Following an occultation of Rho Leonis by the Moon, watch Venus and Uranus pair up in a weekend conjunction just 10° from Comet ER61 PanSTARRS.
Observing News & Current Celestial Events
New Impact Flash Seen on Jupiter
Flash! A comet or asteroid fragment whacked Jupiter on May 26th. It's the sixth time that observers on Earth have witnessed an impact on the giant planet.
Fred Espenak Webinar: Advanced Eclipse Imaging
Want to take your eclipse-photography experience to the next level? Get tips on advanced techniques from Fred Espenak, a.k.a. "Mr. Eclipse," during S&T's live webinar on Tuesday, May 23rd. There are now just three months to go until August 21st's total eclipse of the Sun. And, like me, you're probably wondering how much time and…
Bright Supernova Discovered in “Fireworks Galaxy” NGC 6946
A brand new supernova in NGC 6946 is bright enough to see in modest-sized telescopes. Here's how to find it.
Watch Comet Johnson Sprint Through Boötes
Another binocular comet? You better believe it. Comet Johnson takes center stage at nightfall this month and next.
Tour May’s Sky: Big Dipper Leads the Way
Listen to May's astronomy podcast to learn why stargazers think of the Big Dipper as the "Swiss Army Knife" of the late-spring northern sky.
Fred Espenak’s Webinar on Basic Eclipse Photography
As August 21st's awesome solar eclipse draws nearer, it's a great time to get valuable basic tips on how to photograph this spectacle — even with your smartphone — from Fred Espenak, a.k.a. "Mr. Eclipse," during S&T's live webinar on Tuesday, April 25th.
Lyrids to Put on a Weekend Light Show
The annual Lyrid meteor shower will add some pop and sizzle to Saturday's pre-dawn sky. With little interference from the Moon, conditions are ideal for meteor watching.
See a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid From Your Backyard
Get ready for 2014 JO25, the biggest asteroid to fly this close to Earth since 2004. Good news — even a 3-inch telescope will show it! Update: See below for a radar image and animation of 2014 JO25 captured by NASA's Goldstone Solar System Radar on April 18, 2017. Every week, a handful of new Earth-approaching asteroids…
Comet PanSTARRS (C/2015 ER61) in Outburst and Binocular Bright
Dawn comet C/2015 ER61 PanSTARRS just underwent a bright outburst and is now an easy binocular object. Take a look before the Moon returns!
Tour April’s Sky: Critters on the March
As you'll hear in this month's podcast, April is a time when it's easy to spot a lion, a sea serpent, and two bears in the evening sky.
Comet Lovejoy Brightens Quickly, Heads North
Terry Lovejoy's new comet has gone from faint to bright in just three weeks and is now a tempting binocular target at dawn.
Bright Supernova Erupts in NGC 5643 in Lupus
A recently discovered supernova in Lupus now shines around magnitude +11.5, bright enough to see in a modest telescope. With photos and maps, we'll get you there. I wished I lived in Georgia and not just for the peach trees and warmer weather. No, I'd be able to get up early tomorrow morning to marvel at…
Comet 41P/T-G-K Greens Up For St. Paddy’s Day
Comet 41P/Tuttle-Giacobini-Kresak begins its best showing of the year this week as it slingshots across the Big Dipper into circumpolar skies.
Aldebaran’s Disappearing Act on March 4th
On the night of March 4th, all you'll need are your eyes to watch the Moon occult Aldebaran. Better yet, place yourself on the graze line.
Tour March’s Sky: Venus Sinks, Mercury Rises
In this month's easy-to-download podcast, find out how you can spot Venus in both the evening and predawn skies.Late in March, Mercury makes an appearance.
Sunday’s Annular Solar Eclipse: First Reports
Clear skies prevailed across Patagonia in South America, providing intrepid eclipse-chasers with beautiful views of February 26th's annular solar eclipse.
February 26th’s Annular Solar Eclipse in 2017
Die-hard eclipse chasers have journeyed to the Southern Hemisphere to catch a short but dramatically thin "ring" eclipse of the Sun this weekend.
Comet 45P Returns to Dark Skies
With the Moon out of the picture, amateurs can once again check in on comet 45P/H-M-P, now making an appearance in the evening sky.
Green Comet 45P Makes Close Earth Flyby
Green-glowing 45P/Honda-Mrkos-Pajdusakova will make an unusually close pass by Earth on Saturday. Watch it boogie across the morning sky this week!
February’s Deep Penumbral Lunar Eclipse
North American observers can watch the Moon flirt with Earth’s shadow on the evening of February 10th.
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.