SUNSET: 
New Amateur Asteroid Awards
Congress has established $2,000 annual prizes for U.S. amateurs who discover near-Earth asteroids or aid asteroid research.
Binary Quasar Is No Illusion
A close pair of quasars in Pisces turns out just that, not the record-breaking gravitational lens that astronomers had hoped.
Asteroid Flyby Caught!
On July 3, 2006, an 800-meter (half-mile) asteroid called 2004 XP14 flew past Earth at a distance a little greater than that of the Moon.
Comet Schwassmann- Wachmann 3 at Its Best
This periodic comet, due to fly close by Earth in May, is breaking into even more pieces. The brightest one may reach 4th magnitude.
Comet To Cross Ring Nebula!
On Sunday night for North America, the brightest piece of Comet Schwassmann-Wachmann 3 goes right over the Ring Nebula in Lyra.
A Big New Step in the Search for ET
The world's largest optical SETI telescope begins sweeping millions of stars for laser signals from alien civilizations.
Why Galaxies Tilt Just So
Spiral galaxies like the Milky Way got oriented by forces shaping the entire cosmos.
The April 1st Pleiades Occultation
The waxing crescent Moon made quite a spectacle crossing the Pleiades on April Fool's Day 2006.
The March 29th Solar Eclipse
Europe, Africa, and parts of Asia are in line to get Moon-shadowed next Wednesday.
First Picture from Mars Reconnaisance Orbiter
Having entered Martian orbit, NASA's latest explorer has tried out its record-breaking camera.
RS Ophiuchi Finally Blows its Stack
This famous recurrent nova has just erupted for the first time in 21 years, reaching magnitude 4.8 on February 13th.
Solar Cycle Solved?
Researchers tracking material deep inside the Sun think that they have solved the mystery of the 11-year sunspot cycle — and they they can predict the next cycles' strength.
A Surprise Comet in the Dawn
Comet Pojmanski has brightened more than expected as it enters the dawn sky for Northern Hemisphere observers. Can you spot it with binoculars?
Near-Earth Asteroid Flyby, March 6–10
Catch the 12th- to 13th-magnitude asteroid 2000 PN9 (23187) crossing the northern sky.
Moon Occults Spica February 17th
The waning gibbous Moon will cover 1st-magnitude Spica for parts of eastern North America on Friday night, February 17, 2006.
Mars Receding in the Evening Sky
Blazing in the eastern sky these evenings, Mars is putting on a rare appearance not to miss.
The Highest Full Moon Overhead
On Thursday, December 15, 2005, the full Moon will be just about at the most northerly declination it can ever attain.S&T: Rick Fienberg. When the Moon is full this Thursday, December 15th, go out around midnight and look up. I mean really up. If you live in the world's midnorthern…
The Christmas Morning Occultation of Spica
Start the holiday a special way: by watching the waning crescent Moon cover a 1st-magnitude star.
Astro Image in the News:
Partial Lunar Eclipse
Many watched as the full Moon skimmed the edge of the Earth's shadow on Monday morning, October 17, 2005.
A Ring to Remember: the October 3rd Annular Eclipse
The unusually thick annular eclipse of the Sun over Spain and Africa wowed millions.
