Here are some handy reference works for people who love to observe double stars and want to expand their horizons.

Mars, just past opposition and still blazing brightly, rises higher in the east each evening. And Saturn is now up in the east by about 10 p.m.

On July 11th, a lot of ocean and a few tiny bits of land will experience a Moon-blackened Sun. But getting to the Moon's shadow will be a challenge.

Say "goodbye" to Jupiter and "hello" to Mars, as the midwinter evening skies come alive with activity. Learn to identify what stargazers call the Winter Hexagon, and much more. Host: S&T's Kelly Beatty. (3.9MB MP3 download: running time: 4m 8s)

This famous recurrent nova has just leapt from 18th to 8th magnitude overnight. Astronomers worldwide were waiting.

Mars is closer to Earth in late January and early February than it will be again for the next four years.

Vesta is a prime binocular target in the winter and spring of 2010.

Everyone loves to watch "shooting stars" blaze across the sky. Sky & Telescope predicts that 2010's best meteor showers should be the Perseids in August and the Geminids in December.

The first year of the new decade features four eclipses, two solars and two lunars. You'll want water wings to see the total solar eclipse on July 11th, which crosses only a few tiny bits of land. December's complete lunar coverup is the first in nearly three years.

Thousands of telescopes are given and received as gifts during the holidays. But once you've assembled your new treasure, then what? The editors of Sky & Telescope have created a special section of easy-to-grasp introductory skywatching articles just for you!

The recurrent nova U Scorpii leaps from 18th to 8th magnitude in just a few hours about every decade. A new prediction method says it's likely to blow in 2009. Here's where to keep watch.

This pearly glow is surprisingly easy to see — if you know what to look for.