SUNSET: 
This Week's Sky at a Glance, January 22 – 30
Right after dark, face east and look very high. The bright star there is Capella, the Goat Star. To the right of it, by a couple of finger-widths at arm's length, is a small, narrow triangle of 3rd- and 4th-magnitude stars known as "the Kids." Though they're not exactly eye-grabbing, they form a never-forgotten asterism with Capella.
China's Chang'e 5 Probe Heads Sunward
China’s Chang’e 5 spacecraft helped deliver samples from the Moon to Earth. Now it’s heading for an extended mission to observe the Sun.
Comet Watch 2021
If you own an 8-inch or larger telescope you might see more than a dozen new and returning comets this year, including one potential naked-eye candidate.
NASA Extends Juno, InSight Missions
NASA has granted two key planetary missions extensions, so InSight and Juno will continue to return data from Mars and Jupiter, respectively, for years to come.
Astronomy News: Galactic One-Two Punch, Black Hole Heartbeat Falters
In the news this week: Globular clusters have the detailed scoop on our galaxy's past, and a "heartbeat" black hole binary in the Milky Way has gone mysteriously dim.
This Week in Astronomy Pictures: A Magnetic Whirlpool, Windblown Jets & More
Whether you're here for eye candy or a more cosmic perspective, these astronomy pictures released this week will do the trick.
What the Most Distant Quasar Tells Us About Black Hole Birth
The existence of a quasar when the universe was only 670 million years old is helping astronomers understand how black holes are born.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, January 15 – 23
Bright Capella high overhead, and equally bright Rigel in Orion's foot, have almost the same right ascension. This means they cross your sky’s meridian at almost exactly the same time. So whenever Capella passes the zenith, Rigel marks true south, and vice versa. That happens around 9 or 10 p.m. now.
Masquerading Magnetars Make Short Brilliant Bursts
Giant flares emitted from the surface of highly magnetized neutron stars could explain some gamma-ray flashes astronomers have caught over the past few decades.
Black Hole Feasts on Star, Bite by Bite
Like a cosmic blinker, a distant supermassive black hole is flaring every 114 days. Astronomers believe the eerily regular signal betrays the piecemeal devouring of a star.
Rocky Planet Found Around 10 Billion-Year-Old Star
Astronomers have found an Earth-size (but not at all Earth-like) planet around an ancient star that has a nice high view of our galaxy.
China Opens World's Largest Radio Telescope to International Scientists
Scientists outside China will be allocated around 10% of observation time on its gigantic radio telescope following the collapse of Arecibo.
Pulsars Show Hint of Gravitational-wave Background
Duos of supermassive black holes tangoing throughout the universe make their own music, and astronomers may have picked up a hint of the tune.
Amateur Astronomer Finds “Lost” Moons of Jupiter
An amateur astronomer has recovered four of five "lost" Jovian moons.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, January 8 – 16
Twilight challenge: the planet-conjunction finale! Jupiter and Saturn are becoming ever harder to pick up low in bright twilight, but bring those binoculars on Saturday Jan. 9th. Because then they'll be three! Mercury is emerging to join them. It will pass by them for a couple more days.
How to Warn of Imminent Neutron Star Collisions
What if gravitational-wave observatories could send out alerts right after — or even before — receiving signals of neutron star collisions?
Foraging for Deep-sky Delights with Capella, the Goat Star
We explore deep-sky riches within a stone's throw of Capella, one of the season's brightest stars.
Meet Kochab, a Guardian of the Pole
Meet the stars: Kochab is no record-breaking bright star, but it's easy enough to find — and it may have played an important role through history.
January: The Hyades & Pleiades
Start the new year right with the easy-to-follow stargazing highlights offered by our Sky Tour astronomy podcast. Here's a preview of this month's guided audio tour.
Space Missions to Watch in 2021
The coming year will feature three space missions arriving at Mars, the launch of SLS and James Webb, and much more.
