SUNSET: 
Nights with Mira, a Most Wonderful Star
Mira the Wonderful is back! Of course, it's always been there, but now it's near maximum brightness and easily visible with the unaided eye.
Australian Astronomer Discovers Back-to-back Novae!
John Seach hit the jackpot, discovering novae in both Centaurus and Sagittarius within a day of each other.
The Mystery of Leslie Peltier's "Two Tiny Diamonds"
How a determined amateur astronomer may have hit on the identity of a Cepheid variable double star described by a beloved author.
See Dual Naked-Eye Novae, a Rare Cosmic Coincidence
What's rarer than a naked-eye nova? Having two of them at the same time!
Bright Nova Lights Up Lupus Constellation
A newly-discovered nova in Lupus is on the rise and approaching naked-eye visibility. Here's how to see it.
When Wildfires Imperil Our Night Skies, See Double and Variable Stars
As wildfire season expands, observers across much of the country try to make do.
New Nova in the "Teapot," Algol Blinks, and Uranus Occults a Star
A new nova for early risers plus three fun observing projects for the week ahead.
T Coronae Borealis Isn't the Only Star Ready to Blow — Meet U Gem
As we wait on recurrent nova T CrB, dwarf nova U Geminorum is teeing up for its next 8-magnitude outburst.
Take a Look at R Leonis, Leo's Giant Ticker
Big, bright and red, the Mira variable R Leonis portends the Sun's fate. A pair of binoculars is all you need to get acquainted.
Is Betelgeuse Fading Again?
Betelgeuse has dipped nearly half a magnitude since late January. Could it be headed for another Great Dimming Event? We also take a look at this spring's "other" eclipse.
Time-lapse Animations Reveal a Universe in Transformation
Deep-sky objects may appear static throughout our lifetime but by carefully "blinking" archival and current images we can discern real changes in their appearance.
Catch Birth Flickers of Budding Suns in Orion
Three flickering stars in Orion offer insight into what life looks like before the main sequence.
Catch the Geminid Meteor Shower; Plus, Watch RW Cephei Fade
The luminous Geminid meteor shower returns. We also meet a binocular-bright star that may be experiencing Betelgeuse-like convulsions.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
A Bouquet of Novae Brightens April Nights
With the recent discovery of Nova Scorpii 2021 earlier this week, three bright stellar explosions are now visible in small telescopes from dusk till dawn.
