
Meet Alnilam, Orion’s Belt Buckle
Alnilam, the middle star of Orion's distinctive belt, is a distant supergiant that will (eventually) end its life in a supernova.

March — A Good Time to Visit Vesta
Dip into this easy guide to seeing the brightest asteroid, Vesta, and understanding what makes it unique.

A Deep-sky Hippity-hop through Lepus, the Hare
Snare a dozen bright double stars and deep-sky objects in the celestial Hare the next clear night. We also provide details on how to watch the potentially hazardous asteroid Apophis occult a star the night of February 21st.

Planets and Comets Can't Hide from SOHO's Eye
With the help of the Solar Heliospheric Observatory you can not only keep track of the planets in the daytime sky but maybe even discover a comet.

Meet Castor, Six Stars in One
Castor, a prime ornament of the Gemini constellation and one of the brightest stars in the sky, is actually a system of stars with six unique members.

Solar and Lunar Eclipses in 2021
Four eclipses occur in 2021, with annular and total solar eclipses alternating between total and not-quite-total lunar eclipses.

Comet Watch 2021
If you own an 8-inch or larger telescope you might see more than a dozen new and returning comets this year, including one potential naked-eye candidate.

Explore the Night with Bob King
Foraging for Deep-sky Delights with Capella, the Goat Star
We explore deep-sky riches within a stone's throw of Capella, one of the season's brightest stars.

Meet Kochab, a Guardian of the Pole
Meet the stars: Kochab is no record-breaking bright star, but it's easy enough to find — and it may have played an important role through history.

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.

Meet Aldebaran, the Bull’s Eye
Learn more about Aldebaran, the red-orange giant star that "follows" the Pleiades across the sky.

Meet Capella, the Goat Star
Capella is the sixth-brightest star in the sky — and it's more than one star! The main two stars in the system are near-twins, bright yellow giants.

Explore the Night with Bob King
Leonid Meteor Shower to the Rescue
Modest but reliable, the annual Leonid meteor shower returns this week. Take an hour or two to relax and enjoy the show.

Explore the Night with Bob King
Comets Crawl through the Skies at Dawn and Dusk
Comets have been scarce since NEOWISE departed the scene. Not anymore. Suddenly, there are four fresh faces visible from dusk til dawn.

Meet Arcturus: Guardian of the Bear
Arcturus is one of the brightest stars in the sky — a cool red giant in Bootes, the Herdsman, that's often tied mythologically to Ursa Major, the Bear.

International Observe the Moon Night Is Here
International Observe the Moon Night is here. Step outside Saturday evening and admire our closest celestial neighbor with your family.

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.

Ice Giants: Neptune and Uranus
Spot Uranus and Neptune, and relive the original discoveries.

Explore the Night with Bob King
Stormy Times on Jupiter, Comet Howell Steps Up, and More
Colder weather might be coming, but don't pack away that telescope! You'll miss a powerful storm that's remaking Jupiter's North Temperate Belt, a returning comet, Mira on the rise, and a bright supernova in the Great Bear.

Meet Antares: The Star That Is Not Mars
Antares is a red supergiant that — like Betelgeuse — will one day go supernova.