SUNSET: 
Solar Cycle May Trigger Clouds on Neptune
Nearly 30 years of observations indicate that Neptune’s clouds and brightness vary with the Sun’s activity.
New Comet Nishimura May Become Naked-Eye Bright
Comet Nishimura is quickly brightening in the morning sky and may be faintly visible with the naked eye next month. And on August 24th observers in North America will be treated to an occultation of Antares.
India’s Chandrayaan 3 Lands on the Moon; Russia's Luna 25 Crashes
In a first, India’s Chandrayaan 3 soft-lands in the lunar south pole region of the Moon.
2024 Total Solar Eclipse: 25 Events, Festivals, and Places to Stay
Some ideas for those who still need a place to go on April 8, 2024, to see the total solar eclipse.
Black Hole May Have Formed by Direct Collapse
Astronomers may have spotted a supermassive black hole in the early universe that formed when a gargantuan gas cloud imploded.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, August 18 – 27
The waxing Moon passes Spica and then will occult Antares for much of North America. Saturn reaches opposition this week. The Andromegasus Dipper scoops up as summer wanes.
Surf’s Up: Waves Might Be Breaking on This Star
An unusual star system that brightens and fades every month might have giant plasma waves breaking on its surface.
Astronomers Find Strange Star Is a Powerful Magnet
Astronomers have found a star that has a magnetic field rivaling the strongest magnet humans have ever built — and it might explain the origin of highly magnetic cinders known as magnetars.
How Rare Is a Solar Eclipse?
There are two solar eclipses every year — so why are they so rare?
What Mud Cracks Mean for Life on Mars
Mud cracks are evidence for sustained wet-dry cycles on ancient Mars, which might have provided conditions amenable to life (with caveats).
Get Ready for a Great Perseid Meteor Shower
The Perseids are here! With no Moon to spoil the show it's time to break out the lawn chairs, sit back, and watch the comet dust fly.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, August 11 – 20
The Perseid meteors come rushing in, and peak Perseid night ends with the waning crescent Moon triangulating Castor and Pollux. Vega and Sagittarius culminate after dark. Scorpius lays itself down.
Russia Heads for the Moon for the First Time Since 1976
The launch of Russia’s Luna 25 lander heralds the nation’s return to lunar and planetary exploration.
Webb Views the Ring Nebula and Earendel in a New Light
This week, James Webb Space Telescope reveals new details in the Ring Nebula and shows that the most distant known star isn't alone. Meanwhile, patient astronomers have collected 17 years' worth of images of the super-Jupiter Beta Pictoris b.
Comet 46P/Wirtanen: All Dust, No Ice
Where is all of the water around hyperactive comets coming from? A recent article asked if it could be “Ice, Ice, Maybe?” and concluded that it likely isn’t.
Does the Hyades Star Cluster Harbor Black Holes?
The nearest black holes might be hiding just around the corner, 150 light-years away in the Hyades star cluster.
India's Chandrayaan 3 Reaches for the Moon (Updates with Video)
India is headed back to the Moon with its ambitious new Chandrayaan 3 mission.
Contact Briefly Lost with Voyager 2
NASA detected a faint "heartbeat" signal from Voyager 2, after an erroneous command caused the spacecraft to lose contact with Earth.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, August 4 – 13
We're approaching the peak of the Perseid meteors. Vega claims the zenith as the Teapot claims the south. In twilight, Mars has a friendly but not very intimate date with Mercury.
August Podcast: Blue Moon and Perfect Perseids
Many skywatchers look forward to seeing the Perseid meteors every August, and this month’s Sky Tour episode why they’ll be especially good this year. You’ll also learn what's so special about the full Moon that falls on the night of August 30–31.
