SUNSET: 
Finally! Scientists Find Active Volcano on Venus
After decades of searching, scientists have finally found a clear sign of active volcanism on Venus.
Tell Time with the Big Dipper; See Ceres Transit a Spiral Galaxy
Phone battery dead? Learn how to tell time with the Big Dipper. Also, don't miss a remarkable transit of Ceres in front of the bright spiral galaxy M100.
Amateur Astronomers Help Provide Uninterrupted View of Venus’s Clouds
The newest observations will help astronomers understand a planetary-scale wave in the atmosphere of our sister planet.
Water on Earth Might Predate the Solar System
Astronomers studying the water vapor around a newborn star find that it’s chemically similar to ice in solar system comets, a possible source of Earth’s oceans.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, March 10 – 19
Venus and Jupiter widen in twilight. Mars, Aldebaran, and Betelgeuse form a triangle of similar orange sparkles. And there's lots to explore with optical aid off the trailing foot of Gemini, including the Toes.
Do Diamonds Rain on the Ice Giants?
New research shows diamonds might condense out of Neptune's mantle, but not Uranus', explaining a decades-old discrepancy.
Watch the Milky Way’s Black Hole Spaghettify a Cloud
Two decades of observations show a dusty gas cloud elongating as it approaches our galaxy's supermassive black hole.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, March 3 – 12
Venus and Jupiter draw majestically apart in the evening twilight, 1° farther each day. Much higher, Mars makes its third pass in the last five months between the horntip stars of Taurus.
Satellite Trails Mar Hubble Images
An accounting of satellite streaks across two decades of Hubble Space Telescopes finds their appearance is increasing.
New Planets in the Neighborhood
A planet-hunting consortium is marking five successful years by releasing data on more than 50 worlds.
The Aftermath of DART, Humankind’s First Planetary Defense Mission
Five new studies give a full accounting of the aftermath of the impact of NASA's DART mission on a nearby asteroid.
Aurora Season Is Underway
These are the nights to get ready for the auroras — and tonight may be your lucky night. Not only is the current solar cycle swiftly intensifying, March is one of the best times of the year to see the northern lights.
March: The Winter Hexagon
As the Northern Hemisphere edges toward the March equinox and beyond, stargazers have an abundance of brilliant stars overhead as darkness falls. Anchoring the celestial parade is Orion, the Hunter. Download or listen to this month’s Sky Tour to learn about — and how to spot — the Winter Hexagon of big, beautiful winter stars.
A Fresh Look at Kepler-444’s Ancient Planetary System
Astronomers have taken a closer look at a system containing three stars and five planets and may have solved a mystery around its formation.
Are We Finally on the Cusp of Commercial Asteroid Mining?
Years after initial space-mining ventures went bust, startup AstroForge has announced two missions in 2023 to obtain rare minerals from a near-Earth asteroid.
Generations of Stars Shape Their Galaxies, Webb Images Reveal
James Webb Space Telescope images reveal an intricate network in nearby galaxies, influenced by generations of star formation.
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.
