201–220 of 603 results
Galaxies in Cetus

Deep Sky

Deep-sky Fishing in Cetus, the Whale

Small telescopes can reel in some big ones in the constellation Cetus, the Whale.

Earth and Uranus compared

Comets

Uranus Queues Up for Opposition

Journey to a remote planet then double back to check in on the latest stirrings of Comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann before touching the finger of dawn.

Green aurora above a lodge with lights on and dark trees on the horizon line.

Auroras

How to Photograph the Northern Lights

Follow these tips to help capture auroral displays.

Comets

How Bright Will Comet Leonard Get?

We examine circumstances and expectations for the current apparition of Comet Leonard, which may become the year's brightest comet.

Conflagration, Expansion and Fade

Comets

Comet 29P Undergoes Brightest Outburst in Recent Years

Catch one of the most active small bodies in the solar system during a rare superoutburst.

Cassiopeia open clusters map

Deep Sky

Cassiopeia Cornucopia — Pretty Little Clusters All in a Row

See nine unique open clusters in Cassiopeia while barely moving your telescope.

Comet 4P/Faye and tail

Comets

Making Time for Morning Comets

If you like mixing comets with the quietude of observing in the small hours, September opens with five fuzzy vagabonds just waiting for a visit.

Gamma Cassiopeia

Meet the Stars

Meet Gamma Cassiopeiae, the Classic Eruptive Variable

Gamma Cassiopeia may lack a proper name, but the middle star of the "W"-shape constellation is worth finding on the sky.

Jupiter, Ganymede, Europa and double shadows, March 25, 2019

Planets

The 12-Year Cycle of Jupiter Oppositions

Jupiter is at opposition on August 19th. If we take the long view — 12 years long — we can watch Jupiter's oppositions as it passes through the zodiac constellations.

RS Oph animation

Variable Stars

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

Doubles map east

Double Stars

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.

Deep Sky

Night at the (Celestial) Museum

Take some time to explore the overlooked masterpiece of Messier 56.

NGC 5453 globular cluster

Deep Sky

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.

Temple of the Moon

Eclipses

Plan Ahead for the 2023 Annular Solar Eclipse — and a Visit to Dark Sky Parks

If today’s solar eclipse has you wondering when the next one will cross the continent, start planning now for a stellar trip around October 14, 2023.

M56 globular

Deep Sky

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.

Red nova

Variable Stars

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.

Annular eclipse

Eclipses

A Sunrise Annular Solar Eclipse

Even if you're not in the path of annularity during the June 10th solar eclipse, get ready for a sunrise spectacle.

Eclipses

Dawn Delight: Catch the Total Lunar Eclipse on May 26, 2021

On May 26th the Moon will be in total eclipse for the first time in nearly two and a half years. While timing favors western North America, a partial eclipse will be visible across much of the U.S. and Canada at dawn.

full Moon

Moon

7 Easy Things to See on the “Supermoon”

Seven easy and rewarding targets to explore when the Moon is full.

Hubble photo of M3

Deep Sky

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.