Exploring a Magnetospheric Origin for Fast Radio Bursts
Astronomers are starting to close in on the origins of fast radio bursts — powerful, fleeting flashes of radio waves seen at extragalactic distances.
Solar and Lunar Eclipses in 2022
Although no total or annular solar eclipses occur this year, skywatchers can look forward to two total lunar eclipses — the first ones observable across North America in more than 3 years.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, January 21 – 29
As Jupiter gets lower now, Orion and Gemini rise high, the Winter Triangle pivots on Sirius, the Great Square sinks and the Big Dipper creeps up.
Set Your Sights on This Lunar Bull’s-Eye
Go ahead, live on the edge: Grab your chance this month to see Mare Orientale, one of the most spectacular lunar seas most people have never seen.
Interstellar Probe Proposed to Explore the Solar Neighborhood
A unique mission concept known as Interstellar Probe would venture beyond the solar system and probe our neighborhood environment.
Watch an Asteroid Race Across the Sky
The kilometer-wide, potentially hazardous asteroid 1994 PC1 will fly past Earth on January 18th. Good news on two counts: It won't hit us, and it's bright enough to see in a 4-inch telescope.
Needle in the Haystack: New Exomoon Candidate Found
Astronomers may have found a second Neptune-size exomoon hidden in the retired Kepler space telescope’s data.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, January 14 – 22
Jupiter stands alone at dusk. The Moon dances with Castor and Pollux while Iris creeps in the background. And you can't keep Venus down for long; its tiny crescent reappears at dawn.
Astronomy in Pictures: Largest 3D Map of Our Universe and a Stellar Intruder
This week astronomers have announced the completion of the largest 3D map of galaxies across the cosmos, plus exquisite radio observations show what happens when a stellar intruder interrupts planet formation.
Do the Plumes from Saturn’s Icy Moon Reach Down to Its Ocean?
The plumes erupting from Saturn's moon Enceladus may originate in slush in the moon's icy crust rather than its deep, subsurface ocean.
1,000-light-year "Bubble" Is the Source of All Nearby Baby Stars
Supernovae that carved out the Local Bubble, a cavity around the Sun, have also triggered star formation at the bubble's edges.
Stellar Streams Are Revealing Their Secrets
A detailed study of 12 streams of stars swirling in and around the Milky Way will ultimately help shed light on our galaxy's dark matter halo.
Dwarf Galaxies Shed Light on Black Hole Origins
Astronomers are searching nearby dwarf galaxies for the ancient origins of supermassive black holes.
The Flames of Orion and a Supergiant Star's End
Astronomers watch starbirth and stardeath, capturing a unique view of a stellar nursery and witnessing a supergiant's supernova.
Deployment of the James Webb Space Telescope Is Complete
The James Webb Space Telescope has unfolded its primary mirror, marking the end of the deployment phase for the observatory.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, January 7 – 15
Mercury draws close to Saturn low in twilight, then turns shy and runs away. Jupiter watches from above. The Moon, careless of such goings-on, waxes through first quarter to show off for your telescope.
Astronomers Discover Celestial Ruins on Our Galaxy’s Edge
A stream of stars scattered across 15 degrees of sky was once part of a globular cluster torn apart by our galaxy’s gravity. The stars represent some of the oldest in the Milky Way.
Comet-seeking on Cold, Crunchy Nights
Did the recent apparition of Comet Leonard whet your appetite for more of these beautiful unpredictables? Here are five more you can see with your telescope this season.
Critical Step Complete as Webb Space Telescope Deploys Sunshield
Its sunshield now in place, the James Webb Space Telescope is unfolding by the numbers while en route to its new home.
January: Evening Planet Adieu
There’s no better way to start the new year than listening to our monthly Sky Tour astronomy podcast. It’s an informative and entertaining 12-minute guided tour of the nighttime sky.
