181–200 of 448 results
Protoplanet of intrigue

Explore the Night with Bob King

Pop in on Pallas and Iris Tonight

Break out your binoculars or telescope the next clear night for a peek at the bright asteroids Pallas and Iris, both at opposition this spring. 

Celestial News & Events

Amazing Images Capture Giant Fireball Exploding Over the Bering Sea

A powerful fireball exploded over the wilds of eastern Russia last December. Satellites captured the whole thing. 

Trio in Leo

Deep Sky

It's Spring! Time to Visit the Bright Galaxies of Leo I

Springtime is galaxy time. Only 30 million light years away, the Leo I Group and nearby Leo Triplet entice the eye with an assortment of bright spiral and elliptical galaxies. Welcome to spring! The new season begins (or began depending on when you read this) at 5:58 p.m. EDT on…

Deep Sky

Deep-sky Hunting in Cancer, the Crab

As winter melts into spring, we sample both familiar and overlooked deep-sky treasures in the "empty space" between Gemini and Leo, home of the Crab.

Daylight Phenomena

How to See Sirius in the Daytime

Spotting Sirius in broad daylight may be easier than you think! Here's how to do it.

Explore the Night with Bob King

A Zodiac Ramble . . . with a Few Fun Detours

Take a trip along the ecliptic from dusk till dawn to check out the sights along this well-traveled highway — the zodiacal light, Mercury, and the gegenschein, plus scenic detours to a comet and asteroid.

Explore the Night with Bob King

Right Ascension & Declination: Celestial Coordinates for Beginners

Once you hold the golden keys of right ascension and declination, finding your way around the sky is almost as easy as finding your way around town.

Explore the Night with Bob King

Deep-Sky Observing Without Equipment, Part II — The Winter Sky

Really want to see what your eyes can do? Leave the telescope at home and join me for a naked-eye tour of the late winter sky.

Sirius with tiny Sirius B (just above the upper-left diffraction spike).

Occultations

Will Sirius Disappear on February 18th?

On Monday night, February 18th, observers in the western U.S. and Mexico may see the occultation of a lifetime when a tiny asteroid momentarily blots out the night sky's brightest star.

Comets

Comet Iwamoto Ascends and Brightens

Comet Iwamoto is visible as a binocular target from a dark sky. Follow it this week as it passes from Virgo into Leo.

Hyades and horseshoe

Explore the Night with Bob King

Happy Nights with the Hyades

The Hyades open cluster may stand in the shadow of its neighbor the Pleiades, but there's a wide variety of wonders here from naked-eye double stars to challenging galaxies. Let's pay a visit.

Celestial News & Events

A Space Rock Strikes Moon During the Total Lunar Eclipse

The Moon got bonked by a space rock during Sunday's total lunar eclipse. Take a look!

Comets

Comets to Catch in 2019

We peek ahead to see what comets await in 2019. Bright ones will be sparse, but several nice objects, including Comet Iwamoto (C/2018 Y1) and Comet Africano (C/2018 W2), will keep things lively.

Explore the Night with Bob King

Your Guide to January's Supermoon Total Lunar Eclipse

The first full Moon of 2019 meets Earth's shadow in a widely visible total eclipse on the evening of January 20–21. Here's a guide on what to expect.

Celestial News & Events

Start 2019 with the Quadrantid Meteor Shower

Set aside your qualms about the cold and cash in on the Quadrantids, one of this year's best meteor showers.

Planets

Venus Occults a Star and Mercury Joins Jupiter on the Winter Solstice

Bring in winter with a bang with a beautiful, close conjunction and a rare planet-star occultation.

Celestial News & Events

Chasing Comet 46P/Wirtanen as the Moon Looms

Learn how chase away the Moon to keep Comet 46P/Wirtanen in a dark sky. Here's an update on the comet's progress and what to look for in the coming nights.

Explore the Night with Bob King

Spend an Hour with the Geminid Meteor Shower

Move over 46P/Wirtanen, it's time for the Geminids, the richest meteor shower of the year.

Mars does do-si-do with Neptune

Celestial News & Events

Mars and Neptune Have a Close Shave

Want to find Neptune the easy way? Just point your binoculars or telescope at Mars the next few nights, when the two planets will be in close conjunction.

Diamond in the sky

Explore the Night with Bob King

SpaceX Launches Orbiting "Sculpture in the Sky" / Comet Update

An art sculpture achieves orbit, 46P/Wirtanen becomes a naked-eye comet, and C/2018 V1 makes one last good pass.

Advertisement