29-hour-old Moon

Explore the Night with Bob King

See the Young Moon and the Lyrid Meteor Shower

We have an exciting week ahead with a crescent Moon that might break your observing record followed by a well-timed Lyrid meteor shower.

Celestial News & Events

The Best Meteor Showers in 2023

The two richest, most reliable annual meteor showers, the Perseids and Geminids, are Moon-free in 2023. Others showers await you too.

Geminid over Tucson

Meteors

Catch the Geminid Meteor Shower; Plus, Watch RW Cephei Fade

The luminous Geminid meteor shower returns. We also meet a binocular-bright star that may be experiencing Betelgeuse-like convulsions.

Orionid composite

Explore the Night with Bob King

All About the Dust — Orionids and Zodiacal Light

It doesn't take much to create a spectacle when it comes to astronomical observation. Just a pinch or two of dust.

Perseid 2021

Meteors

Perseids Are Coming, Full Moon or Not

Don't use a full Moon pass to skip this year's Perseid meteor shower. Right here, right now, we're going to help you make the most of it.

Tau Herculid fireball

Explore the Night with Bob King

Tau Herculid Meteors Surprise and Delight

We touch on the highlights of the memorable Tau Herculid meteor shower and also report on the recent outburst of the recurrent nova U Scorpii.

Geminid meteor shower

Meteors

Update on a Possible Outburst of Meteors

Will there be a new meteor shower on the night of May 30–31? There's only one way to find out.

Bright Lyrid

Explore the Night with Bob King

Celebrate Spring with the Lyrids

People have been watching the annual Lyrid meteor shower for more than 2,700 years. Come join the crowd!

Geminid fireball over Tucson

Observing

The Best Meteor Showers of 2022

Sky & Telescope predicts that the year’s best meteor shower will be the Quadrantids, which peak in the very first days of 2022. But the normally weak Tau Herculids (late May) and Leonids (November) might deliver dramatic outbursts.

Leonid fireball crossing Orion

Meteors

The Best Meteor Showers in 2021

Sky & Telescope predicts that the year's best meteor shower will be the strong, fireball-rich Perseids in mid-August.

Geminids Dec 13_2018 Bob King 480x274

Celestial News & Events

The Best Meteor Showers in 2020

Sky & Telescope predicts that the three best meteor showers — the Quadrantids (peaking on January 4th!), Perseids and Geminids — will all have strong showings this year.

Perseid meteor

Meteors

How to Photograph a Meteor Shower: Capturing the Perseids

Learn how to photograph a meteor shower with these step-by-step instructions, as well as advice for the advanced imager.

Leonid fireball

Meteors

The Basics of Meteor Observing

Here are a few hints to enhance your meteor-watching experience.

Geminid meteor

Meteors

Advanced Meteor Observing

Meteor studies have relied heavily on amateur observers for more than a century. They still do. Here are some tips and suggestions on how to plan a meteor watch.

A bright Perseid meteor

Meteors

About Meteors

Meteors, meteoroids, meteorites, and fireballs — keep all these look-alike terms straight.

Perseid Meteor

Celestial Objects to Observe

Observing the Perseids - A Perennial Guide

The Perseids meteor shower is one of the year's top astronomical highlights. Learn how best to see the meteors.

Comet Halley

Celestial Objects to Observe

Eta Aquariids: Halley's Comet Crumbs

Flecks of dust shed long ago by Edmond Halley’s famous namesake arrive like clockwork each year, creating a minor meteor shower in early May.

Quadrantid meteor

Celestial Objects to Observe

History of the Quadrantid Meteors

Read about the history and source of the Quadrantid meteor stream, which provides one of the most intense annual meteor displays. Its brief, sharp maximum lasts only a few hours in early January.

John Locke

Meteors

The Discovery of the Perseid Meteors

It took the mindset of a detective to discover the truth behind the meteors of mid-August.

Celestial Objects to Observe

Meteors That Changed the World

When "shooting stars" make the transition from heaven to earth, even small strikes can have a huge impact on human history.

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