SUNSET: 
See Ceres at Its Best for 2012
Ceres, the biggest asteroid and brightest dwarf planet,shines at magnitude 6.9 or brighter from December 12-25.
Sky at a Glance | December 7th, 2012
Lots happening this week! The Geminid meteor shower, a flyby of Toutatis, Vesta at opposition with Ceres nearby, and more.
The Basics of Meteor Observing
Here are a few hints to enhance your meteor-watching experience.
Advanced Meteor Observing
Meteor studies have relied heavily on amateur observers for more than a century. They still do. Here are some tips and suggestions on how to plan a meteor watch.
Tour December's Sky! | November 30th, 2012
Mars lurks low in the west after sunset, just as Jupiter rises dramatically in the east. Meanwhile, a mythic tale unfolds among the stars and constellations overhead.
Sky at a Glance | November 30th, 2012
The Moon is waning out of the evening sky. Jupiter is passing 5° north of Aldebaran. Low in the dawn, Mercury has emerged to align with Venus and Saturn in a diagonal row.
The Lunar 100
As the moon wanes in the gibbous phase in the nights to come, see if you can find and observe some of 100 of Charles Wood's classic lunar hit list, including craters, basins, mountains, rilles, and domes.
Sky at a Glance | November 23rd, 2012
The Moon joins up with Jupiter and Aldebaran, and undergoes a penumbral eclipse for the West Coast and then lands across the Pacific. In the dawn, Saturn skims past Venus.
Sky at a Glance | November 16th, 2012
Jupiter rises in twilight, the Moon waxes across the evening sky, and Saturn approaches Venus in the dawn.
Sky at a Glance | November 9th, 2012
Jupiter rises before dark, Fomalhaut culminates early, Orion rises a bit later, and the crescent Moon moves from dawn back to dusk.
Sky at a Glance | November 2nd, 2012
Jupiter, flanked by Aldebaran and Beta Tauri, shines big and bright just a month from opposition.
About Meteors
Meteors, meteoroids, meteorites, and fireballs — keep all these look-alike terms straight.
Tour November's Sky! | November 1st, 2012
Mars is very low in the west after sunset, and Jupiter rises a couple hours later. But most of the planetary action is in the eastern sky before dawn.
Sky at a Glance | October 26th, 2012
The Moon shines with forthcoming winter sights low in the east, while summer stars still descend in the west — including Arcturus, now taking on its guise as the Ghost of Summer Suns.
S&T's Audio Sky Tour for December 2012
Mars lurks low in the west after sunset, just as Jupiter rises dramatically in the east. Meanwhile, a mythic tale unfolds among the stars and constellations overhead.
Sky at a Glance | October 19th, 2012
The crescent Moon points to the pairup of Mars and Antares, then the gibbous Moon glides below the Square of Pegasus, and Arcturus becomes the Ghost of Summer Suns.
Sky at a Glance | October 12th, 2012
Jupiter has been climbing into good view a half hour earlier every week, accompanied by a grand retinue of celestial objects seen and unseen. On the other side of the sky, Mars is finally passing rival Antares in twilight.
Sky at a Glance | October 5th, 2012
Algol eclipses itself. Telescopic action happens at Jupiter. And after pairing up with Jupiter, the waning Moon passes Regulus and Venus late in the week at dawn.
Astronomy and Stargazing Projects
A Star Count for Everyone
Take part in this year's Great World Wide Star Count, and you'll be joining thousands of other "citizen scientists" in raising dark-sky awareness around the globe.
Sky at a Glance | September 28th, 2012
The Harvest Moon wanes from full almost down to last quarter this week, stepping past the Pleiades, Aldebaran, and Jupiter along the way.
