Watch Curiosity Descend onto Mars
See through Curiosity's eyes as it descends to the surface of the Red Planet.
The Curious Avalanches of Iapetus
Saturn's two-faced moon hosts extraordinary avalanches that cascade much longer than they should. Figuring out what makes them flow might help scientists better understand landslides on Earth.
Galaxy Zoo's Odd Black Holes
Citizen scientists are helping astronomers understand how galaxies and their resident supermassive black holes grow.
A Peek Inside Sky & Telescope September 2012
Sky & Telescope's September 2012 issue is now available to digital subscribers. Some print subscribers may have already received it, and it's officially on-sale at newsstands starting September 1st.
Ancient Spiral Galaxy Discovered
An ancient spiral galaxy offers another tantalizing clue to how nature might create these grand designs.
Seeing "Dark" Galaxies
After years of failure, astronomers have finally succeeded in imaging primeval clouds of gas like those that existed before there were stars.
Impossibly Aligned Galaxies
Astronomers have found an alignment of galaxies along our line of sight that’s so rare, it ought to be impossible. Is it just luck — or does it tell us something more?
How to Grow a Supermassive Black Hole
A new study says most black holes may grow by snacking instead of collision-induced feeding frenzies.

A Windy Early Universe
Winds in the early universe could make radio observations of the first stars and galaxies a little easier, says a new study published in Nature.
X-ray Telescope Launches Successfully
NuSTAR, the first telescope to focus high-energy X-rays, launched today after 20 years of planning.
What is the Black-Drop Effect?
The famous (or infamous) black-drop effect earned its place in history long before astronomers knew what caused it.
Exotic Objects Test Einstein’s Theory
Pulsars, supermassive black holes, and white dwarfs are all tools in astronomers' arsenals as they continue to push Einstein's theory of general relativity to its limits.
Afghans Reach for the Stars
Reach for the Stars aims to bring astronomy back into Afghanistan’s elementary school curriculum in a way that resonates with the region’s culture and history.

Where to See the Transit of Venus Online
Find out where you can view June 5th or 6th's transit of Venus online.
Where to See the Annular Solar Eclipse Online
If you're not in the path of this weekend's “ring of fire” eclipse, find out where you can view it online.
Superflares from Sun-like Stars
NASA's Kepler mission is finding solar-type stars that emit jaw-dropping explosions of high-energy particles and radiation. Now astronomers are looking into why some solar-type stars emit superflares — and why the Sun never will.
IBEX's Slower Sun — and No Bow Shock
NASA's Interstellar Boundary Explorer has discovered that the Sun has no bow shock, overturning the basis for decades of scientific research.
X-ray Outburst in Spiral Galaxy M83
Astronomers have spotted an unusual "ultraluminous" burst of X-rays coming from the otherwise barren region between the grand spiral arms of Messier 83.
S&T’s NEAF Round-Up
Sky & Telescope editors just returned from our annual pilgrimage to the Northeast Astronomy Forum, where we scoped out new products and talked with our readers.
“Coronal Cells” in Sun’s Atmosphere
Astronomers have discovered an unexpected new feature on the Sun, leading to further insights about the solar magnetic field.