SUNSET: 
This Week’s Sky at a Glance, February 7 – 15
Venus is the bright "star" shining in the southwest during and after twilight. Fainter Mercury is far down to its lower left as twilight fades.
February 2020: Five Planets & More!
If you drag yourself outside before dawn and then wait until after sunset, you can spot all five of the naked-eye planets. And the Winter Hexagon glides high in the evening sky.
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.
This Week’s Sky at a Glance, Jan. 24 – Feb. 1
Betelgeuse remains dim. The red supergiant Betelgeuse in Orion's shoulder has always been slightly variable, but for the last month or so it's been in an unusually low dip. As of January 22nd it was still about visual magnitude +1.5 instead of its more typical +0.5, It's clearly fainter than similarly-colored Aldebaran, magnitude +0.9, with which it's often compared and normally outshines quite obviously.
See Ancient “North Stars" Eclipse Each Other
The ancient pole star known as Thuban turns out to be an eclipsing binary. If you're up for a challenge, you can see the eclipses for yourself.
A Quick Tour of Orion, the Hunter
The evening sky this week presents a near perfect opportunity to explore winte'rs marquee constellation, Orion, with binoculars or a small telescope.
This Week’s Sky at a Glance, January 17 – 25
Is your sky dark enough for you to see the winter Milky Way? In mid-evening now it runs vertically up and across the zenith: from Canis Major low in the southeast, up between Orion and Gemini, through Auriga and Perseus almost straight overhead, and down through Cassiopeia, Cepheus, and Cygnus to the northwest horizon.
Explore the Night with Bob King
Comets to Catch in 2020
Here's the lowdown on which comets will brighten our skies in 2020.
This Week’s Sky at a Glance, January 10 – 18
Venus, shining at magnitude –4.0 in Capricornus, dominates the southwest during and after twilight, higher each week. It will shine as the grand "Evening Star" all winter and into the spring.
Solar and Lunar Eclipses in 2020
Six eclipses occur in 2020, with one total and one annular solar eclipse in the mix. But the four lunar eclipses will be disappointing brushes through the fringe of Earth's shadow.
This Week’s Sky at a Glance, January 3 – 11
Astronomy? Skywatching? Daily sky sights for the unaided eye, binoculars, and telescopes, from Sky & Telescope magazine.
This Week’s Sky at a Glance, Jan. 31 – Feb. 8
Betelgeuse remains dim. The red supergiant Betelgeuse in Orion's shoulder has always been slightly variable, but for the last month or so it's been in an unusually low dip. Now magnitude 1.6!
January 2020: Mid-winter Wonders
New Year's resolution: Do more stargazing! (Hint: Get an easy and entertaining head start by downloading this month's Sky Tour podcast for a guided tour of the night sky.)
Betelgeuse is Dimming . . . Why?
The bright star Betelgeuse has faded to a historic low as astronomers try to figure out why.
The Best Meteor Showers in 2020
Sky & Telescope predicts that the three best meteor showers — the Quadrantids (peaking on January 4th!), Perseids and Geminids — will all have strong showings this year.
This Week’s Sky at a Glance, December 27 – January 4
Want to become a better amateur astronomer? Learn your way around the constellations. They're the key to locating everything fainter and deeper to hunt with binoculars or a telescope.
This Week’s Sky at a Glance, December 20 – 28
Have you ever watched Sirius rise? Watch for Sirius about two fists below Orion's vertical Belt. When a star is very low, it tends to twinkle slowly and often in vivid colors.
2020 Total Solar Eclipse: Update from Patagonia
Check out the viewing site and accommodations in Argentina's lush Lake District for Sky & Telescope's expedition to witness the 2020 total solar eclipse on December 14, 2020.
This Week’s Sky at a Glance, December 13 – 21
Venus shines in the southwest in evening twilight, a little higher each week now. It's on its way up to a grand, high "Evening Star" apparition this winter.
