SUNSET: 
Meet the Meager March Moon
Baptized in the fire of yesterday's total solar eclipse, a very young crescent Moon emerges into the night sky.
Astronomy and Stargazing Projects
Help Keep Our Skies Dark — Join IDA Today
It's high time that we amateur astronomers got serious about protecting the night sky from light pollution.
Watch Indonesia's Total Solar Eclipse Live!
On March 9th — late on Tuesday, March 8th, in the U.S. — the Moon will completely cover the Sun. Check here for the links you'll need to see this celestial spectacle as it happens.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, March 4 – 12
Leo stands over bright Jupiter at nightfall this week. The Big Dipper glitters high in the northeast and Sirius blazes due south.
NGC 2346: A Cosmic Butterfly Plays Peekaboo
Spiraling stars and light-soaking dust clouds enliven the heart of this lesser-known planetary nebula NGC 2346 in Monoceros. Will you be the first to catch it playing peekaboo again?
Tour March's Sky: Jupiter Ascending
After months of excitement in the predawn sky, the action is shifting to the evening — where Jupiter rises early and the stars of Orion anchor an array of celestial sights.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, February 26 – March 5
After dinnertime this time of year, four carnivore constellations stand in a row from the northeast to south: Ursa Major, Leo, Hydra, and Canis Major.
Frightful Nights Under the Stars
The lure of dark skies often takes us to unfamiliar places where nocturnal animals and encounters with strangers can ignite our primal fears.
How To Get a Glimpse of Omega Centauri
Among globular clusters, the immense Omega Centauri is widely regarded as the most impressive in the sky. Its deep southern location makes this object challenging to spot — but it can be done, as Italian observer Giuseppe Pappa explains.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, February 19 – 27
On Friday the waxing gibbous Moon shines below Castor and Pollux. On Tuesday the just-past-full Moon shines with Jupiter after they both rise at end of twilight.
Jupiter Jumps Back Into The Evening Sky
Jove begins a new apparition with a redder Red Spot, pirouetting moons, and ever-changing cloudscapes.
How Astronomers Count Sunspots
A multi-year investigation revealed errors in our understanding of the Sun.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, February 12 – 20
The biggest well-known star pattern is the Winter Hexagon, marked by the stars Sirius, Procyon, Pollux, Castor, Beta Aurigae, Capella, Aldebaran, and Rigel.
Overlooked Wonders In Orion's Shadow
Put the Great Nebula in Orion in the backseat and pay a visit to its humble neighbors
This Week's Sky at a Glance, February 5 – 13
See all five naked-eye planets at dawn, though Mercury is getting low. On Saturday morning, the crescent Moon, Venus, and Mercury form a triangle low in the southeast.
Saturday Morning: Moon, Venus, and Mercury
Two planets and a pretty crescent Moon gather low above the southeastern horizon before dawn on February 6th.
It's Not Over Till The Fast Planet Sinks
This week and early next will be your last chance to see five planets — six if you count Earth — at dawn.
Look Now to See Five Planets at Once!
The first days of February offer your best chance to see all of the naked-eye planets — from Mercury to Saturn — together with the Moon in the predawn sky.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, January 29 – February 6
The last-quarter Moon rises around 1 a.m. Sunday night, in company with Mars. By the dawn of Monday the 1st they're high in the south.
Tour February's Sky: Five Planets at Dawn!
This month's audio sky tour starts before dawn, when you can spot all five bright planets by eye, and moves to the sparkling stars seen on winter evenings.
