LATEST NEWS
Astronomers Discover Roundest Star
Asteroseismologists delving into the Kepler mission’s data trove have found a star that appears to be more spherical than any natural object.
Dug out of a Texas field last year, the second-largest chondrite ever found in the U.S. has been donated to Texas Christian University.
OBSERVING HIGHLIGHTS
This Week’s Sky at a Glance,
November 25 – December 3
Some daily sky events among the ever-changing Moon, planets, stars and constellations, with an eye toward goings-on in the western sky after sunset.
Keep Watch for November’s Orionid Meteors
Although relatively obscure, this modest display is the strongest meteor shower in late November. Moonless skies make them easier to pick out.
Quasar CTA 102: Historically Bright, Violently Variable
The normally faint quasar CTA 102, once thought to harbor an advanced civilization and made famous in a 1967 song by the Byrds, is currently bright enough to see in an 8-inch telescope.
COMMUNITY
How to Choose Your First Telescope
When you’re trying to pick a first telescope — for you or for somone else — you’ll get lots of hype. But by knowing just a few basics, described here by S&T‘s experts, you’ll be able to choose the one that’s right for your observing interests, lifestyle, and budget.
Thank Our Lucky Planets: How Planets Really Do Shape Our Fate
Human history has always been linked to the influence of distant orbits, from climate change (past and present) to our exploration of the solar system.
Ann
BEAUTIFUL, ALSO, ARE THE SOULS OF MY BLACK SISTERS 