SUNSET: 
Biggish Asteroid 1998 QE2 Pays Earth a Visit
This week's visit by asteroid 1998 QE2 is just a courtesy call, as it passes by on May 31st at 15 times the Moon's distance. A NASA radar team has already discovered that this big space rock has a sizable companion.
Australia's Ring of Fire Eclipse
For the second time in six months, the Sun has graced Down Under with an eclipse. Only a lucky few caught this annular eclipse, which traversed sparsely populated northern Australia.
The Eclipses of May 2013
May 2013 features an annular solar eclipse that's visible from extraordinarily little land area and a penumbral lunar eclipse that isn't visible at all.
April 25th's Partial Lunar Eclipse
Truly dedicated eclipse-watchers — who live in the Eastern Hemisphere — have a chance to watch the Moon barely graze Earth's umbra during the first eclipse of 2013.
This Weekend's Twilight Sky Gathering
The Moon, Jupiter, Aldebaran, and two naked-eye star clusters adorn the western twilight this weekend, April 12–14. Spread the word, and grab your camera.
Celebrate the Night — This Week, This Month
Anytime is a good time for a star party, but April offers some of the best opportunities to get out under the night's beauty. Take your pick: there's Globe at Night, International Dark-Sky Week, Astronomy Day, and Global Astronomy Month.
March 28th's Celestial Sandwich
If you're up in late evening on Thursday, March 28th, check out the brilliant, nearly full Moon and its two lovely attendants: the ringed planet Saturn and the icy-white star Spica.
The Moon Salutes Jupiter
On the evening of Sunday, March 17th, stargazers all across the Americas will be able to watch the Moon pass spectacularly close to Jupiter, the third brightest object in the night sky after the Moon and Venus.
Asteroid 2012 DA14 to Zip Past Earth
On February 15th, a 150-foot-wide rock will make the closest pass by Earth of any asteroid predicted far in advance. You may be able to follow it in a telescope.
Mercury Meets Mars
Mercury and Mars, the two smallest planets, appear spectacularly close to each other shortly after sunset on Thursday and Friday, February 7th and 8th.
Mercury in February 2013
Mercury has a fine evening apparition in February 2013, featuring an extraordinarily close conjunction with Mars.
Jupiter Dances with the Moon
On the night of Monday, January 21, 2013. Jupiter, the second-brightest planet, appears less than a finger-width from the Moon as seen from North America. And in much of South America, the Moon passes in front of Jupiter, hiding it from view.
Watch the Moon Pass Mars
A beautiful crescent Moon passes Mars shortly after sunset this weekend. But make sure you find the right spot to skygaze, or you might not see it.
Follow the Morning Moon
The Moon is the great highlight of the early morning sky this week, as it heads for a spectacular rendezvous with Venus at dawn on Thursday, January 10th.
Catch the Quadrantids in Moonlight
Undeniably one of the year's best, the Quadrantid meteor shower peaks on the morning of Thursday, January 3rd. The best viewing opportunity comes between 1 a.m. and dawn, but you'll have competition from a waning gibbous Moon.
See Ceres at Its Best for 2012
Ceres, the biggest asteroid and brightest dwarf planet,shines at magnitude 6.9 or brighter from December 12-25.
“Sky-Is-Falling” Asteroid Flies By
The Earth-crossing asteroid 4179 Toutatis is making one of its close flybys, gliding among the stars and awaiting your telescope. Its magnitude will be 10.9 to 10.5 from December 11th through 14th.
The 2012 Leonid Meteor Shower
The annual Leonids should peak early Saturday morning. While they probably won't make a big impression this year, an absent Moon and the possibility of a second meteor peak next week raise the cool factor.
Not in Australia? Watch Today's Eclipse Online
Watch today's total solar eclipse even if you haven't traveled Down Under. At 3:35 p.m. EST, the Moonwill cover the Sun for a maximum of 4 minutes and 2 seconds. Two sites will let you see the spectacle live online.
October Meteors Slow and Fast
As Earth wheels through the October portion of its orbit around the Sun, it passes through two reliable annual meteoroid streams: one fast, one slow, both long-lasting.
