SUNSET: 
December: Geminid Meteors & Comet Leonard
December’s solstice brings the longest northern nights, and it’s a busy month for stargazers: the Geminid meteors, a visit from Comet Leonard, and a plethora of bright stars and constellations.
Re: NGC 1647 Visible with the Unaided Eye
Hi Alan,Here's my observation of NGC 1647 with the unaided eye. We do live in a semi-arid area, the southern Okanagan Valley of British Columbia, but my backyard is not on a mountain; it is on the valley floor beside Skaha Lake in a subdivision that 40 years ago voted…
This Week's Sky at a Glance, November 25 – December 4
While the Jupiter-Saturn-Venus line keeps shrinking, all kinds of deep-sky sights, naked-eye to telescopic, show themselves on these moonless evenings.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, September 3 – 11
Spica glimmers demurely under showy Venus in the western twilight. Try for Mercury way down to their lower right. Jupiter and Saturn dominate the evening south.
AAS Journals Will Switch to Open Access in 2022
Research results in astronomy, solar physics, and planetary science are about to become more widely accessible to scientists and the public alike. The American Astronomical Society (AAS) today announced the switch of the Society’s prestigious journals to fully open access as of 1 January 2022.
Under this change, all articles in the AAS journal portfolio will be immediately open for anyone to freely read. The transition will affect the Astronomical Journal (AJ), the Astrophysical Journal (ApJ), Astrophysical Journal Letters (ApJL), and the Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series (ApJS).
Welcome, Jupiter & Saturn!
The Perseids are upon us — and as you're looking out for shooting stars, look for Jupiter and Saturn low in the southeast as soon as night begins to fall.
Fifty Years Ago in Photos: Apollo 15 Astronauts Explore the Moon
See photos — some familiar and some rarely seen — from the Apollo 15 mission, which launched place 50 years ago today.
Top Astronomy News Stories of 2020
This has been a year rocked by a global pandemic that has left its mark on nearly every aspect of society. Wildfires, social unrest, and loss have only added to our sense of struggle. Yet it has also been a year of celestial wonders, astronomical discoveries, and space successes. We…
September 2020: Four Planets & More!
Take advantage of September's beautiful evenings to gaze upward as you listen to our guided tour of the star-filled sky.
Delays in International Deliveries of Sky & Telescope
We are distressed to hear numerous reports from international readers about delays in receiving their issues of Sky & Telescope magazine. Some readers haven’t received their most recent issues at all. Here’s what’s happening and what we can (and can’t) do about it. International Mail Service During the Pandemic The…
Chase a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid As It Flies by Earth
Break out your binoculars or a small telescope, we've got a busy week ahead! Watch as a bright asteroid approaches Earth, the Moon steals a star, and Comet ATLAS's last hurrah.
April 2020: Planets Aplenty
This month's Sky Tour astronomy podcast highlights how Venus flirts with the Pleiades star cluster after sunset, then leads you to views of Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars together in the predawn sky.
Curiosity's Discoveries on Mars
After four Earth years on the Red Planet, the intrepid rover has found evidence of long-gone water and habitable environments.
Astrophotography with Jerry Lodriguss
Experiencing the Total Solar Eclipse
Take it from a seasoned professional — the best way to experience a total eclipse, especially your first, is by eye. Put the camera down!
Are You Game for April's Lunar Observing Challenge?
With astronomy being celebrated around the globe this month, join the fun by participating in a unique lunar observing challenge: track down 20 features once thought to show evidence of change from weather, geology, and even life.
How to Make a Simple Backyard Observatory
Dennis di Cicco's "doghouse" observatory progressed from an idea to a working observatory in less than three weeks during the fall of 1982. You too can quickly build a basic telescope shelter.S&T / Dennis di Cicco Home observatories have always been a part of amateur astronomy, but they seem to…
Dating an Impressionist's Sunset
S&T contributing editor Don Olson writes a feature article in the February 2014 issue connecting astronomy to Monet. We follow his team of celestial sleuths as they travel to Normandy, France to pin down the exact time and location of one of Claude Monet's most beautiful paintings. This gallery of…
South Pole Science
A behind-the-scenes look at the construction of the IceCube Neutrino Observatory in Antarctica, plus more information about science done at the South Pole. (This blog is an online companion to our January 2014 feature article on IceCube.)
How to Stay Warm at Night
It's easy to stay warm on cold winter nights if you dress appropriately — and take a few common-sense precautions.
The Greatest Comets of the Past Century
In the November 2013 issue of S&T, Joe Rao redirects Comet ISON speculation to answer a different question: just how often do showstopper comets grace our skies? His answer might surprise you. Rao looks back over all the comets of the past century, calling out examples of showstoppers, showpieces, and…