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Observing Highlights
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Safely View the Upcoming Eclipse and Transit
May 9, 2012
Two exciting sky events — May 20th's annular eclipse and June 5th/6th's transit of Venus — are coming up soon. Here's how to see these events worry-free.
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This Week's Sky at a Glance
May 11, 2012
Venus is sinking lower in twilight, closely accompanied by Beta Tauri, as its telescopic crescent enlarges and wanes. Venus is on its way to swinging directly between Earth and Sun on June 5th.
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Join the "Target Asteroids!" Project
May 8, 2012
If you're an amateur observer with decent equipment and an itch to do some serious observing, a team from the OSIRIS-REx mission wants to hear from you!
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May 20th's Annular Eclipse of the Sun
March 1, 2012
If you live in the western United States, you'll have a "ringside" seat for the first major solar eclipse to cross the United States in nearly two decades, on the afternoon of May 20, 2012.
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Photograph the Solar Eclipse and Transit of Venus
May 2, 2012
Plan ahead — read now for tips on how to photograph the upcoming annular eclipse and transit of Venus, then practice, practice, practice!
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Venus Takes the Plunge
May 1, 2012
The brightest planet has dominated the evening sky for months. But during May it sinks rapidly toward the setting Sun — and its historic transit across the solar disk in early June.
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Venus Befriends Crescent Moon
April 23, 2012
The crescent Moon lies close to crescent Venus just after twilight tonight, a great target for a good pair of binoculars.
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Nova Erupts in Sagittarius
April 22, 2012
Observers have reported a "new star," now visible in the predawn sky, that can be seen in small telescopes or good binoculars.
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June 4th's Partial Eclipse of the Moon
March 21, 2012
On the morning of Monday, June 4th, skywatchers in the Americas can catch a partial lunar eclipse low in the western sky before and/or during dawn.
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Transit of Venus: June 56, 2012
November 22, 2011
On June 5th (in the Western Hemisphere) or June 6th (in the Eastern Hemisphere), Venus will pass across the face of the Sun for the second time in 8 years — and for the last time until 2117.
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Eclipses in 2012
January 24, 2012
This year features two "central" eclipses of the Sun: an annular in May (visible from western U.S. states) and a total in November that you'll have to travel to Australia or the South Pacific to see.
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Meteor Showers in 2012
December 25, 2011
Sky & Telescope predicts that 2012's best meteor shower should be the Quadrantids in January, but this will also be a good year for the Perseids in August and the Geminids in December.
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Uranus and Neptune in 2012
January 25, 2012
Uranus and Neptune are easy to find with the aid of the charts in this article.
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Mars Takes Center Stage
March 5, 2012
The Red Planet (actually yellow-orange) is the brilliant "star" climbing steadily in the east these evenings. Now's your best chance to examine our next-out planetary neighbor.
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Tour May's Sky by Eye and Ear!
April 24, 2012
Follow the giant arc of bright planets that leads eastward from the just-set Sun: Venus low in the west, Mars midway up in the south, and Saturn over in the east. Then look overhead for the Big Dipper — the "Swiss Army knife" of the night sky.
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Comet Pan-STARRS: Still on Track
April 12, 2012
The inbound comet C/2011 L4, discovered last year, has been brightening steadily the past few months. It could still fizzle — or it could become a pretty bauble in post-sunset skies next March.
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A Good Year for Lyrid Meteors
April 19, 2012
If you've never tried to observe late April's Lyrid meteor shower, this might be the year to try — thanks to moonless skies and a peak that favors North America.
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The Moon Visits Jupiter and Venus
March 21, 2012
The crescent Moon visits Jupiter on the evening of Sunday, March 25th, and it visits Venus on Monday night.
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Venus on the Rise
February 16, 2012
Noticed an exceptionally bright beacon in the evening sky? The planet Venus has begun its highest foray up the sky's dome, surprising at least one casual observer as it prepares for its conjunction with the Moon and Jupiter in March.
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Venus Passes the Pleiades
April 3, 2012
Venus is passing through the Pleiades in a breathtaking spectacle that reaches its peak on April 3rd. This unique pairing is part of a series of Venus events in 2012, culminating in the June transit of the Sun.
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Comet Garradd Stays the Course
February 7, 2012
Comet Garradd (C/2009 P1) was closest to Earth in early March. So the moonless period in mid-March is your best remaining chance to view this remarkable comet, which is now conveniently placed in the evening sky.
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Jupiter: Big, Bright, and Beautiful
September 23, 2011
The "King of Planets," which will dominate the evening sky from late 2011 through early 2012, is a captivating sight no matter how you look at it.
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Portrait of an Angry Sun
March 15, 2012
The source of titanic flares this past week, active region 11429 has just rotated off the Sun's disk. But it didn't escape before being captured in all its angry glory by Alan Friedman from his backyard in Buffalo, New York. Here's how he did it.
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Comet Garradd in Transition
December 2, 2011
A decently bright visitor from the solar system’s fringe has lingered in the evening sky for months. As it nears perihelion, Comet Garradd (C/2009 P1) will soon be seen better in northern morning skies before dawn.
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