Observing
A ‘Shallow’ Lunar Eclipse Coming on April 25
Eclipse season is upon us this week with the first eclipse of 2013, a brief partial lunar eclipse. The lunar…
The Curious History of the Lyrid Meteor Shower
Today we residents of planet Earth meet up with a meteor stream with a strange and bizarre past. The Lyrid…
A New Look at the Horsehead Nebula for Hubble’s 23rd Anniversary
Here’s the iconic Horsehead Nebula as we’ve not seen it before. As the Hubble team so poetically puts it, the…
Astrophoto: Space Station Flies Through the Moon!
What a great image! Astrophotographer Dave Walker combined seven 30-second shots of the ISS as it cuts through the sky,…
How to Spot the Antares Launch from NASA Wallops on Wednesday
A space launch marking a new era is departing from the Virginia coast this Wednesday evening, and if you live…
Mysterious Moon Flashes: Could the Transient Lunar Phenomena be Linked to the Solar Cycle?
A key mystery in observational lunar astronomy may be at least partially resolved. An interesting study appeared recently in the…
Join in an Online Messier Marathon
Have you ever done a Messier Marathon? Want to try it online from the comfort of your own home? Astrophysicist…
A Detailed Look at the Coma of Comet PANSTARRS
Comet PANSTARRS has peaked, but astronomers are still keeping an eye on this comet to try and determine what its…
The Return of Saturn: A Guide to the 2013 Opposition
A star party favorite is about to return to evening skies. The planet Saturn can now be spied low to…
A Look at the Hazards of Green Laser Pointers
Those handheld green lasers pointers may not be as harmless as you thought. A recent study released by researchers at…