Asteroid Pallas Makes a Point in Pisces
Spice up your fall observing with a dash of Pallas and nibble of Neptune. Both planet and asteroid are easy to spot in a small telescope.
Amateurs Spot New Impact Flash at Jupiter
An amateur astronomer has discovered a possible new impact flash in Jupiter's equatorial region. Observers may yet see the dark impact scar.
Take a Deep Look into the Milky Way Halo
New analysis shows the best view of the Milky Way halo to date, providing a window into our galaxy's future star formation.
New Kind of Supernova Implodes Stars Before Their Time
Astronomers have found the first circumstantial evidence for a supernova triggered by a merger with a neutron star or maybe even a black hole.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, September 10 – 18
The evening Moon steps eastward over Scorpius as it waxes through first quarter. All four giant planets await your telescope in early to late evening.
60-second Astro News: White Dwarfs Still Burn, Black Holes Merge
This week in astronomy news, we learn that some white dwarfs still burn and image X-rays from black holes almost 12 billion light-years away.
Perseverance Successfully Grabs First Mars Samples (Updates)
After a rocky first start, Perseverance hit pay dirt on the second try. The rover collected two samples recording ancient volcanic eruptions and groundwater interaction.
NASA's Deep Space Network Upgraded
NASA is upgrading its Deep Space Network to keep up with the demands of modern interplanetary communications.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, September 3 – 11
Spica glimmers demurely under showy Venus in the western twilight. Try for Mercury way down to their lower right. Jupiter and Saturn dominate the evening south.
Astro News: Planet-eating Stars and an Accidental Brown Dwarf
This week in astronomy news: A citizen scientist happens upon a weird, ancient brown dwarf and astronomers discover that Sun-like stars eat their own planets.
Making Time for Morning Comets
If you like mixing comets with the quietude of observing in the small hours, September opens with five fuzzy vagabonds just waiting for a visit.
AAS Journals Will Switch to Open Access in 2022
Research results in astronomy, solar physics, and planetary science are about to become more widely accessible to scientists and the public alike. The American Astronomical Society (AAS) today announced the switch of the Society’s prestigious journals to fully open access as of 1 January 2022.
Under this change, all articles in the AAS journal portfolio will be immediately open for anyone to freely read. The transition will affect the Astronomical Journal (AJ), the Astrophysical Journal (ApJ), Astrophysical Journal Letters (ApJL), and the Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series (ApJS).
Summer Triangle Overhead
The calendar might say “September,” but now is the perfect time to explore the Summer Triangle. Find your way with this month’s Sky Tour podcast.
Meet Gamma Cassiopeiae, the Classic Eruptive Variable
Gamma Cassiopeia may lack a proper name, but the middle star of the "W"-shape constellation is worth finding on the sky.
Remembering Carolyn Shoemaker (1929–2021)
Shoemaker discovered more than 800 asteroids and 32 comets, including one of the most famous comets of the 20th century.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, Aug. 27 – Sept. 4
Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn are all getting a little higher in early evening. Vega passes the zenith soon after dark; Deneb does so two hours later. Andromeda is up in the east.
ESCAPADE Blue and Gold Orbiters Head to Mars in 2024
A pair of spacecraft will head to Mars in 2024 as the ESCAPADE mission, to study the Martian space weather environment.
Welcome Back, Stellafane
After two years apart, amateur astronomers and telescope makers from around the country met at the top of Breezy Hill to enjoy the stars with old and new friends.
New Observations Challenge Popular Radio Burst Model
Strange behavior caught by two radio observatories may send theorists back to the drawing board.
Astronomers Discover Asteroid that Flies Close to the Sun
Newly discovered asteroid 2021 PH27 orbits the Sun in just 113 days.
