SUNSET: 
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.
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.
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.
Astronomy and Stargazing Projects
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
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.
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.
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!
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.
Explore the Night with Bob King
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.
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.
Explore the Night with Bob King
Seeking Cas A, the Ghostly Remains of a Mysterious Supernova
We still don't know for sure if anyone saw the supernova explosion in Cassiopeia around 1680, but there's no question we can observe what remains of it today.
Explore the Night with Bob King
Ducks in Disguise or How Stars Hide Their True Colors
Do star clusters form all at once or over several generations? A team of astronomers finds an answer among the spinning stars of an amateur favorite, the Wild Duck Cluster.
Double Your Deep-Sky Pleasure with "Two-in-the-View"
Once you've seen two, a single won't do. Enjoy this selection of multiple deep-sky objects visible in the same field of view of your telescope.
Equuleus, the Constellation Nobody Knows
Often passed over in favor of showier sights, the constellation of the Little Horse has charms of its own. Let's saddle up and go for a ride.
