Trio in Leo

Deep Sky

It's Spring! Time to Visit the Bright Galaxies of Leo I

Springtime is galaxy time. Only 30 million light years away, the Leo I Group and nearby Leo Triplet entice the eye with an assortment of bright spiral and elliptical galaxies. Welcome to spring! The new season begins (or began depending on when you read this) at 5:58 p.m. EDT on…

Binocular basics

Explore the Night with Bob King

Watch Andromeda Galaxy Blossom in Binoculars

How much can you see of the Andromeda Galaxy system with just a pair of binoculars? Turns out a lot!

Celestial News & Events

Supernova in M82 Passes Its Peak

Supernova 2014J, in the galaxy M82 in Ursa Major, peaked at magnitude 10.5 in early February and is now down to 11.2. Spot it with your telescope above the Big Dipper.

Celestial News & Events

Don't Miss the Brightest Objects in the Night Sky

The night's six or seven brightest objects are all visible simultaneously in late February and early March.

Stargazing with Tony Flanders

Paradoxical Messier 33

Messier 33, which rides high in the sky on late-autmun evenings, can be the most rewarding or frustrating of all galaxies, depending on your conditions and your mindset.

Stargazing with Tony Flanders

Big Binocular Messier Survey

Big binoculars may not show much detail, but they certain make it easy to find deep-sky objects.

Stargazing with Tony Flanders

Some Suburban Messiers

Celestial showpieces look strikingly different in the suburbs than they do under dark skies.

Stargazing with Tony Flanders

Galaxies and Clusters and Comet, Oh My!

A summer night in the Boston exurbs proves surprisingly rewarding.