Skywatching

NEOWISE Spots Mars-Crossing Comet

One of the big ticket astronomical events of 2014 will be the close passage of Comet C/2013 A1 Siding Spring past…

11 years ago

How to See Planet Mercury at its Best in 2014

 There’s an often told anecdote that astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus never spied Mercury. And while this tale is almost certainly apocryphal,…

11 years ago

An Incredible Time-lapse of Venus Passing Through Inferior Conjunction

Some of the most amazing celestial sights are hidden from our view in the daytime sky. Or are they? We…

11 years ago

The Moon Occults Saturn in the Dawn this Weekend

 Mark your calendars: the first in a series of interesting occultations of Saturn by the Moon for 2014 starts this…

11 years ago

A “MiniMoon” Seen Around the World

So, did last night’s Full Wolf Moon seem a bit tinier than usual? It was no illusion, as avid readers…

11 years ago

John Dobson, Inventor of the Popular Dobsonian Telescope, Dead at 98

The cosmos lost a good soul Wednesday. John Dobson, famous as the creator of the simple, low-cost Dobsonian telescope, passed…

11 years ago

An Amazing Capture of Jupiter and its Moons

It’s always a thrill to watch the action at Jupiter, as its moons pass in front of and behind the…

11 years ago

A Possible Meteor Shower from Comet ISON?

Hey, remember Comet C/2012 S1 ISON? Who can forget the roller-coaster ride that the touted “Comet of the Century” took…

11 years ago

See the Smallest Full Moon of 2014: It’s the “Return of the Mini-Moon”

 Last month, (and last year) we wrote about the visually smallest Full Moon of 2013. Now, in a followup  act, our…

11 years ago

LEDs: Light Pollution Solution or Night Sky Nemesis?

You may have noticed a change underway in your city lighting. High pressure sodium lights, with their familiar orange glow,…

11 years ago