SUNSET: 
NASA's Parker Solar Probe Launches to "Touch the Sun"
The unique Parker Solar Probe launched on Sunday, August 12th, set to fly faster and come closer to the Sun than any spacecraft before it.
Quest for the Green Flash
If you like sunrises and sunsets, look for the green flash, a phenomenon that happens more often that you think.
Explore the Night with Bob King
Walking with Arcturus
Stars are time machines that can transport us into the past or future. They can also illuminate our own personal journeys, as Arcturus did for me one night.
Orbital Path Podcasts with Michelle Thaller
Orbital Path Podcast: Journey to the Sun
Nicki Viall, a heliophysicist at Goddard Space Flight Center, shares her excitement over the Parker Solar Probe — the spacecraft that will allow scientists to "touch" the Sun.
Explore the Night with Bob King
Giant Sunspots, Flares Presage Arrival of Solar Storm
Two big, naked-eye sunspot groups are putting on a splendid show this week. We're also in the crosshairs for a strong geomagnetic storm and possible auroras.
Sun's Waves Reveal Core's Spin
Solar astronomers may have finally detected gravity waves in our star’s core, revealing that the Sun’s central region rotates about four times faster than the outer layers.
Is Our Sun Slowing Down in Its Middle Age?
The Sun, now halfway through its life, might be slowing its magnetic activity, which could lead to permanent changes in the sunspots and auroras we see.
Fun in the Sun: A White-Light Guide to Our Nearest Star
We examine the fascinating solar phenomena that anyone with a small scope and safe solar filter can see, whether the Sun's in eclipse or not.
NASA's Parker Solar Probe to Touch the Sun
NASA's Parker Solar Probe, set to launch in 2018, will be humanity's first effort to "touch the Sun," revolutionizing our understanding of the Sun's corona, the solar wind, and the greater heliosphere.
Scientists Recreate Space Weather of 400 Years Ago
Scientists are studying 400-year-old data to predict space weather in the coming decades — and it seems that future may hold fewer Northern Lights.
The Spotless Sun
The Sun has been unusually quiet lately. Since the start of 2017, only a single tiny sunspot has made a brief appearance on the solar disk.
Explore the Night with Bob King
Swing Low, Sweet Sun: It's Solstice Time
Daylight ebbs to a minimum on Wednesday's winter solstice, but not for long. The very next day, the Sun turns back north and the cycle of light begins again.
Orbital Path Podcasts with Michelle Thaller
Orbital Path 10: Done in the Sun
Michelle Thaller speaks with NASA's Alex Young about the space agency's impressive fleet of Sun-monitoring spacecraft — including the upcoming Solar Probe Plus.
The Return of Stereo B?
Feared lost for almost two years, NASA's Stereo B solar observatory is now back in (tentative) contact with mission control.
Seeing Sunspots as Early Astronomers Did
Astronomers have reconstructed 18-century telescopes to observe sunspots and better understand solar cycles.
Observer's Guide to the H-alpha Sun
Want to see a star rock in real time? Observe the Sun in the crimson light of hydrogen alpha and watch it come alive.
Blank Sun? Faculae to the Rescue!
Fascinating faculae provide a way for anyone with a small telescope to track the ups and downs of the solar cycle — even when there are no sunspots.
The Weakest Solar Cycle in 100 Years
Scientists are struggling to explain the Sun’s bizarre recent behavior. Is it a fluke, or a sign of a deeper trend?
How to Make a Sundial the Simple Way
Sundials are amazingly simple yet effective devices. They range from sticks planted in the ground to precision-machined marvels costing thousands of dollars. The design shown here can be constructed in minutes from materials lying around your house, but it's surprisingly accurate.
What is a Sundog, and How Did "Sundogs" Get Their Name?
Why are "sundogs" called by that name? Bob Johnson / SkyandTelescope.com Photo Gallery Before answering the why question, let me answer the what question that comes before: namely, what is a sundog, or mock Sun, in the first place? A sundog is a concentrated patch of sunlight occasionally seen about…
