SkyCaramba

The moon will pass in front of Elnath for viewers in part of Australia and Indonesia next week. Scientists can learn a lot about a star that's hidden that way. And several planets are on their way out of the night sky.

Southern hemisphere observers can take a double challenge--try to see some meteors and then figure out which of two overlapping showers they came from. It's not easy. Both radiate from the same constellation and neither shower produces a lot of meteors. Learn about the Centaur constellation. Three planets are on the way out of the morning sky. One planet is hanging on before exiting the evenin...

You may have noticed that the sun rarely crosses the meridian when the clock says it's 12pm. High noon is about as late as it gets this time of year. Some planets are leaving the morning sky. Some are leaving the evening sky.

Saturn's disappearing from the evening sky. The moon's approaching full phase and northern lunistice. It's Venus's turn to apparently pass by a very distant star. And the morning planetary action lately deserves applause, because it's associated with a figure said to have started the tradition of hand-clapping to show appreciation.

The moon goes through first quarter. Orion and Gemini are becoming prominent. Three planets are in the morning sky. Mercury is about to (appear to) pass by a star nearly 30,000 light years away.

As three planets move in the morning sky this week, the moon passes them by.

In 2024, the moon will pass in front of bright stars several times, there'll be a total solar eclipse, increasing solar activity could mean more aurorae, and the moon will reach its farthest north and south since 2006. In just the next few weeks, three planets will cross the Sagittarius teapot in the morning sky. And Saturn is heading into the sunset.

There's planet watching in the evening and morning. Venus passes through Libra. And there's a star, not very far away as cosmic distances go, that might be almost as old as the universe. You can actually see it with binoculars.

Linda Salzman Sagan, who designed the plaque on the Pioneer 10 and 11 probes, died last month. Her art sure got people talking. The asteroid Vesta is at opposition this week.

It's been 38 years since the solar system's most famous comet was closest to the sun. It'll be 38 more before it's back. Comet Halley was farthest from the sun this month.

Mercury's at greatest elongation this week. Saturn's still up in the evening. Jupiter's about to turn around. Venus and the moon pair with a dragon star. Mars is still missing. English speakers say the moon is at first quarter or last quarter. People who come from non-English speaking cultures have another view. It's not often that an asteroid passes in front of one bright star. Bu...

It's been a half-century since Pioneer 10 went by Jupiter. And it's been 20 years since anyone last heard from the probe. Whatever's next for it will probably be in almost 40,000 years.

Mars just went through solar conjunction. Not only can ordinary observers not see the red planet, scientists can't stay in touch with the space probes there either. That's not a small concern. Missions to Mars have been hard. Here's the story of the first successful Mars probe to report back and what finally did shut it down.

Mercury's slowly making it into the evening sky. Saturn rules the evening. Jupiter's still up all night. So is Uranus as it's at opposition this week. Venus dominates the morning. Mars is hidden in the sun's glare. A listener wants to know why the moon always seems to pass or over certain stars but not others. The answer goes back billions of years.

The first known crowdsourced scientific study began one morning 190 years ago when it looked like the stars were falling from the sky. Nobody knew yet just what meteors are. A professor's letter asking people to tell him what they saw set scientists on the path to figuring it out.

Jupiter will be up all night this week. This opposition isn't as close as last year's, but it'll be the closest for about a dozen years.

Stars zoom by the spacecraft in sci-fi movies and TV shows. Just how fast would you have to go for that to happen? Even light doesn't go anywhere near fast enough for it to look like the stars are barely moving.

For about two centuries, astronomers made mistakes and missed the chance to be credited for discovering Neptune. Finally, some mistakes led to someone discovering it.

This is the week of the annular solar eclipse that crosses the Americas. You don't have much time to get ready to see it. Find the times for your location with the

The celestial dragon may deliver some fireballs courtesy of Comet Halley next week. If you're in the Americas, you want to prepare for the solar eclipse on the 14th.

Mars continues riding into the sunset. The moon passes by Saturn. Venus approaches the lion. The Daytime Sextantid meteor shower peaks. See a star when the sun is up.

Mars keeps getting harder to see. Saturn gives a lonely star a little company. Jupiter and Uranus hang out between Cetus and Aries. Venus sparkles in the morning. Mercury at its greatest viewing. Neptune up all night. A quick guide to figure out when you can see the moon.

Mars passes by Porrima. Saturn continues a nearly all-night show. Jupiter and Uranus rise early. Venus gleems in the morning with the moon. Maybe see Mercury. A somewhat recently named constellation is a lizard. A couple observers tried to name the stars for different kings.

Mercury goes through conjunction this week. Mars continues heading out of the evening sky. Saturn still looks good after opposition. Jupiter and Uranus await you in the morning. Venus is looking good too. Some scientists want to know more about Uranus and propose a mission. And people in most of the Americas will get a solar eclipse next month. Start getting ready now.

Try to find Venus in the morning. Mars is still an evening object. Saturn's up all night. Technology keeps giving us better ways to understand the ringed planet, how it formed, and what that may mean about how the solar system formed.