North American observers can watch the Moon flirt with Earth’s shadow on the evening of February 10th.
Observing News & Current Celestial Events
Tour February’s Sky: How To Find Monoceros
Download our monthly astronomy podcast to spot Venus and Mars in the west — and a celestial unicorn hiding in plain sight among the stars.
Vesta, Brightest Asteroid, Now High Overhead
The asteroid 4 Vesta shines at 6th magnitude in January 2017, visible in Gemini with binoculars or a small telescope.
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.
Solar and Lunar Eclipses in 2017
It won't be a great year for lunar eclipses, with a deep penumbral event on February 11th and a partial on August 7th. But an annular solar eclipse is observable from the Southern Hemisphere on February 26th, and a total solar eclipse crosses the continental U.S. on August 21st.
Fred Espenak’s Eclipse-Photography Webinar
When it comes to capturing a total solar eclipse, few can match the expertise of Fred Espenak. Get valuable tips from "Mr. Eclipse" himself during S&T's live webinar on Thursday, January 12th.
Ultimate Guide to Meteor Showers in 2017
Everyone enjoys the brief and sometimes dazzling streaks of light from meteors, sometimes called "shooting stars." Sky & Telescope predicts that the two best meteor showers in 2017 will be the Quadrantids in early January and the Geminids in mid-December.
Tour January’s Sky: Spot Two Star Clusters
Download our monthly astronomy podcast to spot Venus and Mars in the west — and two star clusters high up — after sunset.
Catch the Quadrantid Meteors (If You Can)
The Quadrantids, one of the year's best meteor showers, peaks on the morning of January 3rd, is. But be ready for it — most of the action takes place over just a few hours.
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.
What to See with Your New Telescope (December 2016)
Maybe this gift-giving season you got a shiny new telescope to call your own. Congratulations — you could be on your way to discovering many amazing far things in the night sky. Although most of them are so far and faint that just finding and detecting them is the challenge! Whether your new scope is…
Can You Spot December’s Ursid Meteors?
Try your hand at observing the handful of "shooting stars" delivered by this little-known annual meteor shower.
Watch Resupply Mission Chase Down the International Space Station
Find out how to see a cargo mission headed to the International Space Station this weekend.
Supermoon and Geminids Duke it Out
In a spectacular case of bad timing, the full Moon coincides with the annual Geminid meteor shower. Don't feel put out. There's still something for everyone, including a consolation prize.
Tour December’s Sky: Orion Arising
Download our monthly astronomy podcast to track down Mercury in the evening sky. Then swing around to the east, to behold Orion, the mighty Hunter, climbing into the sk
Keep Watch for November’s Orionid Meteors
Although relatively obscure, this modest display is the strongest meteor shower in late November. Moonless skies make them easier to pick ou
An Off Year for the Leonid Meteor Shower
This year's display of Leonid meteors peaks on November 17th, but they'll be largely washed out thanks to strong interference from the Moon.
Embracing the “Supermoon,” Hyped or Not
Much has been said and written about the Moon's proximity to Earth today. Is that a good thing or a bad thing?
The “Supermoon” Observing Challenge
This month's full Moon will appear 16% larger in area than average. But can you tell just by looking at it? Maybe!
Behold November’s Super-Duper Supermoon
You won't want to miss the biggest, brightest full Moon in more than 68 years. Find out what makes this supermoon so special and how best to view it.
Jupiter Returns with a Stormy Surprise
The gas giant is emerging in the glow of dawn sporting an tumultuous North Temperate Belt.
Tour November’s Sky: Hello, Venus!
Mars is still hanging around, and Venus is climbing higher each evening. Download our monthly astronomy podcast to get more stargazing info.
Jupiter Greets Crescent Moon in the Pre-Dawn Sky
On Friday, October 28th, the waning crescent Moon and brilliant Jupiter get together for an early morning conjunction.
8th-magnitude Nova in Sagittarius
A nova in Sagittarius, discovered a few nights ago by a Japanese amateur, has become bright enough to see in binoculars.
More Auroras Coming to Northern Skies
Keep your eye on the northern sky. Auroras are in the forecast for the next couple nights courtesy of a "hole" in the Sun's corona.