SUNSET: 
Explore Caroline Herschel's Celestial Showpieces
More than 200 years ago Caroline Herschel pointed her telescope at the heavens and discovered some of the finest deep-sky objects. Follow in her footsteps and see them for yourself.
Evenings with the Ring Nebula
Everyone loves this cosmic donut. Like Saturn, the Ring Nebula is a must-see for beginners and seasoned amateurs alike. Whether you're just cutting your deep-sky teeth or attempting to see its central star — one of visual astronomy's Holy Grails — the Ring has it all.
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.
See Spring's Finest Spiral Galaxies
Spring skies offer some of the best sights of spiral galaxies. Point your scope at some of these magnificent cosmic whirlpools.
Supernovae Light Up in M61 and NGC 3643
Two new supernovae for amateur telescopes are keeping things lively this month.
Explore the Night with Bob King
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.
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
Deep-sky Dive Into the Great Square of Pegasus
We return to Pegasus, but this time with a telescope to find a grab-bag of overlooked deep-sky treasures.
Treasure Hunting in the Hall of the Deep-Sky King
Cepheus, the King, has hidden his treasure well but not so much that curious amateurs can't find more than enough to stuff their pockets.
Explore the Night with Bob King
Get to Know the Ghostly Galaxies of Sagittarius
We often think of Sagittarius as home to one galaxy only — the Milky Way. But two members of the Local Group and a smattering of fainter galaxies reside here, too.
Explore the Night with Bob King
Wallow a While in the Lagoon Nebula
We take a dip in one of summer's finest nebulae and explore everything from spooky Bok globules to the tornadic Hourglass Nebula. Don't forget your snorkel, er, telescope! Sometimes a single deep-sky object becomes your whole universe. So it was for me when I took several deep wades in the…
How Low Can You Go? Journey to the Bottom of the Sky
How Low Can You Go? Journey to the Bottom of the Sky
Explore the Night with Bob King
Welcome Back, Milky Way!
Twilight's end brings the return of the summer Milky Way to the eastern sky. We unravel the anatomy of our home galaxy by teasing out the hidden structures within that glowing band.
Explore the Night with Bob King
See Bright Nebulae Millions of Light-Years Away
We leave the Milky Way behind and venture out to explore giant star-bursting regions in the galaxies M101 and NGC 2366.
Explore the Night with Bob King
Hunting Bright Variable Stars in M5 and M13
Globular clusters are packed with variable stars, some of which are easy to see and follow in amateur telescopes. We explore M5 and M13, two of the season's finest.
Yanking Markarian's Chain
Markarian's Chain, a remarkable arc of bright galaxies, is your ticket to the Virgo Cluster. Hop aboard!
Astronomy and Stargazing Projects
Twinkle, Twinkle Quasi-Star — 12 Quasars for Spring Evenings
Quasars are among the brightest and most distant objects in the universe. Many are visible in amateur scopes if you know just where to look. We'll help you track them down.
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…
Explore the Night with Bob King
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.
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.
