Tour August's Sky: Planets Aplenty
Download or play Sky & Telescope's astronomy podcast, and you'll get a guided tour of the night sky. In early evening look for Mars and Saturn embedded in Scorpius toward south, and key an eye out for Perseid meteors.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, July 22 – 30
Starry Scorpius is sometimes called "the Orion of Summer" for its brightness, its blue-giant stars, and its 1st-magnitude red supergiant (Antares).
See Two Tricky Occultations — Neptune and Lambda (λ) Aqr
Now you see 'em, now you don't. Watch the Moon occult Neptune and nearby Lambda Aquarii on the same night.
Stargazer's Corner: Adventures Under the Night Sky
The Town-Sized Milky Way Project
I turned my town into a model of the Milky Way Galaxy for my high school astronomy project.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, July 15 – 23
The Moon shines over Mars, Saturn, and Antares at dusk. And after Saturday's sunset, use binoculars to look for Venus — with fainter Mercury a bit above.
Paddle the Milky Way's Dark River
Take an imaginary journey in a boat down the Milky Way's Great Rift, exploring rich star clouds and dark nebulae along the way.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, July 8 – 16
The waxing crescent Moon shines in the west at dusk on Friday. Jupiter is the bright "star" at its upper left (for North America).
What are the Phases of the Moon?
The phases of the Moon are determined by the relative positions of the Moon, Earth, and Sun.
Aurora at Your Fingertips
A survey of free services and apps that let you keep tabs on space weather so you can anticipate the next great aurora.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, July 1 – 9
Is your sky dark enough to see the Coma Berenices star cluster naked-eye? Spot Jupiter in the west after twilight this week and the cluster just above.
Tour July's Sky: Planets on Parade
Sky & Telescope's astronomy podcast takes you on a guided tour of the night sky. In early evening look for Jupiter in the southwest, with Mars and Saturn embedded in Scorpius toward south.
Midnight Meridian Morsels
Late June offers a grab bag of clusters and nebulae "lined up" at the midnight hour. Time your southern deep-sky viewing with meridian passage and you'll be a happy camper.
Stargazer's Corner: Adventures Under the Night Sky
Sketching Celestial Observations
Why, and how, you should sketch your observations through a telescope.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, June 24 – July 2
This is the time of year when the two brightest stars of summer, Arcturus and Vega, hang about equally high overhead shortly after dark: Arcturus in the southwest, Vega in the east.
Astronomy and Stargazing Projects
Hunting White Dwarfs, the Night's Stellar Peewees
Take a trip down the rabbit hole to the weird and weighty world of planet-sized white dwarf stars.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, June 17 – 25
The Moon, Mars, and Saturn make a wide, flattish triangle Friday night. At nightfall, look for the Big Dipper hanging straight down in the northwest.
Solstice Brings Late Nights, Bright Sights
Celebrate the June 20th solstice, when the Sun and the full Strawberry Moon combine their powers to illuminate both day and night.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, June 10 – 18
Friday evening the Moon poses between Jupiter and Regulus. Turn binoculars on Jupiter, and you'll find the star Chi Leonis among the Galilean satellites.
Dual Supernovae Light Up June Nights
Supernovae are popping up everywhere! Two stars flamed out millions of years ago and at least one is an easy catch right now in amateur telescopes.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, June 3 – 11
The Mars-Antares-Saturn triangle rises higher at dusk every night, and halfway between Mars and Jupiter stands Spica. Cassiopeia lurks low in the north.
