How Rare Is a Solar Eclipse?
There are two solar eclipses every year — so why are they so rare?
Explore the Night with Bob King
Get Ready for a Great Perseid Meteor Shower
The Perseids are here! With no Moon to spoil the show it's time to break out the lawn chairs, sit back, and watch the comet dust fly.
Eclipse Apps, Books, Videos: Resources for the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse
Find some of our favorite resources for the April 8, 2024, solar eclipse, including apps, video explainers, children's activities, and books.
Explore the Night with Bob King
Time-lapse Animations Reveal a Universe in Transformation
Deep-sky objects may appear static throughout our lifetime but by carefully "blinking" archival and current images we can discern real changes in their appearance.
Explore the Night with Bob King
See Summer's Best “Gobbled” Globulars
Mergers between the Milky Way and long-ago dwarf galaxies have enriched our skies with dozens of iconic globular clusters. Many are visible in small telescopes.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, April 28 – May 7
The Arch of Spring across the west enfolds Mars and Venus. Wintry Sirius nears its heliacal setting low in the southwest. The Summer Triangle stars come into view one by one in the east.
Astrophotography: Tips & Techniques
Eclipse Photographer’s Checklist
For those preparing to photograph a total solar eclipse, Fred Espenak shares his eclipse photography checklist.
Astrophotography: Tips & Techniques
How to Use Your Smartphone to Shoot a Solar Eclipse
Read this advice from expert eclipse-chasers before you use your smartphone to photograph a solar eclipse.
Images to Inspire: Solar Eclipse Pictures
We've gathered some of the best pictures of past solar eclipses, total and partial, from our online photo gallery to serve as inspiration for your eclipse photography
Meet Elnath in the Horn of the Bull
Elnath, the bright, blue-white star that marks one of the horns of Taurus, is a peculiar star in its own right.
Pleasures of Lunar Pareidolia
Do you still see animal shapes in clouds? If so, you'll enjoy doing the same with the Moon, home to the Moon Maiden, a giant pair of scissors, and other fantastic specters of light and shadow.
Explore the Night with Bob King
Anticipating Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS (C/2023 A3)
Newly discovered Comet C/2023 A3 might reach naked-eye brightness when it flies past Earth in 2024. Check out our forecast of what to expect to see in the months ahead.
Aurora Season Is Underway
These are the nights to get ready for the auroras — and tonight may be your lucky night. Not only is the current solar cycle swiftly intensifying, March is one of the best times of the year to see the northern lights.
Catch Birth Flickers of Budding Suns in Orion
Three flickering stars in Orion offer insight into what life looks like before the main sequence.
Understanding the Tails of Comet ZTF (C/2022 E3)
We explore Comet ZTF's remarkable trio of tails and share the latest news and photos.
See Comet ZTF (C/2022 E3) Dash Between Big and Little Dippers
Forget the hype and go outside to enjoy the real thing — a relatively bright comet you can see in binoculars from a dark sky.
Tiny Asteroid 2023 BU to Miss Earth
A recently discovered asteroid will pass exceptionally close to Earth on January 26th. Here's how to see it. Also, Comet ZTF (C/2022 E3) is brightening nicely, with three tails visible in binos.
The Moons of the Solar System
Not so long ago, astronomers thought only a few dozen moons orbited the planets of our solar system. Today, the total count tops 170!
Meet Mirfak, the Supergiant of Perseus
Mirfak, the brightest star in the constellation Perseus, is a yellow supergiant star with an uncertain fate.
Solar and Lunar Eclipses in 2023
Although no total lunar eclipses occur this year, skywatchers can look forward to two “central” solar eclipses — including an annular event in October whose path runs from Oregon through Texas.