Latest articles by Joe Rao
Venus, Jupiter and Mercury headline May's skywatching, with stunning moon pairings and a three-planet display.
The moon will briefly hide Regulus in a dramatic occultation visible across parts of the eastern U.S.
A half moon passes close to Jupiter on April 22, creating a striking scene.
After months of quiet skies, the Lyrids return with fast, bright meteors and dark, moonless viewing conditions before dawn.
A dramatic breakup near the sun erased hopes of a bright comet lighting up the evening sky this week.
Venus returns as a brilliant evening star in 2026, with dazzling conjunctions, peak brightness and stunning views through the summer.
Venus and Jupiter dominate April's evening sky, while Mercury, Mars and Saturn linger in the dawn — here's how and when to spot them all.
Comet MAPS is about to face its ultimate test as it sweeps just 101,000 miles above the sun's surface.
The first full moon of spring, known as the Paschal Moon, sets the date for Easter each year.
The spring equinox marks the first day of spring today, but daylight actually lasts several minutes longer than night. Here's why the equinox doesn't appear perfectly equal.
Look west after sunset on March 19 to try spotting a razor-thin crescent moon less than 24 hours old with brilliant Venus lighting the way.
A newly discovered comet is rapidly brightening and could become visible from Earth — if it survives an extreme close encounter with the sun on April 4.
Cloud cover outlook for the total lunar eclipse — where the blood moon will be visible.
Venus and Jupiter make good targets for skywatchers this month. Here's how to see them in the March evening sky.
A rare atmospheric effect called selenelion could briefly let skywatchers see the rising sun and a blood moon at the same time.
A waxing gibbous moon and brilliant Jupiter will pair up after sunset on Feb. 26.
The Orion constellation is home to some of the most luminous stars in our Milky Way galaxy.
Mercury puts on its best evening show of 2026 this February, with bright views after sunset and a helpful crescent moon.
Some astronomers have noted that its faint magnitude "does not bode well for the comet's survival past perihelion."
A February moon offers a practical preview of where to look for March's total lunar eclipse.
From dazzling Jupiter high in the evening sky to elusive Mercury low at sunset, February 2026 offers one of the year's best planetary lineups.
Astronomical winter reaches its true midpoint on Feb. 3, as daylight gains begin to accelerate across the Northern Hemisphere.
Reference A Black Moon is a rare occurrence. Here we explore what causes them and when the next one will happen.
