SUNSET: 
How Planetary Nebulae Get Their Shapes
New research shows why these celestial gems range in shape from spirals to butterflies.
Two Lunar Lander Missions for 2021
Two commercial landers are set to head to the Moon next year.
Evidence Grows for Super-Salty Underground Lakes on Mars
New analysis of data from the European Space Agency's Mars Express orbiter strengthens the case for salty lakes underneath Mars's south polar cap.
International Observe the Moon Night Is Here
International Observe the Moon Night is here. Step outside Saturday evening and admire our closest celestial neighbor with your family.
See Beyond the Celestial Sphere: Follow These Lines into Space
For a little perspective, observe along a line that takes you to the Moon, past Jupiter and Saturn, the Kuiper Belt, and onward into our galaxy.
Explore Caroline Herschel's Celestial Showpieces
More than 200 years ago Caroline Herschel pointed her telescope at the heavens and discovered some of the finest deep-sky objects. Follow in her footsteps and see them for yourself.
Comets Have (Ultraviolet) Aurora, Too
Observations from the European Space Agency’s Rosetta spacecraft show that Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko has its own aurora.
Giant Planet Found Around a White Dwarf
Astronomers have found a Jupiter-size planet orbiting a much smaller white dwarf. The discovery shows what a system might look like after its star's death.
Mount Wilson Escapes Wildfire; Amateur Observatory Destroyed
Firefighting crews held the line as wildfire threatened Mount Wilson; an amateur observatory built by the Tri-Valley Stargazers was not so lucky.
Race to Venus: How We’ll Verify Phosphine
Confirming phosphine's presence on Venus is difficult from Earth . . . and that makes a good case for a mission to our sister planet.
The Sun’s Activity Cycle Is Stabilizing
Solar Cycle 25 is here, and forecasts suggest the next decade of the Sun’s activity will mimic the last one — halting a 40-year trend.
Uranian Moons Are Like Dwarf Planets
The moons of Uranus exhibit heat signatures similar to dwarf planets in the Kuiper Belt — where the moons were likely born.
Potential Biosignature Found in Venus’s Clouds
Astronomers might have found a potential indication of life in the clouds of Venus.
Hubble Images Reveal Dark Matter Problem
Astronomers studying Hubble Space Telescope images of massive galaxy clusters have uncovered a potential problem with dark matter.
Amateur Astronomer Finds Kilometer-size Asteroid
A grant from the Planetary Society enabled an amateur astronomer's discovery of kilometer-size asteroid 2020 QU6.
Astronomers Map Andromeda’s Halo
Astronomers have observed 43 quasars in back of our sister galaxy, Andromeda, using the distant beacons to map its halo of hot gas.
Stormy Times on Jupiter, Comet Howell Steps Up, and More
Colder weather might be coming, but don't pack away that telescope! You'll miss a powerful storm that's remaking Jupiter's North Temperate Belt, a returning comet, Mira on the rise, and a bright supernova in the Great Bear.
Study Suggests Jupiter Could Have 600 Moons
New detections of candidate moons suggest that the king of planets could have hundreds of smaller satellites.
Historic Lick Observatory Survives California Fire
The Lick Observatory, a major astronomical institution outside San Jose, has survived a devastating California wildfire mostly unscathed.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, September 4 – 12
Mars is big, bright and close as it nears opposition! It nears the gibbous Moon this weekend.
