SUNSET: 
Webb and Spitzer Telescopes Explore the Planets That Never Were
Planetesimal wrecks are raging around distant stars. With the Webb and Spitzer Space Telescopes, astronomers are learning what that looks like.
Chile’s Light-Pollution Standard Takes Full Effect
The South American country, which hosts some of the world’s major astronomical observatories, promises to protect its night skies, from the Atacama Desert to Tierra del Fuego.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, October 16 – 25
Tonight the Moon's in the Teapot. High in early dawn, Mars stands over Jupiter while Regulus twinkles below.
A Cloud Forms Spontaneously Over a Mountain on Mars — Here’s Why
This curious cloud requires no solid particles to seed its formation — a theoretical phenomenon that's never been observed until now.
Rise Early on October 22nd for the Orionid Meteor Shower
The Moon bugs out just in time to enjoy the peak of the Orionids, which trace their origin to Halley's Comet.
NASA Initiative to Study the Moon's Environment
NASA announced three new scientific payloads that will head to the Moon to better understand lunar hazards and resources.
The Solar System Has a New Life Expectancy, and It’s a Billion Times Shorter
New simulations suggest that the planets' orbits will destabilize well before the Sun expands into its red giant phase.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, October 9 – 18
Take advantage of these moonless evenings! Make friends with some far Cassiopeia clusters in the high-arching Milky Way. Soon the Moon will return.
Meet the Star Cluster That Defies Conventions
The stellar gathering known as Garro 04 belongs to a growing number of enigmatic groupings that combine traits of young open clusters ancient globulars.
Fast Radio Burst Shatters Distance Record
Astronomers have found a distant fast radio burst whose signal has traversed much of the universe before arriving at Earth.
Neutrino Hunter Francis Halzen Wins Nobel Prize in Physics
Particle physicist earned the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physics for his contributions to neutrino astronomy.
Rare Sight Ahead! Watch the Moon Occult Jupiter Early October 6th
Jupiter disappears then returns in a blaze of glory at the Moon's dark rim before dawn.
Saturn Flaunts its Rings at Opposition the Night of October 3–4
Leaves fall. Frost sparkles. And once again we fall under the magical spell of Saturn, the Lord of the Rings.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, October 2 – 11
The Moon occults Jupiter for much of North America very late Monday night October 5-6, after missing Castor, Pollux, and Mars on previous nights.
October Podcast: Saturn is a “Star”
This episode takes you on a tour of the stars and planets that you’ll see overhead during October. This month the spotlight is on Saturn, which can be seen all night, and a fantastic occultation of Jupiter by the Moon. So grab your curiosity, and come along on this month’s Sky Tour.
Did Venus Swallow Its Moon?
New simulations show that our now-moonless neighbor might once have had a satellite, but the moon crashed back into it.
Rejected: Spain’s Proposal to Build the Thirty Meter Telescope on La Palma
The island was the backup site for the giant telescope, whose future remains in limbo.
Astronomy in Space with David Dickinson
Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer Makes Penultimate Earth Flyby
On September 28th, Europe's JUICE mission makes another pass by home, en route to the icy moons of Jupiter.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, September 25 – October 2
Saturn comes to opposition. So does the Moon. Once the Moon is gone from the evening sky, try with your telescope for the autumn globular clusters Sagittifolia, Queen Anne's Lace, Watercress by the Stream, and Seaflower of the Deep.
NASA Selects Far-Infrared Mission PRIMA to Survey the Cool Universe
NASA has selected a new space probe for development: The PRIMA telescope will explore the far-infrared universe.