SUNSET: 
New Satellite "Mayak" Might Light Up the Sky
Russia's first crowd-funded satellite, named Mayak (Russian for "beacon of light"), promises to be the “brightest object in the night sky next to the Moon.”
Bah, Humboldt! Visiting a Fringe Crater
Meet Humboldt, a magnificent lunar crater compromised by its life on the edge.
Fun in the Sun: A White-Light Guide to Our Nearest Star
We examine the fascinating solar phenomena that anyone with a small scope and safe solar filter can see, whether the Sun's in eclipse or not.
Bright Supernova Discovered in "Fireworks Galaxy" NGC 6946
A brand new supernova in NGC 6946 is bright enough to see in modest-sized telescopes. Here's how to find it.
Are You Ready, Willing, and Abell?
A cosmic rabbit hole in the tail of Leo will take you to Abell 1367, a wonderland of galaxies more than 300 million light-years from Earth. Step in and lose yourself in the vastness.
See a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid From Your Backyard
Get ready for 2014 JO25, the biggest asteroid to fly this close to Earth since 2004. Good news — even a 3-inch telescope will show it! Update: See below for a radar image and animation of 2014 JO25 captured by NASA's Goldstone Solar System Radar on April 18, 2017. Every week, a…
Comet Lovejoy Brightens Quickly, Heads North
Terry Lovejoy's new comet has gone from faint to bright in just three weeks and is now a tempting binocular target at dawn.
Pushing Limits: A Spring Sky Double Star Romp
Push your telescope to the limit and put your eyes to the test with this series of tight-knit springtime double stars.
Green Comet 45P Makes Close Earth Flyby
Green-glowing 45P/Honda-Mrkos-Pajdusakova will make an unusually close pass by Earth on Saturday. Watch it boogie across the morning sky this week!
Get Your Iridium Fix Before It's Too Late!
The shock and dazzle of Iridium flares will soon be a thing of the past. Here's how to make the most of seeing them before they're replaced by a new generation of satellites.
Explore Craters in the Lunar Arctic
Put on a coat, set up your scope, and become a polar explorer as we visit off-the-beaten-path craters and maria in the Moon's arctic vastness.
Bright Prospects for Comets in 2017
Comet lovers have much to look forward to in the new year with six potential bright binocular comets and at least two others for modest backyard telescopes.
Colored Double Stars, Real and Imagined
Colorful lights twinkle everywhere during the holiday season, including up above in some remarkably tinted double stars. Find out what makes them so alluring.
Comet Campaign Seeks Imagers Worldwide
Calling all imagers! Three comets will make close flybys of Earth over the next two years. Join a new pro-am effort to make the most of this rare triple play.
Uranus: In Seventh Heaven with Planet Seven
With our eyes often glued to the bright classical planets, Uranus is easy to overlook. Now well-placed for viewing at a convenient hour, why not pay this pale blue dot a visit the next clear night?
What is a Supermoon? Facts vs. Fiction
The perpetuation of the supermoon myth is mostly motivated by desire for publicity. But much of what we call the supermoon is just our eyes playing tricks on us.
8th-magnitude Nova in Sagittarius
A nova in Sagittarius, discovered a few nights ago by a Japanese amateur, has become bright enough to see in binoculars.
Resolving Andromeda — How to See Stars 2.5 Million Light-Years Away
At 2.5 million light-years away, you might think it's impossible to see individual stars in the Andromeda Galaxy. Let its largest star cloud, NGC 206, show you the way.
Will the Real Albireo Please Stand Up?
A stunning double star, Albireo is also a bit of an enigma. Is it a true binary or the result of a chance alignment?
A Little Guide to Lunar Domes
With this week's waxing Moon, we set off to explore its volcanic past with a look at a dozen intriguing lunar domes.
