Explore the Night with Bob King
See Two Tricky Occultations — Neptune and Lambda (λ) Aqr
Now you see 'em, now you don't. Watch the Moon occult Neptune and nearby Lambda Aquarii on the same night.
Paddle the Milky Way's Dark River
Take an imaginary journey in a boat down the Milky Way's Great Rift, exploring rich star clouds and dark nebulae along the way.
Explore the Night with Bob King
Aurora at Your Fingertips
A survey of free services and apps that let you keep tabs on space weather so you can anticipate the next great aurora.
Explore the Night with Bob King
Midnight Meridian Morsels
Late June offers a grab bag of clusters and nebulae "lined up" at the midnight hour. Time your southern deep-sky viewing with meridian passage and you'll be a happy camper.
Explore the Night with Bob King
Hunting White Dwarfs, the Night's Stellar Peewees
Take a trip down the rabbit hole to the weird and weighty world of planet-sized white dwarf stars.
Explore the Night with Bob King
Solstice Brings Late Nights, Bright Sights
Celebrate the June 20th solstice, when the Sun and the full Strawberry Moon combine their powers to illuminate both day and night.
Dual Supernovae Light Up June Nights
Supernovae are popping up everywhere! Two stars flamed out millions of years ago and at least one is an easy catch right now in amateur telescopes.
Saturn's Splendid Summer Show
It's showtime for the King of the Rings! Time to get your telescope out to see and share Saturn, which comes to opposition this week.
Explore the Night with Bob King
There Be Monsters Here! How to Find the Biggest Star
Antares and Betelgeuse may be colossal stars, but we take it to the next level of stellar monstrosity with a visit to UY Scuti, a star that makes our Sun seem no bigger than a pinpoint.
Follow Mars to His Double Star Lair
Let Mars be your guide to no fewer than 15 diverse and delightful double stars that pepper its path through Scorpius and Libra this opposition season.
See Comet PanSTARRS (C/2013 X1) in Binoculars at Dawn
An old friend from winter returns for an encore in the morning sky. Already visible in binoculars, Comet PanSTARRS (C/2013 X1) may reach naked-eye visibility in June.
Astronomy and Stargazing Projects
Hunting Giant Planetary Nebulae
Mind your elders the next clear night and pay a visit to some of Spring's biggest and most ancient planetary nebulae.
Explore the Night with Bob King
Tips for a Successful Star Party
Planning a sidewalk stargazing event? Here are a few suggestions to make sure people walk away smiling.
Is T CrB About to Blow its Top?
The recurrent nova T Coronae Borealis last made a splash just after World War II. Does its current restive state hint at an imminent outburst?
Are You Game for April's Lunar Observing Challenge?
With astronomy being celebrated around the globe this month, join the fun by participating in a unique lunar observing challenge: track down 20 features once thought to show evidence of change from weather, geology, and even life.
Up, Up, and Away with Comet 252P
With the Moon finally put to bed and Comet 252P still bright, there's no better time than now to see it. Nearby Mars and Saturn only sweeten the deal.
Spectral Types For Spring Nights
Hidden within the subtle hues of the stars are the keys to their temperatures and compositions. Get acquainted with the classic OBAFGKM spectral sequence through real stars you can see on a spring night.
Explore the Night with Bob King
Comet 252P Zooms North, BA14 Grows Tail
Splintered comet duo 252P/LINEAR and P/2016 BA14 liven up both dusk and dawn this week. Naked-eye 252P finally debuts in northern skies, while BA14 makes a beeline through the Big Dipper.
Comet PanSTARRS 2016's Historic Flyby of Earth
Not one, but two, possibly related comets will make exceptionally close flybys of Earth on March 21–22. Here's what we know and a guide on how to see them.
Explore the Night with Bob King
Meet the Meager March Moon
Baptized in the fire of yesterday's total solar eclipse, a very young crescent Moon emerges into the night sky.