SUNSET: 
Sky at a Glance | March 14th, 2008
The waxing Moon in the evening sky passes Mars and then the Saturn-Regulus pair this week. Meanwhile, Venus and Mercury are tightly paired very low in the dawn.
A New Day in Precision Cosmology
The date of the Big Bang? The amount of dark matter? The nature of cosmic inflation? These things and more are refined by new results from the WMAP cosmology probe. Here's a full roundup.
Sky at a Glance | March 7th, 2008
The waxing crescent Moon marches up past the Pleiades and Hyades to reach first quarter toward the end of the week. Saturn closes in on Regulus. And Arcturus rises to signal the approach of spring.
A Cloudy Comet and a Wispy Nebula
Comet Holmes is greatly dimmed from its glory days last fall, but this week it's passing the photogenic California Nebula.
Four Martian Landslides Caught in the Act
A scarp along the edge of the Martian north polar cap is more active than anyone expected.
Sky at a Glance | February 29th, 2008
Saturn is in fine view just past opposition. This is the best time of year for seeing the zodiacal light. And Venus pairs up with Mercury low in the dawn.
Kids' Astronomy Essay Contest
Cash prizes and meteorites are being offered for the best short essays by kids 5 to 18.
Sky at a Glance | February 22nd, 2008
Saturn is at opposition; see if you can observe the Seeliger effect on its rings. Algol-eclipse week comes around again for North America. This is the best time of year for seeing the zodiacal light. And Venus pairs up with Mercury low in the dawn. So get outdoors!
February's Lunar Eclipse: Ideal Indeed!
Your images from Wednesday night's total eclipse of the Moon are pouring in.
A Magnetar in Sheep's Clothing
A run-of-the-mill pulsar throws off its cloak of normalcy and displays its extraordinary nature.
Sky at a Glance | February 15th, 2008
When the Moon is in eclipse on the night of the 20th, take advantage of the dark sky to look for big, dim Comet Holmes! And with a telescope, look for the Seeliger effect on Saturn this week.
An Ingenious, Super-Good Cepheid Distance
Using a star's pulsations, their reflections, and some simple geometry, European astronomers have set a new record for the best-known distance to a crucial kind of star.
A Superfast Star from Far, Far Away
The latest "hypervelocity star" that astronomers are puzzling over didn't even start in our own galaxy.
Tonight's Eclipse of the Moon
The full Moon goes into a spectacular, star-and-planet-studded total eclipse on the evening of February 20, 2008, for the Americas, and on the morning of the 21st for Europe and West Africa.
Sky at a Glance | February 1st, 2008
Orion and Sirius shine their highest in the south during evening. High above them Mars still glares brightly, but it's retreating into the interplanetary distance. Low in the dawn, bright Venus and Jupiter remain strikingly close together.
Sky at a Glance | January 25th, 2008
The evening sky turns dark and moonless again, so check in on Comet Holmes high overhead after dark. The comet is spreading out wider every week. And try some deep-sky hunting with binoculars while you're at it. Low in the dawn, watch Venus and Jupiter closing in on each other every day.
Sky at a Glance | January 4th, 2008
Mars is getting higher in the east these evenings even as it shrinks into the distance. Mercury is just emerging from the glow of sunset, and Venus shines at dawn.
Sky at a Glance | January 18th, 2008
Mercury is putting on a fine evening appearance, Mars is still close enough to show detail in a telescope, and Comet Holmes is crossing Algol in the moonlight. Meanwhile, early risers can watch Jupiter closing in on Venus at dawn.
Sky at a Glance | January 11th, 2008
Mercury emerges from the glow of sunset, Jupiter emerges from the glow of sunrise, Venus blazes, Mars fades, and Algol dips.
January's Splash of Meteors
The annual Quadrantid meteor shower is one of the year's best — but to catch them you'll need to brave the cold on the night of January 3–4.
