SUNSET: 
SpaceX Launches Orbiting "Sculpture in the Sky" / Comet Update
An art sculpture achieves orbit, 46P/Wirtanen becomes a naked-eye comet, and C/2018 V1 makes one last good pass.
Tour December's Sky: Morning Planets
December's astronomy podcast urges you to get outside early to gaze on dazzling Venus — then Mercury, then Jupiter — crowding the eastern sky before dawn.
This Week’s Sky at a Glance, November 30– December 8
The moon, stars, planets, constellations -- sky sights every night for the naked eye, binoculars, or telescope.
Supernova Discovered in the Bright Galaxy M77
A new supernova in the bright galaxy M77 in Cetus is within range of amateur telescopes. Here's how to find it.
Seeking Cas A, the Ghostly Remains of a Mysterious Supernova
We still don't know for sure if anyone saw the supernova explosion in Cassiopeia around 1680, but there's no question we can observe what remains of it today.
Comet 46P/Wirtanen Approaches Earth
On December 16th, the comet will pass within 12 million kilometers of Earth and should brighten to about 3rd magnitude, though the diffuse coma and a nearly full Moon will make observations difficult.
This Week’s Sky at a Glance, November 23 – December 1
The moon, stars, planets -- Sky sights for the naked eye, binoculars, or telescope every night.
Gobble Up a Rare Thanksgiving Full Moon
This week, we give thanks for all the good things in life including a rare event — a full Moon on Thanksgiving. Make it your dessert after the big meal.
Ducks in Disguise or How Stars Hide Their True Colors
Do star clusters form all at once or over several generations? A team of astronomers finds an answer among the spinning stars of an amateur favorite, the Wild Duck Cluster.
Meet Rigel, Orion's Blue Suede Shoe
The seventh brightest star in the sky, blue-white Rigel shines brilliantly at the left foot of Orion and is actually a trio: a supergiant orbited by a pair of Sun-like stars.
This Week’s Sky at a Glance, November 16 – 24
The moon, stars, planets -- Sky sights for the naked eye, binoculars, or telescopes every night.
Exoplanets for Autumn Evenings
Exoplanets pepper the night sky. We may not be able to observe them directly, but we can use their host stars as surrogates to envision them in our mind's eye.
Stargazer's Corner: Adventures Under the Night Sky
Tracking Venus's Retrograde Motion
Inspired by a "Sun, Moon & Planets" column, the author spent the spring of 2017 tracking Venus's retrograde motion across the sky, exploring the relationship between the orbits of Venus and the Earth pointed out by Copernicus.
Explore the Night with Bob King
Amateur Don Machholz Discovers His 12th Comet! (Updated)
Arizona comet hunter Don Machholz did it again! He discovered his 12th comet only two mornings ago. Set your alarm, grab your scope, and take a look.
This Week’s Sky at a Glance, November 9 – 17
The "star" glowing upper left of the crescent Moon during and after dusk tonight (November 10) is Saturn, currently 4,075 times farther away. Far to its upper left, Mars shines brighter.
Three Upcoming Sky Events We Can All Share
Comets, meteors, and Moon: Share the night sights that are coming our way!
This Week’s Sky at a Glance, November 2 – 10
Friday, November 2 • Look for Capella sparkling low in the northeast these evenings. About three fists at arm's length to Capella's right, look for the fingertip-sided Pleiades cluster. They're early markers of the cold months to come. Above the space between them are the stars of Perseus, astride the…
Tour November's Sky: Cassiopeia's Clan
This month's astronomy podcast takes you on a tour of a dysfunctional "royal family" in the northern sky — along with tips for viewing two meteor showers.
Trick-or-Treat with the Seven White Dwarfs
In the Halloween spirit, we pay a visit to the cosmic dead, those tiny stars that should just fade away but always seem to be causing trouble instead.
This Week’s Sky at a Glance, October 26 – November 3
Mars shines in the southern sky these evenings. Saturn glows lower in the southwest.
