SKYWATCH: ASTEROID WHIZZES PAST EARTH, NEW LIGHT ON OLD SUPERNOVA, AND MORE

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RCW 86 supernova remnant

NASA/ESA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/CXC/SAO

Bulletin at a Glance

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This Week’s Sky at a Glance
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Chinese Supernova Keeps its Secrets

November 3, 2011 | Astronomers find hints of what kind of explosion caused a “guest star” spotted in ancient skies, but the case isn’t closed. > read more

 

A Dusty Young Star’s “Spiral Arms”

November 4, 2011 | Astronomers have known for decades that the young star SAO 206462 is encircled by a thick dusty disk. However, just-released images from Japan’s Subaru Telescope show that the disk sports two wings that make it look like a miniature spiral galaxy. > read more

 

Sky & Telescope December 2011

October 26, 2011 | Sky & Telescope‘s December 2011 issue is now available to digital subscribers. > read more

 

Observing

<img title="Path of asteroid 2005 YU55 ” src=”http://media.skyandtelescope.com/images/290*175/2005_YU55_flyby.gif&#8221; alt=”Path of asteroid 2005 YU55 ” width=”290″ height=”175″ border=”0″ />

NASA / JPL

Mini-Asteroid Makes a House Call

November 1, 2011 | You’ve probably never heard of 2005 YU55. But this quarter-mile-wide rock from the asteroid belt will be coasting closely past Earth on the night of November 8-9, providing a rare opportunity for study by professional and amateur observers alike. > read more

 

Tour November’s Sky by Eye and Ear!

October 28, 2011 | With the return to Standard Time for North America and Europe, northern stargazers can catch some of the evening’s offerings before dinnertime. Venus and Jupiter are planetary bookends at sunset, with Venus lurking low in the western twilight just as the King of Planets rises in the east. > read more

 

Uranus and Neptune in 2011

May 31, 2011 | Uranus and Neptune are easy to find with the aid of the charts in this article. > read more

 

Ceres and Vesta in 2011

September 8, 2011 | The two brightest asteroids are in fine view for binoculars or a telescope. Here are instructions and charts to find them. > read more

 

Jupiter: Big, Bright, and Beautiful

September 23, 2011 | The “King of Planets,” which will dominate the evening sky from late 2011 through early 2012, is a captivating sight no matter how you look at it. > read more

 

Trusty Comet Garradd

September 1, 2011 | Comet C/2009 P1 Garradd is shining at 7th or maybe even 6th magnitude as it traverses southeastern Hercules. > read more

 

This Week’s Sky at a Glance

Looking east at dusk

This Week’s Sky at a Glance

November 4, 2011 | Jupiter is still essentially as close. big, and bright as at opposition last week. Watch the full Moon pass by it. > read more

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