SUNSET: 
Indian Mars Mission Launches
India's first mission to the Red Planet launched successfully November 5th from a barrier island off the country's coastline. The mission will study Mars's atmosphere and surface and is an important milestone for the country's space agency.
Tim Puckett's Award-Winning Ambition
Tim Puckett has been studying comets and finding supernovae with his home-built telescopes since the 1990s. Now the American Astronomical Society has recognized his dedication with the 2012 Chambliss Amateur Achievement Award.
A Bold Plan to Study Dark Energy
Beginning later this year, the Hobby-Eberly Telescope Dark Energy Experiment will begin to analyze the spectra of one million primordial galaxies — and, its designers hope, get some answers about the mysterious force that's accelerating the expansion of the universe.
Skywatch 2012 — A Preview
If you are wondering what's in the skies in 2012, Skywatch is just the magazine for you. This video is a preview of this year's issue. Skywatch is now available on newsstands in the U.S. and Canada.
Comet Water for a Parched Earth
Recent observations of comet Hartley 2 shed light on one of the oldest mysteries: where did Earth's water come from?
First Science Results from Dawn
Closer observations shed light on the history of Vesta's cratered surface, its mineral composition, and its inner iron core.
Opportunity Reaches Its New Home
The surviving one of NASA's two Mars Exploration Rovers is reaching the brink of a whole new adventure on Mars.
Juno Lifts Off for Jupiter
NASA's solar-powered spacecraft Juno successfully lifted off Cape Canaveral on Friday, August 5th.
Big Splat Could Have Reshaped the Moon
Recent research suggests that the thick, heavily cratered crust on the Moon's far side could be the pasted-on remains of a second satellite that once orbited the early Earth.
Where No Spacecraft Has Gone Before
Dawn sends stunning images from Vesta of an uncharted alien world.
Amateur Discovers A Planetary Nebula
Austrian amateur Matthias Kronberger has found a planetary nebula near the northern constellation of Cygnus, the Swan. His discovery might help scientists understand the role of stellar companions in the formation of these glowing gas clouds.
Dawn Arrives at Vesta
NASA's spacecraft Dawn entered orbit around Vesta on July 16th and is preparing for a year's observation of the second-largest body in the asteroid belt.
Neptune in Motion
Sky and Telescope's editor Sean Walker puts together NASA's anniversary images of Neptune to create a movie that shows a day on the blue planet.
More on Saturn's Thunderstorm
Two studies reveal that the white smear across Saturn's northern face was caused by a deep seated thunder storm that discharged powerful lightning bolts for days on end.
The Truth About Neptune's Spin
By tracking two visible features in Neptune's atmosphere, a University of Arizona astronomer has clocked a new spin rate for the blue planet. But does this mean the Voyager results from 1989 are wrong?
Rethinking Galaxies
Edwin Hubble's tuning-fork diagram has helped astronomers classify galaxies for more than 70 years. But recent research shows that it might be time for a makeover — to a "comb" diagram.
IceHunters: A Kuiper Belt Search
In the latest citizen science project, you can help NASA hunt new objects in the Kuiper Belt — and perhaps even steer the New Horizons probe toward your lucky find.
Oddball Stars in the Milky Way's Heart
The first blue stragglers identified in the Milky Way’s bulge pose a question: why do they look so young?
Video: Remarkable Explosion on the Sun
After three years of minimal activity, the Sun has come alive. This video of a 3-hour eruption earlier today beats anything you've seen.
The Milky Way’s Fraternal Twin
The face-on spiral galaxy NGC 6744 has long been touted as the Milky Way’s twin. But, though a close match, these two star systems are not exactly identical.
