What Is Fomalhaut? The Name and How to Observe the “Lonely S

What Is Fomalhaut? The Name and How to Observe the “Lonely S

On autumn nights, when you look toward the southern sky, you can often spot a bright white star with...
7 Easy-to-Recognize Constellations: From Orion to Scorpius

7 Easy-to-Recognize Constellations: From Orion to Scorpius

Which constellations are easiest to recognize in the night sky? The Internationa
Where Is Uranus in the Night Sky? A Naked-Eye and Binocular

Where Is Uranus in the Night Sky? A Naked-Eye and Binocular

Learn how to find Uranus in the night sky, when to observe it in 2026, whether it‘s visible to the n...
Six Famous Radio Telescopes Around the World: What Are the C

Six Famous Radio Telescopes Around the World: What Are the C

Explore six major radio telescopes, including VLA, ALMA and FAST, and learn how their dishes, arrays...
2026 Orionid Meteor Shower: Peak Dates, Moonlight, and How t

2026 Orionid Meteor Shower: Peak Dates, Moonlight, and How t

Find out when the 2026 Orionid meteor shower peaks, how moonlight affects visibility, and the best t...
Night Sky This Week: October 16–23, 2026 — Orionid Meteor Sh

Night Sky This Week: October 16–23, 2026 — Orionid Meteor Sh

See the Orionid meteor shower peak, Saturn’s moons, and the Wild Duck Cluster in our October 16–23, ...
61 Cygni: The First Star with a Reliably Measured Distance—a

61 Cygni: The First Star with a Reliably Measured Distance—a

Learn why 61 Cygni became the first star with a reliable distance measurement, how stellar parallax ...
The World’s Major Optical Telescopes: Seven Observatories Th

The World’s Major Optical Telescopes: Seven Observatories Th

Explore seven major ground-based optical telescopes, how their mirrors and instruments work, and the...
Night Sky This Week: October 9–16, 2026 — Mars Crosses the B

Night Sky This Week: October 9–16, 2026 — Mars Crosses the B

See what to watch in the night sky this week, Oct. 9–16, 2026, including Mars in the Beehive Cluster...
Cygnus X-1: The First Famous Black Hole Explained

Cygnus X-1: The First Famous Black Hole Explained

Learn what Cygnus X-1 is, how astronomers confirmed its black hole, why it emits powerful X-rays, an...
What Is Zodiacal Light? The Formation and Observation of the

What Is Zodiacal Light? The Formation and Observation of the

Learn what causes zodiacal light, why it is called the false dawn, and when and where to look for th...
This Week’s Celestial Events: A Guide to the North American

This Week’s Celestial Events: A Guide to the North American

See what to watch in the night sky this week, Oct. 2–9, 2026, including Saturn at opposition, a Jupi...