Solar Eclipse in 1900

Astronomy and Society

Amateur Filmmaker Captured Solar Eclipse — in 1900

In 1900, a man named John Nevil Maskelyne filmed a solar eclipse — the first of its kind.

Spotless Sun

Solar System

Is Our Sun Slowing Down in Its Middle Age?

The Sun, now halfway through its life, might be slowing its magnetic activity, which could lead to permanent changes in the sunspots and auroras we see.

active region 1520

Stellar Science

How Astronomers Count Sunspots

A multi-year investigation revealed errors in our understanding of the Sun.

Save Dark Skies

Jennifer Barlow: Dark-sky Devotee

One person can make a difference, as demonstrated by a high-school student's single-handed effort to help us all appreciate the night sky.

Celestial News & Events

The Geminids: An Exception to the Rule

The source of December's annual Geminid meteor shower is not what you might expect.

Astronomy & Observing News

Stardust Checks Out Asteroid Annefrank

A half hour of target practice paves the way for a high-speed dash comet dash in early 2004.

Astronomy & Observing News

Cassini's First Look at Saturn

Although its arrival is still more than two years away, the Cassini orbiter is already drawing a bead on its final destination.

Astronomy & Observing News

Galileo's Last Rendezvous

The spacecraft that takes a licking and keeps on ticking is about to make its last flyby.

Celestial Objects to Observe

Viewing Mercury at Its Best

Fast-moving Mercury can be elusive. But spotting this sparkling little planet is easy if you know where and when to look.

Astronomy & Observing News

Goodbye, Galileo

The intrepid Galileo orbiter has been shut down permanently awaiting its burial into Jupiter's atmopshere.

Astronomy & Observing News

Beneath the Spiral

As seen through X-ray eyes, the spiral galaxy M83 is filled with diffuse hot glowing gas and pointlike binary star systems.Courtesy NASA/CXC/R.Soria and K.Wu. Buried deep within the spiral galaxy M83 is a dense and tumultuous star-making factory in a bagel-shaped volume around the galaxy's nucleus. The Chandra X-Ray Observatory…

Astronomy & Observing News

Rosetta Grounded by Rocket Worries

Europe's Rosetta spacecraft was supposed to be on its way to Comet Wirtanen by now &$151; but a failure of its launch vehicle last month may keep this spacecraft grounded for years.

Astronomy & Observing News

Mystery Trains

Scientists are closer to determining what causes the lingering smoke train behind some meteors.

Astronomy & Observing News

Jupiter's Lovers

Eleven of Jupiter's moons have received their official names.

Astronomy & Observing News

Pluto Mission Gets Boost in Congress

The prospects for a mission to Pluto look better than ever.

Astronomy & Observing News

Space Artists Honored

World-renowned space artists Don Davis and Jon Lomberg have been awarded the prestigious Klumpke-Robert Award by the Astronomical Society of the Pacific.

Astronomy & Observing News

The Crab's Shimmering Shock Waves

Never-before-seen details in the inner Crab Nebula reveal that the fast-spinning pulsar at its heart is powering a dynamic sequence of events.

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