SUNSET: 
Recurrent Nova RS Ophiuchi Just Blew its Top!
The recurrent nova RS Ophiuchi just went into outburst — its first burst in 15 years — and it's bright enough to see with the naked eye
Explore the Night with Bob King
Dazzling Double Stars for Compromised Skies
For many, smoke from wildfires has transformed summer nights, blotting out stars and familiar deep-sky sights. But through it all double stars keep on shining.
In Heaven with M7, a Portal Into the Deep
M7 in Scorpius is one of the brightest, most beautiful open clusters in the sky. It's also "home" to a half-dozen other delectable deep-sky sights.
Summer Nights Offer Splendid Sights in Lyra
Lyra, the Lyre, offers a wonderful assortment of double stars and deep-sky objects to keep you up at night. Break out your binoculars and telescope and join me for a summertime ramble.
Explore the Night with Bob King
Bright Nova in Hercules on a Roller Coaster Ride
A new bright nova discovered in Hercules at 8th magnitude briefly rose to naked-eye visibility. It's currently easily visible in a pair of binoculars.
Hunting Barnard's Variable in the Globular Cluster M3
We beat a path through a forest of stars to find the first variable star ever discovered in a globular star cluster.
Explore the Night with Bob King
A Bouquet of Novae Brightens April Nights
With the recent discovery of Nova Scorpii 2021 earlier this week, three bright stellar explosions are now visible in small telescopes from dusk till dawn.
Bright Nova Erupts in Cassiopeia
A new nova in Cassiopeia, discovered on March 18th, is bright enough to see in a small telescope.
Explore the Night with Bob King
Take a Roller Coaster Ride with Algol, a Fast Eclipsing Binary
How would you like to see a star drop two magnitudes in the time it takes to eat dinner? Easy to do. Just check out one of these fast eclipsing binaries — they'll make your head spin.
Is Betelgeuse Approaching a Crossroads?
Astronomers all over are waiting with bated breath to see what Betelgeuse will do next. Is it going to start brightening again on February 21st? Or will it continue to surprise?
The Latest on Betelgeuse, Plus a Bright Supernova and New Comet Iwamoto
The sky provides. This winter, the fading of Betelgeuse caught us all by surprise. Now, as January wraps up, we can add a new comet discovery and a supernova bright enough to see in a 6-inch telescope to an ever-growing list of seasonal sky wonders.
Betelgeuse is Dimming . . . Why?
The bright star Betelgeuse has faded to a historic low as astronomers try to figure out why.
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.
Explore the Night with Bob King
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.
Trick-or-Treat with the Seven White Dwarfs
In the Halloween spirit, we pay a visit to the cosmic dead, those tiny stars that should just fade away but always seem to be causing trouble instead.
R Coronae Borealis Awakes and Pluto Blocks a Star
Sometimes, it's just as exciting to watch a celestial object fade or disappear as it is to see it explode. We celebrate the "return" of a mysterious variable star and prepare for Pluto to occult a star.
Observing Carbon Stars
Expand your observing plans by adding a few of these red-orange carbon stars.
Dwarf Nova V392 Persei Goes Big — It's Now Binocular Bright
In a rare move, a sleepy cataclysmic variable blows its top and suddenly becomes a nova.
Explore the Night with Bob King
Put a Little Bit of Leo in Your Life
We lift the Lion's paw to find a bright, red variable star, a germinating planetary nebula, galaxies rarely visited, and a diversity of doubles.
Mira Makes January Nights "Wonderful"
Mira, one of the easiest-to-observe pulsating variable stars, reaches peak brightness this month. Don't be shy, come look her in the eye.