This Week's Sky at a Glance, June 2 – 11
Venus shining in the dusk says goodbye to Pollux, hello to Mars. . . which is busy crossing the Beehive Cluster. Arcturus stands straight over Spica after dark, and Kochab stands straight over Polaris, it's that time of year.
June: Solstice Nights & Summer Sights
June offers the shortest nights of the year for stargazers in the Northern Hemisphere. So count on our monthly Sky Tour podcast to help you get the most out your casual stargazing. It’s a fun and informative way to introduce yourself to the nighttime sky!
This Week's Sky at a Glance, May 26 – June 4
Venus starts the week under Pollux and Castor, then lines up with them. Nearby, Mars steps on the Beehive. In the south the Bootes kite flies high.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, May 19 – 28
As Venus and Mars move toward each other in the western dusk, Venus brightens and Mars shrinks — just like they always do. This week the waxing Moon hops over both.
Stargazer's Corner: Adventures Under the Night Sky
Australia's Hybrid Solar Eclipse: Capturing the Chromosphere
A veteran eclipse-chaser found himself in a “hurry-up offense” on a tiny, uninhabited island during the April 2023 hybrid solar eclipse.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, May 12 – 21
Mars and Venus each line up with a pair of stars this week. And with the Milky Way lying all around the horizon, the Coma Berenices Star Cluster floats overhead.
Explore the Night with Bob King
Lie Back, Look Up, and Find Your Zenith Stars
When you want to relax under the stars there's no better way than on your back looking up at the zenith. We explore what's overhead and discover there's more than one zenith up there.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, May 5 – 14
Big, macho Venus is closing in on wimpy little Mars in the western sky at dusk. Venus says hi to M35 on the way. In early dawn, the waning Moon guides the way to Saturn.
May: Leo is King in Late Spring
This month’s episode takes you on a guided tour of the key stars and planets that you’ll see on May evenings — a fun and informative way to introduce yourself to the nighttime sky!
This Week's Sky at a Glance, April 28 – May 7
The Arch of Spring across the west enfolds Mars and Venus. Wintry Sirius nears its heliacal setting low in the southwest. The Summer Triangle stars come into view one by one in the east.
Totality “Down Under”
When the Moon’s shadow swept across Earth on April 20th, tens of thousands traveled to Australia, Timor-Leste, and Indonesia to witness the celestial spectacle.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, April 21 – 30
The Moon hops past Venus and then Mars. Hydra snakes up, the Pointers point down, and the Arch of Spring spans the west.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, April 14 – 23
Venus shines with Aldebaran and the Pleiades in late twilight. After sunset on the 20th, try to spot your record-breaking thinnest young Moon. And Leo walks west with a mouse-galaxy dangling from his chin.
Astrophotography: Tips & Techniques
Use Your Smartphone to Shoot a Solar Eclipse
Read this advice from expert eclipse-chasers before you use your smartphone to photograph a solar eclipse.
Astrophotography: Tips & Techniques
Eclipse Photographer’s Checklist
For those preparing to photograph a total solar eclipse, Fred Espenak shares his eclipse photography checklist.
Images to Inspire: Solar Eclipse Pictures
We've gathered some of the best pictures of past solar eclipses, total and partial, from our online photo gallery to serve as inspiration for your eclipse photography
This Week's Sky at a Glance, April 7 – 16
Venus in the western twilight guides the way down to Mercury. The Pleiades pass by Venus far in its background. And can you find the head of Hydra?
Meet Elnath in the Horn of the Bull
Elnath, the bright, blue-white star that marks one of the horns of Taurus, is a peculiar star in its own right.
April: Mercury & Venus at Their Best
This month’s episode offers an easy-to-follow guide to finding the solar system’s two innermost planets after sunset. And then it takes you on a guided tour of the rest of the key stars and planets that you’ll see on April evenings — a fun and informative way to introduce yourself to the nighttime sky!
This Week's Sky at a Glance, March 31 – April 8
Mercury emerges this week far below Venus at dusk, while Venus makes its way toward the Pleiades. Orion turns his belt horizontal for the warming weather.