SUNSET: 
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?
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.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, July 7 – 16
Mars meets Regulus while Venus looks on. Scorpius comes to its July height — bearing its double stars, Cat's Eyes, and Little Cat's Eyes. And keep a lookout for noctilucent clouds at the end of dusk.
July: Scorpion & Serpent Handler
Count on our monthly Sky Tour podcast to help you get the most out your casual stargazing. It’s a fun and informative way to introduce yourself to the nighttime sky!
This Week's Sky at a Glance, June 30 – July 9
Full Moon in the Teapot. Are the colors of brights easier to discern in moonlight? Twilight? Mars closes in on Regulus as Venus watches. And the supernova in the Pinwheel Galaxy is still 12th magnitude.
See Summer's Best “Gobbled” Globulars
Mergers between the Milky Way and long-ago dwarf galaxies have enriched our skies with dozens of iconic globular clusters. Many are visible in small telescopes.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, June 23 – July 3
Venus almost meets Mars in the western twilight, then runs away. Vega and Arcturus become equally balanced across the zenith. Down from Vega hangs the Summer Triangle.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, June 16 – 25
Venus and Mars are getting closer together in the western dusk. And why does Mars always turn so puny when it approaches Venus? The "Betelgeuse of Summer" is up, and the Little Dipper stands on end.
Eking Out Observing from under Wildfire Smoke
Smoke from Canadian wildfires has made observing the night sky a challenge for many. Here are some ways you can make the best of a bad situation.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, June 9 – 18
Now it's Venus's turn to pass the Beehive, with Leo looming over. The Summer Triangle lofts high. And the supernova in M101, near the Big Dipper, remains 11th magnitude.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, June 2 – 11
Venus shining in the dusk says goodbye to Pollux, hello to Mars. . . which is busy crossing the Beehive Cluster. Arcturus stands straight over Spica after dark, and Kochab stands straight over Polaris, it's that time of year.
June: Solstice Nights & Summer Sights
June offers the shortest nights of the year for stargazers in the Northern Hemisphere. So count on our monthly Sky Tour podcast to help you get the most out your casual stargazing. It’s a fun and informative way to introduce yourself to the nighttime sky!
This Week's Sky at a Glance, May 26 – June 4
Venus starts the week under Pollux and Castor, then lines up with them. Nearby, Mars steps on the Beehive. In the south the Bootes kite flies high.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, May 19 – 28
As Venus and Mars move toward each other in the western dusk, Venus brightens and Mars shrinks — just like they always do. This week the waxing Moon hops over both.
Stargazer's Corner: Adventures Under the Night Sky
Australia's Hybrid Solar Eclipse: Capturing the Chromosphere
A veteran eclipse-chaser found himself in a “hurry-up offense” on a tiny, uninhabited island during the April 2023 hybrid solar eclipse.
