SUNSET: 
Habitable Moons
It seems unlikely that life could arise on giant, gaseous exoplanets. But what about their moons?
Smarter SETI Strategy
Why the world's biggest search should reverse its strategy — and why the first signal we hear will probably come from an extremely powerful civilization extremely far away.
Finding Uranus and Neptune in 2006
Binoculars and our charts are all you need to spot these twin outer planets.
SETI Conference: Planning for a Long, Long Search
Searchers for extraterrestrial intelligence reach a humble conclusion: we don't know what we don't know.
SOFIA Saved!
The Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, slated for cancellation in NASA's 2007 budget, has been spared.
Senators Step In to Save Space Science
The US Senate is moving to boost NASA's budget and restore funding for a host of space-science missions now on the chopping block.
An Eclipsing Binary in the Trapezium
Every now and then one of the four Trapezium stars in the Orion Nebula is in eclipse; observers in the Far East will have the best view of the next event on December 12th.
Great Lakes of Titan
NASA's Cassini spacecraft has discovered the coldest beachfront property in the solar system: dozens of lakes near the north pole of Saturn's moon Titan.
Sky & Telescope Editor Honored
Sky & Telescope executive editor and Night Sky editor J. Kelly Beatty (right) receives the Harold Masursky Award from outgoing DPS chairman William B. McKinnon.Courtesy AAS / DPS. This week the American Astronomical Society's Division for Planetary Sciences (DPS) presented the 2005 Harold Masursky Award for outstanding service to planetary…
Why are there two peaks in the light curve on page 97 of the October 2005 issue?
Why are there two peaks in the light curve on page 97 of the October 2005 issue? One might imagine that a planet of the star would produce only one sharp peak on the rounded dashed line. But why two? This is an insightful question, because astronomers who use the…
Is there another planet besides Earth whose moon(s) would fit perfectly over the Sun?
It is amazing when you think about the coincidence of the Sun being 400 times bigger than our Moon, yet 400 times farther away, producing an almost perfect fit for a total solar eclipse. Is there another planet whose moon(s) would fit perfectly over the Sun, or are we just…
Where was the Big Bang located?
The commonest misconception about the Big Bang is that it happened at some particular spot in preexisting empty space.
What was that flashing light in the sky?
I'm new to astronomy (1½ months) and I live in New Jersey. Last night, July 31st, I saw a bright planet (I assume Jupiter) in the southwestern sky, and just below it what looked like an airplane with a flashing red tail marker — but it never moved. When I…
What was the cloud spotted near the western horizon August 31, 2004?
Around 9 p.m. on August 31, 2004, I saw a bright patch of light about half the size of the Moon near the western horizon. It moved slowly upward and fluctuated somewhat in brightness. Through an 8-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope here in New Bloomfield, Pennsylvania, there were two points of light…
The Future of SETI
Searches for extraterrestrial intelligence are about to expand into new realms, thanks to new advances in technology — and new thinking.
Saturn's Spare Tire
Over the last year, NASA's Cassini spacecraft has repeatedly spotted a debris pocket bulging out of one of Saturn's rings.
Watch This (Sun) Spot
Sunspots change their shape and size as they travel across the face of the Sun. Catch an evolving sunspot group caught in the act.
Mercury in the Morning
Amateurs are observing this elusive planet more successfully than ever before; try spotting it yourself.
Watch the Re-Entry of Stardust
Late Saturday night, January 14-15, skywatchers in much of the American West can watch for a dazzling artificial "meteor."
Predicting Solar Eruptions
As NASA looks to return astronauts to the Moon and send them beyond to Mars, the health hazards posed by solar explosions are a serious concern.
