Explore the Night with Bob King
Hunting Giant Planetary Nebulae
Mind your elders the next clear night and pay a visit to some of Spring's biggest and most ancient planetary nebulae.
Is T CrB About to Blow its Top?
The recurrent nova T Coronae Borealis last made a splash just after World War II. Does its current restive state hint at an imminent outburst?
Are You Game for April's Lunar Observing Challenge?
With astronomy being celebrated around the globe this month, join the fun by participating in a unique lunar observing challenge: track down 20 features once thought to show evidence of change from weather, geology, and even life.
Explore the Night with Bob King
Up, Up, and Away with Comet 252P
With the Moon finally put to bed and Comet 252P still bright, there's no better time than now to see it. Nearby Mars and Saturn only sweeten the deal.
Explore the Night with Bob King
Comet 252P Zooms North, BA14 Grows Tail
Splintered comet duo 252P/LINEAR and P/2016 BA14 liven up both dusk and dawn this week. Naked-eye 252P finally debuts in northern skies, while BA14 makes a beeline through the Big Dipper.
Comet PanSTARRS 2016's Historic Flyby of Earth
Not one, but two, possibly related comets will make exceptionally close flybys of Earth on March 21–22. Here's what we know and a guide on how to see them.
Astrophotography: Tips & Techniques
Expert Tips for Basic Lunar Imaging
It's easy to take high-quality images of the lunar disk.
How To Get a Glimpse of Omega Centauri
Among globular clusters, the immense Omega Centauri is widely regarded as the most impressive in the sky. Its deep southern location makes this object challenging to spot — but it can be done, as Italian observer Giuseppe Pappa explains.
How Astronomers Count Sunspots
A multi-year investigation revealed errors in our understanding of the Sun.
Explore the Night with Bob King
It's Not Over Till The Fast Planet Sinks
This week and early next will be your last chance to see five planets — six if you count Earth — at dawn.
Tale of Capella and the Two Red Dwarfs
Bright Capella plays it close to the vest when it comes to companions, but with a good map and steady skies you can track down its dwarf binary.
Catalina Comet Sails Into Northern Skies
Comet Catalina returns this month with naked-eye potential. Follow its every move with our guide and maps.
Moon Hides Hyades, Occults Aldebaran Friday
After a late-night ramble through the Hyades cluster, the waning gibbous Moon will cover up the bright star Aldebaran for observers across North America Friday morning.
Observer's Guide to the H-alpha Sun
Want to see a star rock in real time? Observe the Sun in the crimson light of hydrogen alpha and watch it come alive.
Observing and Photographing Lunar Eclipses
Lunar eclipses are leisurely affairs a pleasure to watch and photograph.
Rosetta's Comet Beckons At Dawn
Northern hemisphere observers have this month and next to get their best look at Rosetta's comet, 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko.
Let's Get Serious About Ceres
We pay a visit to Ceres, now the apple of the Dawn Mission's eye, as it creeps through Sagittarius this month
Rayed Craters on the Moon
Like "catching some rays"? Explore the beauty and dazzle of crater rays, the tracks left by powerful impacts in the not-so-distant past.
Explore the Night with Bob King
C/2014 Q1 (PanSTARRS): Next Naked-Eye Comet?
Comet C/2014 Q1 PanSTARRS has been skirting the northern horizon since mid-June. Now it's ready to dip Down Under, where it may be visible with the naked eye in evening twilight.
See Icarus Wing By Earth This Week
It's no myth. Icarus makes a rare flyby of Earth this week. Here's how to see it in your telescope and live online.