SUNSET: 
June: Solar Eclipse & Colorful Stars
June features long days and short nights in the Northern Hemisphere, so download our narrated Sky Tour astronomy podcast to make the most of the abbreviated dark hours after sunset. Special event: a partial solar eclipse on June 10th!
Astronomy in Pictures: Unraveling Galaxies and Clyde's Spot
This week in astronomy pictures: Peer into our galaxy's busy core, watch Clyde's Spot unravel at Jupiter, and see a stunning Hubble photo of a lopsided galaxy.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, May 28 – June 5
Venus and Mercury conjoin in the post-sunset afterglow as Mercury fades away; bring binoculars! Arcturus stands over Spica. The Scorpion rears up, and the Big Dipper floats on high.
Dark Energy Survey Catalogs 226 Million Galaxies
The latest release from the Dark Energy Survey catalogs millions of galaxies, mapping the history of galaxy clustering across space and time.
Meet Gacrux, the Top of the Cross
Gacrux is a treat for southern observers — the closest red giant to Earth and the tip of the famous Southern Cross.
Fast Radio Bursts Tied to Spiral Arms
New Hubble observations have pinned five enigmatic radio bursts to the arms of spiral galaxies, narrowing down possible explanations.
Dawn Delight: Catch the Total Lunar Eclipse on May 26, 2021
On May 26th the Moon will be in total eclipse for the first time in nearly two and a half years. While timing favors western North America, a partial eclipse will be visible across much of the U.S. and Canada at dawn.
Moonlight: Europe Plans Constellation of Lunar Satellites
The European Space Agency’s Moonlight initiative gets the go ahead for the development of a future GPS system around the Moon.
Astronomers Challenge Claim of Planet Around Barnard's Star
Astronomers thought a super-Earth might orbit nearby Barnard's star. But a new study disputes that claim, arguing that stellar activity might be masquerading as the planetary signal.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, May 21 – 29
The Moon waxes from gibbous to supermoon-eclipse full. Low at dusk, Venus and Mercury close in on each other. Nova Cas has dropped back. And at dawn, Jupiter and Saturn climb a bit into slightly better view.
Interstellar and Solar System Comets Share a Surprising Ingredient: Nickel
Cold comets — both natives and the interstellar Comet Borisov — have nickel and iron vapor in their atmospheres, and scientists want to know why.
Jumping the Gap to Probe Large Black Holes
Gravitational-wave detectors should be able to locate a population of huge black holes soon. A new study predicts when we'll find them, and what they'll teach us.
China's Zhurong Rover Lands on Mars (Update: New Images)
The Zhurong rover has successfully landed on the Red Planet in an ambitious first for China's space agency.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, May 14 – 22
The crescent Moon waxes across the evening sky, pairing with Mars in upright-standing Gemini and then, four days later, with Leo's forefoot Regulus. In a telescope, Jupiter and Saturn are becoming not quite so fuzzy as they gain more altitude in early dawn.
Helium Rain Inside Saturn Might Shape Its Magnetic Field
A thick inner layer of slowly falling helium blobs might help explain Saturn's almost perfectly aligned magnetic field.
Sights and Sounds of the Solar System
Spacecraft are returning sights and sounds from Venus, Jupiter, and beyond — here's a sampling.
NASA's OSIRIS-REX Leaves Asteroid Bennu, Heads for Home
NASA’s asteroid explorer has begun its long journey home with precious cargo onboard: samples of the asteroid Bennu.
Water-Ice Clouds Could Have Warmed Early Mars
New simulations show that the greenhouse effect of high water-ice clouds could have warmed early Mars, permitting the presence of long-ago lakes.
Nova in Cassiopeia Brightens Suddenly
A star in the constellation Cassiopeia that flared into view during mid-March has erupted to naked-eye visibility. Catch it while you can!
This Week's Sky at a Glance, May 7 – 15
Mercury and low Venus adorn the west after sunset, with the crescent Moon soon to join them. Night brings the big Diamond of Virgo and Summer Triangle. Nova Cassiopeiae rebrightens. And Comet Atlas is in evening view with a 6-inch telescope.
