SUNSET: 
Sky at a Glance | May 15th, 2009
You know it's getting close to summer; Arcturus and Vega are well up at dusk. Catch Saturn right after dusk before it starts getting low — and in a telescope, see how dim its rings have become!
Sky at a Glance | May 8th, 2009
As wintry Betelgeuse disappears in to the sunset in May, summery Antares comes up in the southeast in late evening.
Sky at a Glance | May 1st, 2009
Mercury stays with the Pleiades in the western twilight. The Moon passes Regulus and Saturn during evening this week, and Venus and Jupiter shine at dawn.
Sky at a Glance | April 24th, 2009
Mercury meets up with the Pleiades in the western twilight, and the Moon joins the party on Sunday the 26th. The two brightest planets, Venus and Jupiter, shine low in the dawn.
Fomalhaut's Disk and Fomalhaut's Spin
Way out in the circumstellar cold, a planet and a rubble disk orbit bright Fomalhaut. Does this have anything to do with the star's own rotation?
A Murky All-Sky Background Is Resolved
It doesn't look like much today, but the far-infrared background radiation coming from all parts of the sky tells of a tumultuous early universe ablaze with starlight.
Sky at a Glance | April 10th, 2009
Saturn shines high in the evening, but more planetary action happens at dawn. The waning Moon passes Jupiter before sunrise and then, a few days later, occults Venus for parts of North America.
Sky at a Glance | April 10th, 2009
Saturn displays its rings for evening telescope users. Low in the dawn, Venus points the way to challenging little Mars. And there's an outbreak on Jupiter.
Sky at a Glance | April 3rd, 2009
The Moon and Saturn pose in the evening sky. At dawn the crescent Venus is visible very low, while Jupiter shines higher in easier view.
Celestial News & Events
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Sunday's Virginia Fireball:
A Meteor, Not a Rocket Reentry
If you were outside at 9:40 on Sunday evening, March 29th, between Maryland and North Carolina, you didn't even have to be looking up.
Sky at a Glance | March 27th, 2009
Thin-crescent Venus passes through inferior conjunction well north of the Sun, and already it's emerging very low in the dawn. Don't confuse it with bright Jupiter, far to its upper right before sunrise. Meanwhile, thin-ringed Saturn poses for your telescope in the evening, and the crescent Moon passes the Pleiades and Hyades.
Sky at a Glance | March 20th, 2009
Venus is plunging low into the sunset — and simultaneously rising low in the dawn. How is this possible? Thin-ringed Saturn is well up in the east by mid-evening, behaving very sedately by comparison.
Comet Lulin on the Way Out
Now departing from both Earth and Sun, Comet Lulin is 7th magnitude and fading this week. But it's high in the evening sky, and there's no moonlight problem until around March 29th.
Sky at a Glance | March 13th, 2009
Brilliant, thin-crescent Venus gets really interesting this week as it sinks lower in the western twilight on its way to inferior conjunction. Thin-ringed Saturn is well up in fine view in the east by late evening. And fading Comet Lulin once again has a dark moonless sky.
The Lost Siblings of the Sun
The Sun and solar system formed 4.6 billion years ago amid a rich cluster of other newborn stars. Where are they now?
Sky at a Glance | March 6th, 2009
Brilliant Venus is moving lower in the western twilight, as it thins to an eerie crescent in a small telescope. Saturn is at opposition, shining high in the southeast by late evening. And in the same constellation as Saturn, the biggest asteroid, Ceres, continues its best showing of our lifetimes.
Sky at a Glance | February 27th, 2009
Venus, shining in the western twilight, has a gorgeous naked-eye pairing with the crescent Moon on Friday Feb. 27th. Comet Lulin is fading this week but still visible in binoculars. And the biggest asteroid, Ceres, continues its best showing of our lifetimes.
Sky at a Glance | February 20th, 2009
It's a mighty busy sky week! Comet Lulin is now at its closest and brightest. The biggest asteroid, Ceres, is having its best showing of our lifetimes. Not just one but four of Saturn's satellites, and their shadows, will cross Saturn's face in one night. And Venus has a gorgeous naked-eye pairing with the crescent Moon.
Sky at a Glance | February 13th, 2009
Venus is shining the highest and brightest it ever gets! If your evenings are very dark, can you see your faint Venus-shadow on snow or a white sheet on the ground? Later in the night, nearly-ringless Saturn climbs into good view in the east. And Comet Lulin is almost at its nearest and best, now in a moonless sky.
Equipment: Guides & Recommendations
Image Stabilize Your Binoculars
You see much more of the universe in a steady view than in a jiggling view. Change your binocular observing forever with this easy-to-make stabilizer frame.
