This Week's Sky at a Glance, June 18 – 26
Summer begins. The Honey Moon poses with Spica, Scorpius, and the Teapot as it waxes from gibbous through full this week. Venus lines up, briefly, with Castor and Pollux
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.
Chasing the Sun at 39,000 Feet
Sky & Telescope's annular-eclipse flight chased down the "ring of fire" eclipse in the skies above Canada for breathtaking views.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, June 11 – 19
The crescent Moon passes Venus, Pollux, Castor, and Mars in the evening twilight. The Big Dipper hangs down; the Little Dipper floats up. And greet the "Betelgeuse of summer."
A Sunrise Annular Solar Eclipse
Even if you're not in the path of annularity during the June 10th solar eclipse, get ready for a sunrise spectacle.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, June 4 – 12
Pollux and Castor slide down past Mars in the west, while Venus, shining brightly below, tries to hog attention. On the other side of the sky, the enormous arch of the Milky Way hoves into view after dark behind the Summer Triangle.
June: Solar Eclipse & Colorful Stars
June features long days and short nights in the Northern Hemisphere, so download our narrated Sky Tour astronomy podcast to make the most of the abbreviated dark hours after sunset. Special event: a partial solar eclipse on June 10th!
This Week's Sky at a Glance, May 28 – June 5
Venus and Mercury conjoin in the post-sunset afterglow as Mercury fades away; bring binoculars! Arcturus stands over Spica. The Scorpion rears up, and the Big Dipper floats on high.
Dawn Delight: Catch the Total Lunar Eclipse on May 26, 2021
On May 26th the Moon will be in total eclipse for the first time in nearly two and a half years. While timing favors western North America, a partial eclipse will be visible across much of the U.S. and Canada at dawn.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, May 21 – 29
The Moon waxes from gibbous to supermoon-eclipse full. Low at dusk, Venus and Mercury close in on each other. Nova Cas has dropped back. And at dawn, Jupiter and Saturn climb a bit into slightly better view.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, May 14 – 22
The crescent Moon waxes across the evening sky, pairing with Mars in upright-standing Gemini and then, four days later, with Leo's forefoot Regulus. In a telescope, Jupiter and Saturn are becoming not quite so fuzzy as they gain more altitude in early dawn.
Nova in Cassiopeia Brightens Suddenly
A star in the constellation Cassiopeia that flared into view during mid-March has erupted to naked-eye visibility. Catch it while you can!
This Week's Sky at a Glance, May 7 – 15
Mercury and low Venus adorn the west after sunset, with the crescent Moon soon to join them. Night brings the big Diamond of Virgo and Summer Triangle. Nova Cassiopeiae rebrightens. And Comet Atlas is in evening view with a 6-inch telescope.
In Search of Ancient Suns
We track down and admire five of the most ancient stars in the universe.
May: Halley Bits & Lunar Eclipse
Exciting celestial events will happen during May, so download our narrated Sky Tour astronomy podcast to find out about this month's Eta Aquariid meteor shower and a total lunar eclipse.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, April 30 – May 8
Mercury and Venus now show themselves better at dusk. After dark, Comet Atlas awaits telescopic skyhunters. And the waning Moon passes under Saturn and Jupiter in early dawn.
7 Easy Things to See on the “Supermoon”
Seven easy and rewarding targets to explore when the Moon is full.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, April 23 – May 1
Day by day, Venus and Mercury creep up from the sunset horizon in bright twilight. High above as twilight fades away, trace out the Arch of Spring arching high over Mars. Meanwhile Arcturus dominates the east.
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.
