SUNSET: 
This Week's Sky at a Glance, February 24 – March 5
Venus and Jupiter, the two brightest celestial objects after the Sun and the Moon, shine together in the western twilight before, during, and after their March 1st conjunction.
Have Scientists Found a Rogue Supermassive Black Hole?
An unusual stellar streak emerging from a distant galaxy might be a sign of a runaway supermassive black hole, scientists suggest.
“The Sparkler” Might be Our Milky Way’s Long-Lost Twin
Astronomers are using compact groups of stars to probe the history of a galaxy in the adolescent universe dubbed "The Sparkler."
Italian Amateur Astronomer Discovers Dwarf Galaxies
Three dwarf galaxies around the Sculptor Galaxy have come to light thanks to the work of an amateur astronomer.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, February 17 – 26
Venus and Jupiter put on a dramatic show in twilight, as they creep toward each other for a March 1st conjunction. The crescent Moon passes though, almost kissing Jupiter on Wednesday the 22nd.
Small Asteroid Spotted Hours Before Demise
The swift detection of a small asteroid, and recovery of its surviving fragments, shows we’re getting better at spotting incoming objects.
Catch Birth Flickers of Budding Suns in Orion
Three flickering stars in Orion offer insight into what life looks like before the main sequence.
How Citizen Scientists Are Monitoring the DART Impact's Aftereffects
Observers around the globe are keeping an eye on the asteroid Didymos and its moon Dimorphos to track the long-term effects of the DART mission's impact.
Searching for the Seeds of Supermassive Black Holes
The seeds of supermassive black holes could show up in an upcoming sky survey with JWST.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, February 10 – 19
Comet ZTF is fading and receding into the distance. On the other hand, it's now conveniently placed high overhead in early evening in a moonless sky; the waning Moon doesn't rise until late.
The Universe Is Too Smooth By Half
Results from a complex new analysis support cosmologists’ suspicions that something is missing from our understanding of the universe.
Astronomers Discover Unexpected Ring around Distant Dwarf Planet
There’s a strangely large-diameter ring around the outer solar system world Quaoar.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, February 3 – 12
Comet ZTF is still near its brightest, moonlight and all. Around the Big and Little Dog Stars, trace out the stick-figure patterns of the big and little dogs. A ghostly unicorn haunts the inside of the Winter Triangle.
Terence Dickinson (1943 – 2023)
Terence Dickinson, Canadian astronomer and author of numerous popular books on astronomy, has passed away.
Lucy Mission Has a New Asteroid to Fly By
NASA’s Lucy mission now has a new first target of opportunity, a main-belt asteroid it will visit this November.
Understanding the Tails of Comet ZTF (C/2022 E3)
We explore Comet ZTF's remarkable trio of tails and share the latest news and photos.
February: Winterʼs Dazzling Stars
February 4th marks the midway point between Decemberʼs solstice and the March equinox. Celebrate that celestial milestone by getting outside to gaze in awe at the amazing array of bright stars youʼll find overhead on February evenings.
Astronomers Find a Dozen More Moons for Jupiter
The discovery of a dozen new moons for Jupiter makes the king of planets the king of moons, too — at least for now.
See Comet ZTF (C/2022 E3) Dash Between Big and Little Dippers
Forget the hype and go outside to enjoy the real thing — a relatively bright comet you can see in binoculars from a dark sky.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, January 27 – February 5
Comet ZTF is at its best this week — but every night moonlight encroaches on the scene until a later and later hour. Along the way, the Moon occults Mars for the southern U.S. and again forms isosceles triangles with naked-eyestars.
