SUNSET: 
Nights of Noctilucent Clouds
Noctilucent clouds shimmer high in the sky during summer twilight at northerly latitudes.
Astronomers Discover Huge Circular Arc Near the Big Dipper
The 30-degree circular arc is likely a shock front expanding from a star that exploded some 100,000 years ago.
Delays in International Deliveries of Sky & Telescope
We are distressed to hear numerous reports from international readers about delays in receiving their issues of Sky & Telescope magazine. Some readers haven’t received their most recent issues at all. Here’s what’s happening and what we can (and can’t) do about it. International Mail Service During the Pandemic The…
The 10 Million-Degree Gas Around the Milky Way
New observations show ultra-hot gas around the Milky Way. Stellar explosions may have driven this gas out of our galaxy.
New Horizons' "Alien View" from the Outer Solar System
NASA's New Horizons mission deep in the Kuiper Belt has measured the parallax to two nearby stars with the help of Earth-based observers.
Mars "Mole" Is in the Ground (Again)
After months of careful work, NASA's Insight mission has its mole burrowed in the Martian soil.
Black Holes Grow by Gas, Not Mergers, Most of Their Lives
Calculations suggest how black holes have amassed mass and predict what the black holes’ spins should be if this picture is correct.
First Discoveries of a Pro-Am Exoplanet Survey
A pair of professional and amateur astronomers have teamed up to fill an important niche in exoplanet research.
Magnetism Rules in the Milky Way’s Core
Recent observations from the airborne SOFIA observatory show that magnetic fields — not gravity — govern the gas at the center of the Milky Way.
Evenings with the Ring Nebula
Everyone loves this cosmic donut. Like Saturn, the Ring Nebula is a must-see for beginners and seasoned amateurs alike. Whether you're just cutting your deep-sky teeth or attempting to see its central star — one of visual astronomy's Holy Grails — the Ring has it all.
Galaxies Are Even Bigger Than You Think
Galaxies swim in hot gas that extends much farther out than their stars — and plays an important role in the galaxy's evolution.
Are We Watching a Planet Disintegrate?
Among the wealth of exoplanets we’ve discovered beyond our solar system, some are temperate, some less so. New observations have now revealed what may be a particularly inhospitable environment: a planet literally disintegrating as it orbits its host.
June 2020: Stars of Early Summer
Our 10-minute Sky Tour astronomy podcast guides you to planets, stars, and constellations in the early-summer sky in a casual, engaging way that your whole family can enjoy.
NASA, SpaceX Launch Historic Mission to International Space Station
Crewed spaceflight returns to U.S. soil, with the successful launch of Crew Dragon Demo 2.
Jupiter Has Trapped a Comet in a Bizarre Orbit
Jupiter has captured an icy comet from the outer solar system. The comet's bizarre orbit will bring it back for another super-close pass in 2063.
Two New Beasts for an Explosive Zoo
And that makes three: Astronomers are beginning to understand what may be causing a special kind of flare in the distant universe.
Globular Clusters Await: Hello, Messier 3!
Globular cluster season is here. Time to get out your charts, binoculars, and telescopes and enjoy these wondrous objects.
Comet SWAN's Final Song
Despite early expectations Comet SWAN appears to be fizzling, providing yet another opportunity to appreciate what makes these objects so unique.
Astronomers Witness the Birth of Planets
Two new sets of observations show astronomers what planet formation looks like.
NASA Renames WFIRST: The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope
NASA is renaming its next flagship space observatory to honor pioneering NASA astronomer and "Mother of Hubble," Nancy Grace Roman.
