SUNSET: 
Draconid Meteors Arrive As Forecast
Chalk up another win for the meteor-shower modelers. Europeans saw a display of up to a couple hundred Draconid meteors per hour on Saturday evening.
Sky at a Glance | October 7th, 2011
Jupiter is about as big and bright as it will appear this year. Look well to its lower right to catch Mira still in an unusually bright maximum. And the waning gibbous Moon passes Jupiter in the second half of the week.
Past Meets Future at AAVSO's Centennial
Variable-star observers gathered to celebrate astronomy's most successful citizen-science organization. But old ways are ending, and a very different next century lies ahead for the AAVSO.
Sky at a Glance | September 30th, 2011
The waxing Moon returns to the evening sky. The supernova in M101 is reddening now as well as fading. And there's always action at Jupiter.
Sky at a Glance | September 23rd, 2011
Venus and Saturn offer a challenge after sunset. Bright Jupiter shines high by late evening. And the M101 supernova has begun to fade.
Sky at a Glance | September 16th, 2011
Bright Jupiter is up after dark and high by late evening. The Moon is waning now — leaving a dark sky for the persistent supernova in M101 off the Big Dipper's handle.
Sky at a Glance | September 8th, 2011
Jupiter is up high now by late evening. Mercury moves away from Regulus in the morning. And the supernova in M101 is now at its peak brightness!
Sky at a Glance | September 2nd, 2011
Jupiter is up big and bright by late evening. Mercury passes Regulus in the morning. And the supernova in M101 seems to nearing its peak!
Sky at a Glance | August 26th, 2011
Jupiter rises earlier and higher week by week. The crescent Moon returns low in twilight and occults a 2nd-magnitude star. And there's the new supernova in M101....
Sky at a Glance | August 19th, 2011
This week's moonless evenings offer deep-sky opportunities. Vesta is coming into earlier view. Jupiter still blazes high in the wee hours, but a half hour earlier each week.
Sky at a Glance | August 12th, 2011
Jupiter blazes high in the wee hours. Vesta is coming into earlier evening view. And watch Saturn an Spica sink from sight after sunset.
Sky at a Glance | August 5th, 2011
The Moon lines up with Saturn and Spica at dusk, then waxes across the evening sky for the rest of the week. Jupiter blazes high in the wee hours. And the bright asteroid Vesta — accompanied by NASA's DAWN spacecraft! — awaits viewing just past opposition.
Sky at a Glance | July 29th, 2011
Saturn and Spica sink to the sunset. Jupiter blazes high before dawn. And the bright asteroid Vesta — accompanied by NASA's DAWN spacecraft! — comes to opposition.
Sky at a Glance | July 22nd, 2011
Saturn is sinking at dusk, Jupiter is climbing ever higher in the early morning, and the bright asteroid Vesta — accompanied by NASA's DAWN spacecraft! — is nearing opposition.
Sky at a Glance | July 15th, 2011
Saturn is lowering in the southwest these evenings, while Jupiter is climbing ever higher before dawn. And Vesta in the middle of the night has reached 6th magnitude.
ALCon Meets Under Dark Mountain Skies
With bright stars all night and amateur-astronomical enthusiasm all day, America's biggest coalition of astronomy clubs held a bang-up annual convention.
Sky at a Glance | July 1st, 2011
Mercury is back at dusk, and so is the crescent Moon. Saturn and Porrima are pulling apart. And bright Jupiter climbs higher in the dawn.
Sky at a Glance | June 24th, 2011
The supernova in the Whirlpool Galaxy is peaking at magnitude 12.6. Saturn and Porrima are pulling apart after dusk. And a tiny asteroid skims right by Earth.
Sky at a Glance | June 17th, 2011
The supernova in the Whirlpool Galaxy is visible in a lot more telescopes now that it's up to magnitude 12.6. Saturn and Porrima remain close together after dusk. Jupiter is climbing into better view during dawn.
Sky at a Glance | June 10th, 2011
The gibbous Moon passes Saturn, Spica, and the head of Scorpius. Saturn and Porrima are still as close together as we'll see them. And Jupiter is climbing into better view during dawn.
