We don’t know how long COVID-19 will keep us all bottled up, but here are a few ways to stay informed and entertained as you pass the time. More »
▶StarDate Radio: September 20 — Dumbbell Nebula
For most of its life, a star like the Sun looks a bit drab — it’s a bright, glowing orb...More »
▶StarDate Radio: September 19 — Vulpecula
A fox carries a goose high across the sky this evening. You need dark skies to pick them out, and...More »
★Stargazing: September 19
The constellation Vulpecula, which represents a fox carrying a goose, is high in the southeast as night falls. It’s near...More »
★Stargazing: September 18
Under dark skies, you might see a glowing pyramid of light in the eastern sky before dawn over the next...More »
▶StarDate Radio: September 18 — Dark Planet
The planet known as TrES-2b sounds like it should glow like wild. It’s only about three million miles from its...More »
★Stargazing: September 17
Perseus is climbing into the evening sky this month. Tonight, it’s in good view, in the northeast, by about 10:30....More »
▶StarDate Radio: September 17 — Rapid Birth
When it comes to making planets, star systems may not waste much time. A recent study says that planets may...More »
★Stargazing: September 16
The Moon will be new at 6 a.m. CDT tomorrow as it crosses the imaginary line between Earth and the...More »
▶StarDate Radio: September 16 — Hunting ET
ET is quiet. Searches for radio signals from other worlds have come up empty. And while the search continues, astronomers...More »
▶StarDate Radio: September 15 — More Trappist-1
If anyone lives on the planet known as Trappist-1e, they should know their neighbors pretty well. There are six other...More »
★Stargazing: September 15
If you can get away from city lights, this is a good time to gaze at the Milky Way, which...More »
▶StarDate Radio: September 14 — Trappist-1
Trappist-1 is about as puny as a star can get. It’s less than 10 percent as massive as the Sun,...More »
Current Magazine
The International Space Station hosts several telescopes and other instruments for studying the universe, and in our September/October issue, we'll fill you in on the details.
2020 Sky Almanac
Newly Updated!
This year offers some beautiful skywatching treats, including the opposition of Mars and the closest conjunction between Jupiter and Saturn in four centuries. You can find all the details on these and many others in our 2020 Sky Almanac. We also tell you about the rights and wrongs of astronomy and space exploration in science fiction. The digital version of the Almanac was revised on July 1, with additional skywatching tips and the latest details on upcoming milestones in space!
