SUNSET: 
95 Sunrises Along the Columbia Riverbank
Margaret Greenwood explores the changing location of sunrises throughout the year.
A Jupiter Almanac
Find information on observing Jupiter during its 2020 apparition, including information on its moons and Great Red Spot transit predictions.
How Bright Are the Planets?
What do Venus and Jupiter have in common? Revisions to planets' magnitudes in this year's Astronomical Almanac have revealed some surprises.
Globular Clusters Await: Hello, Messier 3!
Globular cluster season is here. Time to get out your charts, binoculars, and telescopes and enjoy these wondrous objects.
Explore the Night with Bob King
See Spring's Finest Spiral Galaxies
On Earth we find spirals in sunflowers and snails, but to see it expressed in something as enormous as a galaxy transforms this familiar pattern into something truly grand. That's what I feel when I point my scope at the Whirlpool Galaxy and see its billions of suns arranged in the whorls of a spiral. Grandeur.
See the Phases of Venus
If you have a set of binoculars or a telescope, watch for Venus’s thinning crescent over the next couple weeks.
Supernovae Light Up in M61 and NGC 3643
Two new supernovae for amateur telescopes are keeping things lively this month.
Comet SWAN Expected to Put on a Splendid Show
Comet SWAN will grace northern skies in the days to come.
Chase a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid As It Flies by Earth
Break out your binoculars or a small telescope, we've got a busy week ahead! Watch as a bright asteroid approaches Earth, the Moon steals a star, and Comet ATLAS's last hurrah.
New Comet Alert! Quartet of Comets Grace Our Skies
There's a lot happening in the northern sky these days, namely lots of comets! Comet ATLAS (C/2019 Y4) is still worth watching, but look for the new Comet SWAN (C/2020 F8) and Comet ATLAS (C/2019 Y1). And you can still catch a glimpse of our old friend, Comet PanSTARRS (C/2017 T2).
Shadow-casting with Venus
Venus has a been powerful presence at dusk for months — bright enough to cast shadows. How would you like to put it to the test? The Moon won't spoil the darkness until at least April 24th — April 25th if you wait till after moonset — making it the perfect time to see your own shadow by the light of another celestial body.
Oh No! Comet ATLAS Is Fragmenting
Find out when and where to see Comet ATLAS (C/2019 Y4) — and stay tuned to see how bright (or not) this comet gets.
Deep-sky Observing the Easy Way
Cold weather keeping you inside at night? Limit your time outdoors and make the most of your telescope time with these easy-to-find deep-sky gems.
Diving Into the Moon's Bay of Rainbows
This curious lunar feature — visible the nights of March 4th and April 2nd — is a delight in small scopes or even binoculars.
Explore the Night with Bob King
Earth Has A Mini-Moon — But Not for Long!
Two astronomers discovered a temporary mini-moon captured by Earth — but it's about to win its freedom.
Explore the Winter Hexagon Tonight
This expansive region is home to plenty of bright stars and deep-sky wonders.
Explore the Night with Bob King
Is Betelgeuse Approaching a Crossroads?
Astronomers all over are waiting with bated breath to see what Betelgeuse will do next. Is it going to start brightening again on February 21st? Or will it continue to surprise?
Watch the Moon Occult Mars Before Sunrise on February 18th
Occultations of stars by the Moon occur routinely, but planetary lunar occultations are much rarer birds. That's why I hope you'll make the effort Tuesday morning February 18th to watch the waning crescent Moon occult the planet Mars.
The Latest on Betelgeuse, Plus a Bright Supernova and New Comet Iwamoto
The sky provides. This winter, the fading of Betelgeuse caught us all by surprise. Now, as January wraps up, we can add a new comet discovery and a supernova bright enough to see in a 6-inch telescope to an ever-growing list of seasonal sky wonders.
