In the centre is an elliptical galaxy, seen as an oval-shaped glow around a small bright core. Around this is wrapped a broad band of light, appearing like a spiral galaxy stretched and warped into a ring, with bright blue lines drawn through it where the spiral arms have been stretched into circles. A few distant objects are visible around the ring on a black background.

Astronomy & Observing News

Astronomy in Pictures: From Cosmic Lenses to Dust Devils on Mars

Some cosmic perspective is a perfect cure for the Monday blues!

Uranus and Neptune

Astronomy & Observing News

Astronomers Find New Moons of Uranus and Neptune

The three new moons for Uranus and Neptune are each part of a "family," groupings that fragmented from a single parent object.

series of images of blue Neptune with bright clouds appearing and disappearing over nearly 30 years

Astronomy & Observing News

Solar Cycle May Trigger Clouds on Neptune

Nearly 30 years of observations indicate that Neptune’s clouds and brightness vary with the Sun’s activity.

Neptune

Astronomy & Observing News

Summer on Neptune is Surprisingly Chilly

Even though Neptune is entering its version of summer, it's actually cooling down — except for its poles, which are mysteriously warming up.

Uranus and Neptune

Astronomy & Observing News

Where Did the Ice Giants Form?

Conventional planet formation scenarios have Neptune and Uranus forming closer to the Sun. But a new study shows that the ice giant planets could have formed right where they are now.

Jupiter, color-enhanced

Astronomy & Observing News

Hail-like “Mushballs” May Fall on All Our Giant Planets

"Mushballs," first inferred to exist on Jupiter, may fall within the atmospheres of all the solar system's giant planets.

Pallas and Neptune time exposre

Astronomy & Observing News

Asteroid Pallas Makes a Point in Pisces

Spice up your fall observing with a dash of Pallas and nibble of Neptune. Both planet and asteroid are easy to spot in a small telescope.

Observing

Ice Giants: Neptune and Uranus

Spot Uranus and Neptune, and relive the original discoveries.

Observing

Observe Neptune as it Comes to Opposition

Neptune, currently the Solar System's outermost planet, reached opposition on September 10th at magnitude 7.8 in Aquarius.

Neptune and Uranus in late 2018

Astronomy & Observing News

Hubble Sets Its Sights on the Ice Giants

New Hubble Space Telescope images reveal an expanded polar cap on Uranus and another mysterious dark vortex on Neptune.

Illustration of Jupiter Trojans

Astronomy & Observing News

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.

Observing

The Outer Planets Move In, plus an "Old Moon" Observing Challenge

As the bright planets march westward, Uranus and Neptune become the fresh new faces of fall. And if you've never seen an ultra-thin lunar crescent, here's your chance.

Astronomy & Observing News

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.

Observing

Dawn Dances, Neptunian Nights, and Eclipse Essence

The planets are aligning! The week ahead will feature multiple planetary conjunctions at dawn and great views of Neptune and Triton at nightfall.

New Year's Revelers Passing in the Night

Explore the Night with Bob King

Mars Meets Neptune on New Year's Eve

Doing anything on New Year's Eve? Before you start toasting, don't miss an exceptionally close conjunction of Mars and Neptune.

Visibility zones for Two Occultations

Astronomy & Observing News

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.

Worlds of gas and ice

Astronomy Blogs

Neptune And Its Maverick Moon Triton

Neptune reaches opposition next week, giving amateurs the chance to track its unique, backwards-orbiting moon Triton.