SUNSET: 
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.
Watch Black Holes Grow, Galaxies Fall
Watch black holes grow and galaxies fall — astro photos and visualizations to get you through the week.
Amateur Astronomy in 2021
Calling all amateur astronomers: NASA’s Night Sky Network wants to hear from you!
Discovery of a Recent Martian Mudslide
A geologically recent landslide on Mars appears like mudslides on Earth — but it would have required water during a time when Mars was expected to be dry.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, August 20 – 28
Jupiter and Saturn are just past opposition, so they dominate the sky all night. They inhabit dim Capricornus, which pushes Sagittarius westward. Venus, even showier, owns the western twilight but sets by full darkness.
The 12-Year Cycle of Jupiter Oppositions
Jupiter is at opposition on August 19th. If we take the long view — 12 years long — we can watch Jupiter's oppositions as it passes through the zodiac constellations.
Venus: Thin-skinned and Likely to Blow
Scientists found a strange little volcanic feature on the edge of a Venusian corona, giving further credence to the theory that the planet has a thin outer layer and an active interior.
Jupiter Dazzles at Its Brightest and Closest This Year
Jupiter comes to opposition on August 20th, when it will shine brighter and closer than at any other time this year. With nights starting earlier and cooler temperatures arriving, there's no better time to make the most of the planet.
