Meet Alkaid, the Big Dipper’s Handle
Alkaid is the end star of the Big Dipper's handle, a bright-blue example of a nearby B-type star.
Meet Wezen, a Yellow Tail for a Big Dog
Wezen, a yellow supergiant more than 1,600 light-years from Earth, is also the tail of the Canis Major constellation.
Astronomy for "Cloudy, Cloudy Nights"
If you have clouds in your forecast, don't give up! There’s plenty of astronomy to be enjoyed even on overcast nights.
Meet Bellatrix, the Amazon Star
It's fitting that Bellatrix, the star at Orion's other shoulder, takes the name of "woman warrior," but it wasn't always that way.
Meet Enif, the Nose of Pegasus
Enif, the nose of Pegasus, is a supergiant star and the brightest member of the constellation. Find out more about this star and its place in our skies.
Meet Elnath in the Horn of the Bull
Elnath, the bright, blue-white star that marks one of the horns of Taurus, is a peculiar star in its own right.
Meet Mirfak, the Supergiant of Perseus
Mirfak, the brightest star in the constellation Perseus, is a yellow supergiant star with an uncertain fate.
Apollo 17 in Pictures: “God Willing, as We Shall Return”
On the 50th anniversary of Apollo 17, we look back at iconic photos as well as rarely seen images from the mission.
Meet Scheat, the Peak of Pegasus
Meet Scheat, the orange giant star that peaks the Great Square of Pegasus in autumn skies in the Northern Hemisphere.
Meet Rasalhague, the Star with the Snake
Rasalhague, a star rotating so fast it has squashed itself, has a fascinating connection to the mythology of healing.
Meet The Sun, Our Home Star
In this installment of Meet the Stars, we get to know the nearest one: our Sun. Its properties — like its stability — likely led to life on Earth.
Meet Denebola, and Catch a Lion by the Tail
Meet Denebola, the tail of Leo, the Lion. This young star is a fast rotater but otherwise not that different from our Sun.
Apollo 16 in Pictures: “The Most Dazzling Place”
We celebrate Apollo 16 with a look back at photos from the mission that took two astronauts to the lunar surface for three days of exploration.
Meet Procyon, Orion’s Littler Dog
Meet Procyon, the brightest of the few stars in Canis Minor, the Lesser Dog. On its way to becoming a giant, this star is part of the Winter Triangle and Wniter Hexagon asterisms.
Meet Shackleton Crater: Future Moon Landing Site
Shackleton Crater at the lunar south pole is a site of future exploration — and you can even see it through your telescope during favorable librations.
Meet Mizar and Alcor: The Horse and Rider
Mizar and Alcor, stars sometimes referred to as "the horse and the rider," serve as a vision test and an introduction to "double stars."
Meet Proxima Centauri: The Closest Star
Proxima Centauri is the dimmest and smallest of the Alpha Centauri system, but it has the honor of being the nearest star.
Meet Gamma Cassiopeiae, the Classic Eruptive Variable
Gamma Cassiopeia may lack a proper name, but the middle star of the "W"-shape constellation is worth finding on the sky.
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.
Juno’s Ganymede Flyby: Video Update
NASA's Juno flew by Jupiter's Ganymede, the biggest moon in the solar system, on June 7, 2021.