SUNSET: 
This Week's Sky at a Glance, September 15 – 24
Comet Nishimura shines at its brightest... but don't be disappointed, we warned you. Meanwhile Jupiter outdoes Saturn as an evening light, and the Little Dipper dumps water into the Big Dipper.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, September 8 – 17
Comet Nishimura teases us shyly low on the dawn horizon, then low on the dusk horizon. The Milky Way arches high across the evening sky, and Saturn invites your telescope.
Action-packed Sky: Saturn, Comet Nishimura, and More
September is Saturn's time to shine. We also check on Comet Nishimura — now at 5th magnitude and still brightening — and look forward to a dramatic asteroid occultation. Not to mention that Jupiter just took another hit.
September Podcast: Explore the Summer Triangle
Daylight hours are getting shorter in the Northern Hemisphere, which means the hours for stargazing are getting longer throughout September! So stream or download this month’s Sky Tour astronomy podcast for lots of great tips on what you can see this month in the evening sky.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, September 1 – 10
Vega culminates at the zenith around the end of twilight. Arcturus and the Dipper sink through the evening. Saturn and Jupiter rule the late-night hours, and Venus shines at dawn.
El Niño and the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse
What will the ongoing El Niño event do to the chance of cloud cover along the 2024 total solar eclipse track?
The Moon Is "Blue" This Wednesday...Or Is It?
If skies are clear this Wednesday, you'll see the full Moon — but it's not the "true" Blue Moon.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, August 25 – September 3
Saturn comes to opposition. Vega crests at the zenith, while Arcturus declines in the west. Venus shines at dawn. Go out before dawn's very first light, and you get an Orion-starring preview of the evening sky at New Year's.
New Comet Nishimura May Become Naked-Eye Bright
Comet Nishimura is quickly brightening in the morning sky and may be faintly visible with the naked eye next month. And on August 24th observers in North America will be treated to an occultation of Antares.
2024 Total Solar Eclipse: 25 Events, Festivals, and Places to Stay
Some ideas for those who still need a place to go on April 8, 2024, to see the total solar eclipse.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, August 18 – 27
The waxing Moon passes Spica and then will occult Antares for much of North America. Saturn reaches opposition this week. The Andromegasus Dipper scoops up as summer wanes.
How Rare Is a Solar Eclipse?
There are two solar eclipses every year — so why are they so rare?
Get Ready for a Great Perseid Meteor Shower
The Perseids are here! With no Moon to spoil the show it's time to break out the lawn chairs, sit back, and watch the comet dust fly.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, August 4 – 13
We're approaching the peak of the Perseid meteors. Vega claims the zenith as the Teapot claims the south. In twilight, Mars has a friendly but not very intimate date with Mercury.
August Podcast: Blue Moon and Perfect Perseids
Many skywatchers look forward to seeing the Perseid meteors every August, and this month’s Sky Tour episode why they’ll be especially good this year. You’ll also learn what's so special about the full Moon that falls on the night of August 30–31.
Eclipse Apps, Books, Videos: Resources for the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse
Find some of our favorite resources for the April 8, 2024, solar eclipse, including apps, video explainers, children's activities, and books.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, July 28 – August 6
Venus turns super-interesting and then disappears. Mercury lingers behind it in twilight. So does little Mars in third place. On the other side of the sky, the Moon passes Saturn.
See Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks in Outburst!
Comet Pons-Brooks, a dim comet on its way to a great apparition next spring, suddenly sprang into action overnight, brightening by five magnitudes. Now you can see it in a 4-inch telescope.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, July 21 – 30
Low in twilight, Mercury consorts with Venus and squeaks by Regulus. The waxing gibbous Moon does what it does every July: crosses Scorpius and Sagittarius.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, July 14 – 23
Venus, Mercury, and Mars, very unequal, gather low in the western twilight with the crescent Moon stepping over them and Regulus in their midst. And do you know which way the Kite of Boötes bends?
