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A lonely stargazer looks up at the constellation of Orion, the hunter — and its dimming star Betelgeuse — in this photo captured from Portugal's Dark Sky Alqueva Reserve.

Orion and its dimming star Betelgeuse shine over a stargazer in this sentimental night-sky photo

By Miguel Claro

A night-sky photo features a lonely stargazer admiring the beautiful constellation of Orion, the hunter — and it's strangely dimming star Betelgeuse.

A telescope at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile spotted 19 Starlink satellites soon after they launched in November 2019.

Satellite megaconstellations prompt new warning from astronomy group about impact on science

By Meghan Bartels

The more astronomers consider the advent of satellite megaconstellations, the more anxious they get.

This deep-space image shows the Heart and Soul nebulas shining brightly in reddish hues from energized hydrogen. The photo was captured from the Cumeada Observatory in Portugal's Dark Sky Alqueva Reserve.

Cosmic love: Heart and Soul nebulas will capture your heart on Valentine's Day (photo)

By Miguel Claro

This deep-space image shows the Heart and Soul nebulas shining brightly in reddish hues from energized hydrogen.

There's a lot going in space in 2019. Check out our up-to-date space launch schedule and calendar here!

Space calendar 2020: Rocket launches, sky events, missions & more!

By Hanneke Weitering

Here's a guide to all the rocket launches and astronomical events in 2020, as well as milestones for space missions, anniversaries and conferences.

Radar images show the binary asteroid 2020 BX12, which scientists discovered this year.

Scientists just watched a newfound asteroid zoom by Earth. Then they saw its moon.

By Meghan Bartels

A night scene captured in Achada do Gamo, Dark Sky Alqueva Mértola, shows the silhouette of a skywatcher who is trying to show us where to find Polaris, the North Star.

For stargazers, the Big Dipper is a celestial compass, clock, calendar and ruler. Here’s how to use it.

By Joe Rao

The Dipper is more than just a bright and familiar star pattern. It's a compass, a clock, a calendar and a ruler all rolled into one!

Betelgeuse and its constellation, Orion, as seen in the evening sky in February 2020.

The dimming star Betelgeuse is acting weird. Here's how to spot it in Orion's shoulder.

By Elizabeth Howell

One of the brightest stars you'll see in the sky these days is Betelgeuse, whose red tones provide a fun skywatching target in February.

A night-sky image taken by the Mars InSight lander's Instrument Context Camera on Jan. 28, 2020.

This picture is from Mars. It's probably not what you think.

By Meghan Bartels

It's some next-level skywatching: Scientists are using images captured by NASA's InSight lander to look for meteors on Mars.

Aurora Over Abisko National Park in Sweden

Where to see the northern lights: 2020 aurora borealis guide

By Mike Wall, Elizabeth Howell

Where should you go to get the best look at the dancing, dazzling display known as the aurora borealis?

Full Snow Moon

February full moon 2020: A (sort of) 'super' Snow Moon rises with Mercury

By Jesse Emspak

The full moon of February, called the Snow Moon, occurs Sunday, Feb. 9, at 2:33 a.m. EST (0733 GMT).

Full Moon with Airplane

2020 Full Moon Calendar

By Tim Sharp, Kimberly Hickok

The full moon happens once a month. Find out when.

First Quarter Moon near Saturn

Best night sky events of February 2020 (stargazing maps)

By Chris Vaughan

See what's up in the night sky for February 2020, including stargazing events and the moon's phases, in this Space.com gallery courtesy of Starry Night Software.

As November begins, Mercury will be in the western evening sky and swinging sunward towards inferior conjunction on November 11, when the speedy planet will transit the sun. The transit will be visible in whole or in part from westernmost Russia, the Middle East, Europe, Africa, South America, North America (except for the extreme north), most of the Pacific Ocean, and New Zealand. After mid-month, Mercury will return to view with an excellent morning apparition for Northern Hemisphere observers, but a poor one for the Southern Hemisphere. The planet will reach peak visibility at greatest western elongation on November 28. Viewed in a telescope during mornings in November, Mercury's disk will diminish in apparent size and wax in illuminated phase from a thin crescent to a 68% full. Over the same period, the planet will brighten. The old crescent moon will pass north of Mercury on November 24-25.

The brightest planets in February's night sky: How to see them (and when)

By Joe Rao

Here's how to see planets visible in February's night sky.

The night sky is more than just the moon and stars, if you know when and where to look.

Night sky, February 2020: What you can see this month [maps]

By Chris Vaughan

Find out what's up in your night sky during February 2020 and how to see it in this Space.com stargazing guide.

During the first half of February, Mercury will complete its best evening appearance for mid-northern latitude observers during 2020, climbing higher in the west-southwestern sky every evening.

How to see the 'elusive planet' Mercury in the night sky in February

By Joe Rao

Mercury is often cited as the most difficult of the naked-eye planets to see due its proximity to the sun, but there are times during the year when Mercury can be surprisingly easy to spot.

This graphic shows the close encounter between two pieces of space junk, the dead satellites IRAS and GGSE-4, over Pittsburgh on the evening of Jan. 29, 2020.

2 old satellites will buzz each other over Pittsburgh tonight. Here's how to see the space junk.

By Joe Rao

The potential (but unlikely) collision of two old satellites will be visible in the eastern U.S. today (Jan. 29) at at 6:39 p.m. EST. Here's how to see it.

The crescent moon and Venus once again make for a gorgeous sight at the end of January. On Jan. 28, you'll find the pair hovering about 4 degrees apart in the southwest in the hour or so after sunset.

The 'evening star' Venus swings by the crescent moon today. Here's how to see it.

By Hanneke Weitering

Tonight (Jan. 28), you can catch the crescent moon make a close approach to Venus in the evening sky.

Spot Auriga the charioteer (and goat tender) in the winter sky

By Joe Rao

Auriga is one of those star patterns whose exact origin is a hopeless mix of antique conceptions.

This illustration (made using real images and data) shows the moon in shadow during the "new moon" lunar phase.

January new moon 2020: Catch Venus, Jupiter and more in the 'moonless' night sky

By Jesse Emspak

In January, the moon will make a close approach to several planets both before and after it enters its new phase on Jan. 24, offering some fine photo opportunities in a bright winter sky.

This color photograph of Comet Kohoutek (C/1973 E1) was captured from the Catalina Observatory in Arizona, on Jan. 11, 1974.

How the 'comet of the century' became an astronomical disappointment

By Joe Rao

Christened for months as "The Comet of the Century," Comet Kohoutek never came remotely close to living up to expectations.