SUNSET: 
Sky at a Glance | December 26th, 2008
Venus shines ever brighter and higher in twilight, passing stars and Neptune and then pairing spectacularly with the Moon. Jupiter, far to its lower right, meets Mercury. Before dawn, Saturn's rings are the closest to edge-on you can see them for years to come.
Sky at a Glance | December 19th, 2008
Venus shines brighter and higher in the southwestern twilight, passing stars and Neptune. Jupiter is sinking down far to its lower right. After dark, Orion season is now in full force. And at dawn, Saturn's rings are the closest to edge-on you can see them for years to come.
Sky at a Glance | December 12th, 2008
Venus and Jupiter continue to draw apart in the southwestern twilight. The Geminid meteor shower arrives amid bright moonlight. And Saturn, now with edge-thin rings, is very high in excellent telescopic view just before dawn.
Tycho's Supernova in Reruns
436-year-old light echoes give a look today at a blast in the Renaissance past. The catch? They're only a twenty-billionth as bright as the original.
Sky at a Glance | December 5th, 2008
Following their conjunction, Venus and Jupiter are now drawing apart in the southwest at dusk — still a striking sight. And Saturn, with its nearly edge-on rings, is a fine telescopic attraction if you can get yourself out before dawn.
A Very Oddball Comet
Periodic Comet Machholz 1 has such a unique composition that a researcher suggests it may have come from another solar system. Though the odds against this seem long.
Catch Ceres at Its Closest
Ceres, the biggest asteroid and the first to be discovered, has an extraordinary good apparition in February and March 2009.
Sky at a Glance | November 28th, 2008
The Venus-and-Jupiter pairing is at its peak in the southwestern twilight on November 30th and December 1st, with the Moon joining in!
The "Venus & Jupiter" Show
At the end of November and the beginning of December, the two brightest planets perform a dazzling dance in the evening twilight. On December 1st they're joined by the slender crescent Moon, which makes for a pretty trio in the Americas — and which will cover Venus in spectacular fashion for lucky skywatchers in Europe.
Sky at a Glance | November 21st, 2008
The Venus-and-Jupiter pairing is becoming ever more dramatic in the southwestern twilight, as these two brightest planets draw closer together toward their conjunction on November 30th and December 1st.
Sky at a Glance | November 14th, 2008
Every day Venus and Jupiter are drawing closer together in twilight. And on Monday the 17th, Venus scrapes by a 2nd-magnitude star.
Sky at a Glance | November 7th, 2008
Venus and Jupiter, the two brightest planets, shine in the southwestern twilight, drawing closer together every day. Later at night, watch for Taurid fireballs!
Sky at a Glance | October 31st, 2008
Venus and Jupiter shine in twilight. Watch them drawing closer together every day. At dawn, Saturn shines high and Mercury low.
Sky at a Glance | October 24th, 2008
Venus has become easy to spot at dusk. Orange Antares near it is less so. At dawn, Mercury is having its best morning showing of the year, while Saturn is tipping its rings very nearly edge-on to your telescope's line of sight.
Sky at a Glance | October 17th, 2008
Venus climbs higher in twilight, and Antares creeps toward it. Saturn shines ever higher at dawn, and Mercury has begun its best morning apparition of the year.
Sky at a Glance | October 10th, 2008
Venus climbs higher in twilight, and Jupiter creeps toward it. Saturn shines ever higher at dawn, and Mercury now begins appearing far below it.
Sky at a Glance | October 3rd, 2008
Venus meets a double star in the sunset. Jupiter's shadow eclipses its moons several times. And before dawn, take a look at Saturn with its nearly edge-on rings!
Sky at a Glance | September 26th, 2008
Venus continues creeping up in the sunset, Jupiter is moving from south to southwest after dark, and Saturn now glows low in the dawn.
Sky at a Glance | September 19th, 2008
Venus is creeping slightly higher in the sunset, Jupiter is moving from south to southwest in the evening, and Saturn is emerging low in the dawn.
Moon Crosses the Pleiades
On Friday night, September 19–20, observers in northeastern North America, eastern Canada, and western Europe have a fine chance to watch the Moon cover up stars in the Pleiades.
