Latest articles by Joe Rao
Located at a distance of 2.5 million light-years, the Andromeda Galaxy is readily visible to the unaided eye on dark, clear nights. Here's where you should look this week.
A waxing gibbous moon, Saturn and Jupiter make inviting targets for skywatchers this Thanksgiving.
The exact cause of 'Devil Comet' 12P/Pons-Brooks' flare-ups is unknown, though the best guess is that perhaps a fissure has developed on the comet's nucleus due to a build-up of gas.
One of the most famous of the annual meteor showers will soon be reaching its maximum: The Leonids. These ultrafast meteors are due to reach their peak on Saturday morning (Nov. 18).
The "Demon Star" of Algol gets eclipsed this week by one of its stellar siblings. Here's what you need to know.
The two brightest objects in the night sky — dazzling Venus and a lovely waning crescent moon — will be the chief celestial attraction in the predawn sky on Thursday, Nov. 9.
If skies are clear during this upcoming week, be sure to take a few moments to gaze upward. You just might be lucky and catch a glimpse of a spectacular sky sight — a Taurid meteor.
Jupiter will meet up with the moon on Oct. 28 in a stunning sky show. Then with a telescope, watch a moon's shadow on Jupiter on Oct. 29.
Two weeks after casting its shadow across the Americas during an annular solar eclipse, the moon will swing around to skim through the northern edge of the Earth's own shadow on Saturday, Oct. 28.
During the third week of October, the meteor display spawned by the debris shed by Halley reaches its peak: The Orionid meteor shower.
Almost all of North America will experience a dramatic event on Saturday (Oct. 14), when a partial eclipse of the sun will be visible — weather permitting, of course.
Skywatchers who are out during the evening hours on Sunday will almost certainly be attracted toward the eastern sky, where the two brightest visible objects at that hour will be readily evident.
The last supermoon of 2023 will illuminate the autumn sky on Friday.
Saturn and its rings will be visible near a bright moon tonight. Here's how to catch a glimpse of the two celestial marvels.
On Saturday (Sept. 23) at 2:50 a.m. EDT (0650 GMT), autumn begins astronomically in the Northern Hemisphere, and spring starts in the South.
Uranus and Neptune, the two outermost planets of the solar system, make for excellent viewing throughout the end of September. Here's how to locate and view them.
With each passing morning, Venus has been rising ever higher and has been getting a little brighter. The planet will reach its brightest in the morning sky on Sept. 19. Here's how to see it.
In addition to its "supermoon" status, this particular full moon will be the second to occur in the month of August, making the full moon on Aug. 30 also branded as a "Blue" moon.
While social media has been abuzz with talk of new Comet Nishimura being visible to the naked eye in September, experts aren't so sure.
Red supergiant Antares, the 15th brightest star in the night sky, will appear to abruptly blink out behind the moon's dark limb during a lunar occultation on Aug. 23, 2023.
The moon and Jupiter will be just under the feet of Aries the Ram, in the night sky on the evening of Monday, Aug. 7. With the right binoculars, you could see five moons at once.
The Perseid meteor shower, one of the most dependable annual showers, peaks on Aug. 12 and 13, and this year looks great for meteor watchers in North America.
One of the best meteor displays of the year will be visible soon: The Perseid Shower. But there also are a number of minor meteor displays that will be peaking in the next couple of weeks.
