SUNSET: 
Solving an Earthshine Mystery
Something we take for granted about the crescent Moon's appearance may be nothing more than an optical illusion.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, July 22 – 30
Bright Arcturus is still pretty high after dark, but as summer progresses, it moves down the western side of the evening sky. Its pale ginger-ale tint always helps identify it.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, July 15 – 23
The waning Moon says hi to late-night Saturn, the Teapot starts tilting, the Great Square thrusts up, and the Milky Way arches high.
See a Rare Transit of Iapetus on July 17–18
It's tiny. It's challenging. But you won't get the chance to see Iapetus transit the globe of Saturn again until 2037!
This Week's Sky at a Glance, July 8 – 16
July is Scorpius season. Maybe you know of the Cat's Eyes in the Scorpion's tail, but how about the Little Cat's Eyes in the Scorpion's body? The Sagittarius Teapot follows not far behind.
Explore the Night with Bob King
Titan Occults a Bright Star, Mira Awakens, and Comet PanSTARRS Shines
Pick one or see them all. July offers a potpourri of celestial events for both naked-eye observers and telescope users that include a rare occultation by Saturn's moon Titan, a bright comet, and Mira at maximum.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, July 1 – 9
The Moon waxes across the evening sky from Leo to Scorpius. The five-planet lineup in the dawn is now four. And amateur astronomers plan to be recording as Saturn's hazy moon Titan occult a star about as bright as Titan itself for most of North America.
July: Stars of the Summer Sky
July offers lots of pretty stars and constellations to check out, and you’ll get a personally guided tour of them by downloading this month’s Sky Tour astronomy podcast.
Meet The Sun, Our Home Star
In this installment of Meet the Stars, we get to know the nearest one: our Sun. Its properties — like its stability — likely led to life on Earth.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, June 24 – July 2
The crescent Moon returns to the evening, crossing Leo. The five-planet lineup continues at dawn; catch it while you still can. And for skywatchers at northern latitudes, we're entering noctilucent cloud season.
Explore the Night with Bob King
Solar System Gets its Ducks in a Row
We'll have not one but many opportunities to enjoy a rare lineup of the bright planets over the next few weeks. Amazingly, they'll be aligned in order of their distance from the Sun.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, June 17 – 25
The five naked-eye planets form a diagonal line in the dawn this week — in order of their distance from the Sun, no less. And the waning Moon visits each one in turn, day by day.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, June 10 – 18
The waxing gibbous Moon shines with Spica, then occults Delta Scorpii. Meanwhile, all seven planets other than Earth are forming into a diagonal line across the east to southeast at dawn.
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.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, June 3 – 11
For three nights running, the waxing Moon will pose equidistant from the two brightest stars of Leo. The Cassiopeia W lies exactly level in the north. And for that to happen, Kochab has to be straight above Polaris.
June: Pre-dawn Planet-Palooza
Download this month's Sky Tour podcast to find out where and when to spot a rare alignment of five planets in the sky before dawn.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, May 27 – June 4
The crescent Moon passes Pollux and Castor in the western twilight. Jupiter aligns with Mars in the dawn, then they edge apart. And a strong new meteor shower will either happen or it won't!
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.
Explore the Night with Bob King
A New Way to See the Big Dipper
Unlike most asterisms, many of the Big Dipper's stars really are physically connected. They belong to a loosely bound stellar stream called the Ursa Major Moving Cluster.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, May 20 – 28
The advancing spring sends Vega high and Capella low. The Coma Berenices cluster glitters shyly way up, big and dim. Glance up anytime to check on changing Beta Lyrae. And now in the dawn, Jupiter aligns with Mars.