supernova…
Proto-Sunshine at Work
Sulfur compounds in ancient meteorites hold clues to our solar system's fiery birth.
Table Mountain Star Party: 25 Years and Going Strong
Some 700 amateur astronomers from around the world enjoyed a solid week of blue-sky days and starlight nights at this year's Table Mountain Star Party.
An Asteroid with Two Moons
An artist depicts 87 Sylvia and its two known moons. The main-belt asteroid is the first minor planet known to possess two satellites. The exact shapes of the three bodies are unknown, but 87 Sylvia is elongated.Courtesy European Southern Observatory. When NASA's Galileo spacecraft flew by the asteroid 243 Ida…
Japanese Space Observatory Suffers Loss
The Japanese/American Suzaku X-ray observatory has lost the use of its flagship instrument.
Closing In on Gamma-Ray Bursts
This illustration shows two neutron stars spiraling toward each other. When the two compact objects merge, they form a black hole. According to theory, two short-lived jets shoot away from the black hole, generating a short gamma-ray burst.Courtesy NASA. Thanks to the Swift and HETE-2 satellites, astronomers have just gotten…
Mars at Its All-Time Finest
Never before in human history has such a golden opportunity to observe the red planet presented itself, so make the most of it with our Mars observing guide for 2003.
Celestial Highlights for 2005
Eclipses, conjunctions, and occultations will keep observers worldwide busy during the upcoming year. Here's a summary of what's in store.
The Survivor Planet
A deep image of the Gliese 86 system taken at the Very Large Telescope in Chile reveals a faint white dwarf (left) about 21 astronomical units from the overexposed primary star (right). A planet orbits the primary, which proves that planets can survive a nearby star's evolution through the red-giant…
Astronomers Discover Large Binary Kuiper Belt Object
Two groups of astronomers have discovered a large Kuiper Belt object that has its own little moon.