SUNSET: 
Chi Cygni: A Wide-Ranging Variable
This red long-period variable is sometimes visible to the unaided eye — and sometimes invisible even in a 4-inch telescope.
Mining Hipparcos's Buried Treasure
The satellite caught tantalizing pieces of light curves for many new variable stars. Now it's time to fill in the details.
Nova Hunters
Few observers have spotted an ever-elusive "new" star. Fewer still have done it twice. Observing styles and techniques are as varied as the searchers themselves.
A Treasure-Trove of Variable Stars
Some of the Hipparcos satellite's unfinished business provides fair game for backyard observers.
The Minima of Algol
Now you can calculate the dates and times (local and Universal Times) when the eclipsing variable star Algol should be at its dimmest (magnitude 3.4 instead of its usual 2.1).
The Lure of Variable Stars
Studying and recording the ups and downs of variable stars is a pleasant pastime that can also be scientifically rewarding. Here's a simple project to get you going.
R and T Coronae Borealis: Two Stellar Opposites
One is usually bright but fades unexpectedly; one is almost always faint but brightens unexpectedly. Check them out with binoculars.
Delta Scorpii Still Showing Off
For the fourth summer in a row, the head of the bright constellation Scorpius looks a little unusual.
X Sagittarii: A Variable Star Toward Our Galaxy's Heart
This naked-eye variable should be near peak brightness every Wednes-day night during August, September, and October.
Chi Cygni Rises Toward Maximum
Catch a orange-red variable star in Cygnus, the Swan, as its brightness peaks in early July.
The Variable Star T Cephei
The long-period variable star T Cephei peaks this October. The star is relatively easy to locate in binoculars because of its red hue.
An 11th-Magnitude Supernova
An unusually bright supernova has gone off in NGC 2403, an 8.5-magnitude galaxy in the constellation Camelopardalis, the Giraffe.
A Star Prepares to Blow Its Top
Easily found with the naked eye, 4th-magnitude Rho Cassiopeiae may be getting ready for an enormous mass ejection in the next few months.
Chi Cygni to Brighten in Early March
The long-period variable Chi Cygni peaks in March. Here's where to find it and what to expect.
