SUNSET: 
Sights and Sounds of the Solar System
Spacecraft are returning sights and sounds from Venus, Jupiter, and beyond — here's a sampling.
Mutual Event Season Heats Up at Jupiter
Jupiter is usually the one occulting and eclipsing the Galilean moons, but this observing season the moons also eclipse and occult one another.
Jupiter's Great Red Spot Gets Smaller — But Stronger
"Flakes" coming off the Great Red Spot have had some wondering if this epic storm is coming to an end. But observations and computer modeling show it's only getting stronger.
Amateur Astronomer Finds “Lost” Moons of Jupiter
An amateur astronomer has recovered four of five "lost" Jovian moons.
Jupiter and Saturn Embrace in Solstice Conjunction
Jupiter and Saturn fashion the Great Conjunction of 2020 when they pair up on December 21st, the winter solstice. That evening they'll be closest in nearly 400 years.
Jupiter and Saturn Have Historic Dusk Encounter
Don't miss the upcoming close conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn on December 21st!
Juno Discovers Sprites and Elves on Jupiter
NASA's Juno spacecraft has captured ultraviolet images of a rare atmospheric phenomenon in Jupiter's atmosphere.
Stormy Times on Jupiter, Comet Howell Steps Up, and More
Colder weather might be coming, but don't pack away that telescope! You'll miss a powerful storm that's remaking Jupiter's North Temperate Belt, a returning comet, Mira on the rise, and a bright supernova in the Great Bear.
Study Suggests Jupiter Could Have 600 Moons
New detections of candidate moons suggest that the king of planets could have hundreds of smaller satellites.
How Bright Are the Planets?
What do Venus and Jupiter have in common? Revisions to planets' magnitudes in this year's Astronomical Almanac have revealed some surprises.
Explore the Night with Bob King
Texas Amateur Detects Possible Impact on Jupiter
It looks like Jupiter got slammed again! A bright flash from a possible impact lit up the planet's South Equatorial Belt Tuesday night.
Explore the Night with Bob King
Jupiter Is Outstanding at Opposition
Prime-time Jupiter viewing kicks off this month when the planet reaches opposition on June 10th.
Astronomers Identify Weather Cycle on Jupiter
Astronomers have identified a periodic clearing at the gas giant's equator; amateurs may have spotted the change at the end of 2018.
Future Planetary Probes Can Learn from Cassini
An unusual water composition at Saturn’s moon Phoebe means that future spacecraft will have to be on the lookout for different water ratios than we are used to on Earth.
Trojan Asteroids Are in a Class of Their Own
Hordes of debris trapped by Jupiter and Neptune have distinct colors that mark them as possibly the last remnants of the material that built the giant planets.
Jupiter’s Magnetic Field Has Weird Structure
Juno observations reveal that Jupiter’s magnetic field has a wacky plume.
Jupiter Shines with a Mighty Light
Jupiter's at opposition this week. Close and bright, it shines like a midnight version of Venus. No matter your scope, the biggest planet is always a crowd-pleaser.
Hubble: Weather Watcher of the Outer Solar System
Hubble's powerful eye scouts the outer planets once an Earth year, shedding light on planetary weather, like Jupiter's Great Red Spot and Neptune's Great Dark Spot.
Amazing Storms, Jet Streams on Jupiter
NASA’s Juno spacecraft has found breathtaking cyclones at Jupiter’s poles and probed how deep the planet’s jet streams go.
Explore the Night with Bob King
Mars Flies By Jupiter in a Close Dawn Conjunction
The new year opens with the magnificent pairing of the solar system's largest planet with one of its smallest.