SUNSET: 
February Podcast: Orion and His Cosmic Critters
As told in this month’s Sky Tour astronomy podcast, Orion, the Hunter, dominates February’s evening sky, but he seems unaware of the cosmic prey that surrounds him.
The Best Comets to Look for in 2024
If you like chasing comets, here's a guide to the year's best and brightest.
NASA Ends Mars Ingenuity Helicopter Mission
NASA’s ground-breaking Ingenuity helicopter, part of the Perseverance mission, comes to a rest on the Red Planet.
Asteroid 2024 BX1: From a Light in the Sky to Rocks on the Ground
The asteroid 2024 BX1 went from a moving dot of light to rocks on the ground in mere hours — and amateur astronomers were critical to both discovery and recovery.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, January 26 – February 4
Orion anchors both the Winter Triangle and the Winter Hexagon. So does the Meat Cleaver in Canis Major. Jupiter regards them from high to their right.
Citizen Scientist Wins Prestigious AAS Award
The American Astronomical Society recognized Dan Caselden’s contributions to science at their recent winter meeting.
How Strong Is Dark Energy? Intriguing Findings from New Supernova Catalog
The largest sample of Type Ia supernovae ever made by a single telescope sheds light on dark energy.
Meet Bellatrix, the Amazon Star
It's fitting that Bellatrix, the star at Orion's other shoulder, takes the name of "woman warrior," but it wasn't always that way.
Mystery Objects Uncovered in Globular Clusters
Astronomers have found two different star clusters with an enigmatic source inside. Are these objects neutron stars or black holes?
The Milky Way Might Have Started Out Shaped Like a Pickle
Faraway dwarf galaxies in the universe's distant past — which will become modern Milky Ways — have an unexpectedly stretched-out appearance.
Japan's "Sniper" Mission Pinpoints Landing on the Moon — Then Shuts Down
In a first for Japan, the SLIM mission stuck a pinpoint landing on the Moon. How long the mission lasts depends on whether the solar cells begin charging.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, January 19 – 28
Jupiter shines high, bright, and obvious after dusk. Mercury and Mars glimmer low, dim, and elusive for their close conjunction in the dawn.
The Black Hole Shadow in M87: One Year Later
The Event Horizon Telescope collaboration has released the image from its second major campaign, confirming the existence of a persistent black hole shadow and a potentially turbulent environment.
Solar and Lunar Eclipses in 2024
Although no total lunar eclipses occur this year, skywatchers can look forward to two “central” solar eclipses — including a much-awaited total eclipse that spans the U.S. from Texas to New England.
The Night I Met the Crab Pulsar
An account of my journey to the heart of one of most violent cosmic explosions witnessed on Earth. Plus, there's a bright supernova now visible in a Virgo Cluster galaxy.
Methane Icebergs Could Float in Titan’s Seas
The “magic islands” that appear and disappear in Titan’s methane-ethane seas could be hydrocarbon icebergs, a new study finds.
Clouds, Large and Small, of the Southern Sky
Jonathan Nally sets out to explore the Southern Hemisphere sky, starting with two uniquely southern sights: the Small and Large Magellanic Clouds.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, January 12 – 21
The evening Moon passes Saturn, then Jupiter. Venus and Mercury march in lockstep in the eastern dawn. Capella, as always, paces Orion's bright foot. And who's winning the Sirius-Betelgeuse race?
Astronomers Discover “Invisible” Galaxy
A radio survey has serendipitously uncovered a galaxy with no visible stars.
Did Webb Detect an Atmosphere on Hot Super-Earth 55 Cancri e?
New Webb data suggests that the hot super-Earth 55 Cancri e has a thick atmosphere, perhaps maintained by the planet's magma ocean.
