LATEST NEWS
Probing the Depths of Jupiter’s Great Red Spot
NASA’s Juno spacecraft peeked under the clouds of the most iconic weather feature in the solar system, Jupiter’s Great Red Spot, revealing a complex structure deep below the surface. Read more…
Which of Kepler’s Stars Flare?
The habitability of distant exoplanets is dependent upon many factors — one of which is the activity of their host stars. To learn about which stars are most likely to flare, a recent study examines tens of thousands of stellar flares observed by Kepler. Read more…
Does New Horizons’ Next Target Have a Moon?
New analysis from the New Horizons team suggest that the spacecraft’s next target in the Kuiper Belt might have a third companion. Read more…
AGU 2017: News from the Solar System
Here’s a quick look at results announced at the 2017 American Geophysical Union meeting in New Orleans: exploding meteoroids, Saturn’s ring-atmosphere connection, and more bright spots on Ceres. Read more…
Official Names Approved for 86 More Stars
The International Astronomical Union has given its official approval for 86 additional star names. Read more…
Neural Network Finds Planet System That Rivals Our Own
Scientists have applied a brand of artificial intelligence to data from the exoplanet-hunting Kepler satellite, resulting in the discovery of the first eight-planet system outside our own. Read more…
OBSERVING HIGHLIGHTS
This Week’s Sky at a Glance, December 15 – 23
As the Summer Triangle sinks in the west, Altair is the first of its stars to go. Start by spotting bright Vega in the northwest at nightfall. The brightest star above it is Deneb. Altair is farther to Vega’s lower left. Read more…
What’s the Thinnest Crescent Moon You Can See?
A slender crescent Moon is a beautiful and inspiring sight. December and January offer several opportunities to see these exceptional slices in the sky. Read more…
Tour December’s Sky: See 3 Planets at Dawn
As you’ll hear in December’s astronomy podcast, early risers are treated with views of Jupiter (obvious), Mars (not as easy), and Mercury (timing’s everything). Read more…
Seeing vs. Transparency: What’s the Difference?
Good weather for imaging is about more than just the clouds! Even if it’s cloud-free, you’ll need to understand if the seeing and transparency are good. Read more…
Ann
BEAUTIFUL, ALSO, ARE THE SOULS OF MY BLACK SISTERS 