Skywatching
April Lunacy: Getting Ready for the Full ‘Mini-Moon’
Why this week's Full Moon is the smallest of 2016. It's Mini-Moon season!
Prelude to Transit: Catching Mercury Under Dusk Skies
One of the best dusk apparitions of the planet Mercury occurs this weekend... this event also sets us up for…
Huge Sunspot Turns Earthward
A massive sunspot emerged this past weekend, reversing the downward trend for solar cycle #24... for now.
Watch the Moon Occult Vesta and Aldebaran This Weekend
The Moon occults the bright star Aldebaran on the evening of April 10th for North America, and, for a lucky…
A Challenging Daytime Occultation of Venus for Europe
Up for a challenge? The Moon occults Venus for Europe, the UK and northern Asia on April 6th, though it'll…
A Penumbral Lunar Eclipse Leads the Way to Easter Weekend
The first Full Moon after the vernal equinox not only sets us up for Easter this weekend, but features an…
Comet Craziness: 252P LINEAR Brightens, and a Close Pass for BA14 PanSTARRS
This week presents observational astronomers with two surprise treats, as Comet 252P/LINEAR brightens and heads north, and the second closest…
Stunning Conjunction of Mars and Beta Scorpii This Week
Sneaky Mars creeps up on bright Graffias in Scorpius for a very close conjunction Wednesday morning. Even better, the star…
Standing in the Shadow: Amazing Images of Today’s Total Solar Eclipse
Reader images for today's amazing total solar eclipse from across the Pacific: the only total solar eclipse in 2016, and…
Chasing the Shadow: Our Guide to the March 9th Total Solar Eclipse
Our complete guide to the only total solar eclipse for 2016. With maps, webcasts, predictions and more.