Get the ultimate StarDate fan experience. More »
★Stargazing: May 18
The star cluster Messier 5 is about 25,000 light-years away, in Serpens Caput, the head of the snake. It’s high...More »
▶StarDate Radio: May 18 — Messier 5
The star cluster Messier 5 is big, old, and crowded. It contains hundreds of thousands of stars, all packed into...More »
★Stargazing: May 17
The constellation Serpens, the snake, is split into parts. One represents its head; the other, its tail. The head is...More »
▶StarDate Radio: May 17 — Head of the Serpent
Some of the 88 constellations are a little disjointed. They meander in odd directions, making them hard to follow. But...More »
▶StarDate Radio: May 16 — Moon and Antares
Other than the Sun, we’ve seen the surfaces of only a few stars in any detail. The stars are all...More »
★Stargazing: May 16
Antares, the bright orange heart of Scorpius, snuggles close to the Moon as they climb into good view late this...More »
▶StarDate Radio: May 15 — Lunar Eclipse II
One of nature’s great spectacles will play out tonight: a total lunar eclipse. The Moon will pass through Earth’s dark...More »
★Stargazing: May 15
The Moon will pass through Earth’s shadow tonight, creating a total lunar eclipse. The Moon first touches the dark inner...More »
▶StarDate Radio: May 14 — Mars and Neptune
The edge of the realm of the planets is marked by Neptune, the Sun’s fourth-largest major planet. It’s almost four...More »
★Stargazing: May 14
Venus, the Morning Star, is low in the dawn sky now, with bright Jupiter to its upper right and orange...More »
★Stargazing: May 13
The Moon will slip through Earth’s long shadow on Sunday night, creating a total lunar eclipse. It comes exactly one...More »
▶StarDate Radio: May 13 — Lunar Eclipse
The Moon will slip through Earth’s long shadow on Sunday night, creating a total lunar eclipse. It comes exactly one...More »
Current Magazine
This issue describes how a McDonald Observatory researcher is probing the compositions and motions of stars and star clusters to piece together the history of the Milky Way Galaxy. It also describes the history of efforts to study cosmic rays, which convey important information about some of the most energetic objects and events in the universe.
2022 Sky Almanac
This year offers up some beautiful skywatching treats, including two good lunar eclipses and several planetary conjunctions. You can find all the details on these and many other events in our 2022 Sky Almanac. Plan your skywatching adventures with tips on eclipses, meteor showers, and more, plus keep an eye on the bright planets.
