Severe Geogmagnetic Storm Has Arrived! Auroral Blast Expected Friday Night
A severe geomagnetic storm has just hit Earth — which means we could see auroras tonight! Here's what you'll need to know.
Explore the Night with Bob King
Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS Brightens, Grows a Tail
Are you excited about Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS's prospects for a bright appearance this autumn? Guess what? It's already gorgeous.
Explore the Night with Bob King
Ready the Hot Cocoa and Recliner — Here Comes the Eta Aquariid Meteor Shower!
You might be tempted to sleep through this annual shower but then you'd miss seeing some of the fastest meteors around. Not to mention their parent is the most famous comet of all.
Explore the Night with Bob King
Jupiter Meets Uranus in Twilight; Supernova Erupts in Nearby Spiral Galaxy
Jupiter aligns with distant Uranus before it exits the evening sky as a bright supernova flares in the southern galaxy NGC 3621.
Explore the Night with Bob King
What Will We See in the Sky During Totality?
Most of our time will be focused on Sun during the minutes of totality on April 8th, but consider tearing yourself away for a few seconds to put it all in context.
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Is Betelgeuse Fading Again?
Betelgeuse has dipped nearly half a magnitude since late January. Could it be headed for another Great Dimming Event? We also take a look at this spring's "other" eclipse.
Explore the Night with Bob King
Fuzzy Glows: See Zodiacal Light, Gegenschein, Airglow, and Aurorae
Find time this season to set aside your telescope and seek the night sky's ghostly glows.
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Winter's Finest Triple Stars
Double stars are wonderful, but triples are terrific! Here are 16 trios to enjoy the next clear night.
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The Best Comets to Look for in 2024
If you like chasing comets, here's a guide to the year's best and brightest.
Asteroid 2024 BX1: From a Light in the Sky to Rocks on the Ground
The asteroid 2024 BX1 went from a moving dot of light to rocks on the ground in mere hours — and amateur astronomers were critical to both discovery and recovery.
The Night I Met the Crab Pulsar
An account of my journey to the heart of one of most violent cosmic explosions witnessed on Earth. Plus, there's a bright supernova now visible in a Virgo Cluster galaxy.
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Catch Luyten's Star and the Quadrantid Meteor Shower
Relish the slow, steady pace of nearby Luyten's Star then switch things up with speedy meteors from a well-timed shower.
Vesta Sets Sail Across Orion
Look who's visiting this winter in Orion: Vesta, a bright asteroid with a dark side.
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Get Ready to Greet the Geminid Meteor Shower!
The year's most spectacular meteor shower is upon us. Prepare to enjoy the Geminids under a dark, moonless sky, when you might see more than 100 meteors per hour.
Watch Uranus's Moon Titania Cover a Star Monday Night
Observers across much of the U.S. and Canada have a unique opportunity Monday night, November 20–21, to see Uranus's brightest moon occult a star.
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How to See Freaky Starlink "Cluster Flares", Plus the Latest on Comet Lemmon
Alien invasion or flares from satellites in multiple orbits? It depends on your point of view. We also check in on Comet Lemmon, poised to possibly reach binocular-visibility.
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Orionid Meteors Fly; Two Moons Shadow Jupiter
Bundle up and enjoy the Orionid meteor shower under moonless skies this week. Don't miss the warm-up act, either, when two of Jupiter's moons pair up in a captivating double-shadow transit.
Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks (aka the "Millenium Falcon" Comet) Flares Again!
Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks has awakened again from its recent slumbers with a fresh outburst. It's now bright enough to see in a modest telescope.
Explore the Night with Bob King
Comet Hartley Comes Home Again; Gegenschein-gazing
Get acquainted with Comet 103P/Hartley. It's been a dozen years since its last bright apparition. While you're at it challenge yourself to spot the elusive gegenschein.
Explore the Night with Bob King
Is the Day 12 Hours Long on the Equinox? It's Complicated
The Earth's atmosphere and the large size of the solar disk result in unequal days and nights, even on the equinox.