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.
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.
Explore the Night with Bob King
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.
Juno Probes Depths of the Great Red Spot
NASA’s Juno spacecraft peeked under the clouds of the most iconic weather feature in the solar system, Jupiter’s Great Red Spot, revealing a complex structure deep below the surface.
Explore the Night with Bob King
An Exquisite Venus–Jupiter Conjunction
Venus bids farewell at dawn, but not before a close encounter with returning Jupiter.
New Impact Flash Seen on Jupiter
Flash! A comet or asteroid fragment whacked Jupiter on May 26th. It's the sixth time that observers on Earth have witnessed an impact on the giant planet.
Explore the Night with Bob King
Jupiter Close, Bright, and Up All Night
It's easy to like Jupiter. No other planet offers such a bounty of amazing sights through the telescope, especially this week when it reaches opposition. On April 7th, the largest planet in the solar system will rise at sunset and shine all night. That's the date Jupiter lines up behind…
Jupiter Returns with a Stormy Surprise
The gas giant is emerging in the glow of dawn sporting an tumultuous North Temperate Belt.
Jupiter Greets Crescent Moon in the Pre-Dawn Sky
On Friday, October 28th, the waning crescent Moon and brilliant Jupiter get together for an early morning conjunction.
Astronomy in Space with David Dickinson
NASA's Juno Suffers Engine Anomaly, Briefly Enters Safe Mode
Engineers have decided to keep the Jupiter probe, Juno, in its current orbit until an issue with its engine can be addressed.