SUNSET: 
Will Amateurs Be Able to See the New Interstellar Comet?
Only the second object thus far to visit the solar system from interstellar space, Comet Borisov is expected to reach perihelion in December. What can we see now?
Volcanoes Turn Twilights Purple
A rash of unusually colorful sunsets follows in the wake of two major volcanic eruptions.
Be a Warrior — Tackle a Trojan Asteroid
You've seen Jupiter and its four brightest moons. Now meet the rest of the family — the Trojan asteroids.
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…
August Will Have Two New Moons! What’s the Big Deal?
First there were "blue Moons;" now there are "black Moons." What do these terms mean . . . and do they matter?
Explore the Night with Bob King
Lonely Pluto Is More than a Speck
With Saturn pointing the way, it's easy to venture into the Kuiper Belt this summer and pay a visit to Pluto.
Celebrate Apollo 11 with a Visit to Armstrong, Aldrin and Collins Craters
Find the craters named for the three astronauts who flew the first manned mission to land on the Moon.
A Spoonful of Saturn to Sweeten the Night
Move over Jupiter, it's time for Saturn to shine! At opposition this week, the ringed planet is at its brightest and closest for the year.
Explore the Night with Bob King
Where Have All the Comets Gone?
It seems like forever since a bright comet has come around. We look at current and future prospects.
How Low Can You Go? Journey to the Bottom of the Sky
How Low Can You Go? Journey to the Bottom of the Sky
Plan for the Next Total Solar Eclipse
Totality is addictive — once you've seen one total solar eclipse, you're hankering for the next one. Some exciting destinations are getting ready for their dances with darkness.
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.
Jupiter Is Outstanding at Opposition
Prime-time Jupiter viewing kicks off this month when the planet reaches opposition on June 10th.
Explore the Night with Bob King
SpaceX Launches First Volley of Starlink Satellites
The 60 Starlink satellites parading across the sky make an incredible sight, but some skywatchers wonder at what cost to the night.
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.
Watch International Space Station Flybys All Night Long
The annual International Space Station marathon viewing season begins later this week, when skywatchers in the Northern Hemisphere can watch up to five successive ISS passes in one night.
Explore the Night with Bob King
The Moon Bumbles Into the Beehive Friday
The thick crescent Moon occults oodles of stars in the Beehive star cluster Friday evening for much of the Americas.
Meet Spica, the Ear of Grain
Meet Spica, the "ear of grain" in the constellation Virgo. This bright star is actually part of a binary orbiting so closely, they tug each other out of spherical shapes and whirl around each other every four days.
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.
