Author: Alison Klesman

Alison earned her bachelor’s degree in physics and master’s degree in earth, atmospheric, and planetary science from MIT. During this time, she completed several years of research in the field of planetary science, working on research topics that ranged from comets and asteroids to the atmosphere of Pluto. She earned her Ph.D. in astronomy from the University of Florida for work surveying active galactic nuclei in massive galaxy clusters, after which she focused on outreach at Spencer's Observatory in Tucson, Arizona. Asteroid 30286 Klesman (2000 HG61) is named after her. Alison has been with the magazine since 2016.

A deep-sky telescope image of M63, the Sunflower Galaxy, a spiral galaxy in Canes Venatici. The galaxy shows a bright golden core surrounded by blue spiral arms, set against a star-filled black background. Several other distant galaxies are faintly visible in the field.

The Sky Today on Sunday, June 7: The sky’s sunflower

A simulated night sky looking east on June 6, 2026, at 11 P.M. The Summer Triangle stars Vega, Deneb, and Altair are visible, along with the double star Albireo at the head of Cygnus. The faint band of the Milky Way stretches across the scene.

The Sky Today on Saturday, June 6: Albireo returns

A simulated dawn sky looking east on June 5, 2026, 30 minutes before sunrise. Mars is visible as a small dot in the lower center against the orange-glowing predawn horizon, while Saturn appears higher and to the upper right, labeled clearly against the darker upper sky.

The Sky Today on Friday, June 5: Check in on Mars

A twilight photograph taken over a calm body of water, with a vivid orange and red sunset glow along the horizon. The silhouettes of hills and a prominent volcanic peak stretch across the skyline. Jupiter and Venus appear as two bright points of light close together in the deep blue upper sky above the scene.

Sky This Week, The Sky This Week

The Sky This Week from June 5 to 12: Jupiter and Venus meet

A simulated night sky looking west on June 4, 2026, one hour after sunset. Jupiter and Venus are prominent in the upper center, with Venus appearing brighter. The twin stars Castor and Pollux are visible in the upper portion. Mercury appears near the horizon to the lower right, and Procyon is visible to the lower left. The horizon shows a dark silhouette of trees against a warm twilight glow.

The Sky Today on Thursday, June 4: Jupiter passes south of Pollux

A simulated night sky looking southeast on June 3, 2026, at 3 A.M. The bright Moon glows prominently at center right. To the upper left, the star Altair is labeled, and a red asterisk-like symbol marks the position of the asteroid Juno. The Milky Way is faintly visible as a dark cloud-like region in the upper portion.

The Sky Today on Wednesday, June 3: Juno stands still

A telescopic simulation of Saturn as seen on June 2, 2026, at 4 A.M. CDT. Saturn is centered with its rings clearly visible, tilted slightly. Four moons are labeled around it: Titan to the upper left, Rhea and Dione to the left, and Enceladus to the right. A scale bar indicates 36 arcseconds. North and East compass directions are marked in the upper left corner.

The Sky Today on Tuesday, June 2: Titan stands close to Saturn

A simulated twilight sky looking west on June 1, 2026, 30 minutes after sunset. Venus shines brilliantly near center, with Jupiter visible to its upper left. Mercury is faintly visible low on the right against the warm orange twilight. The twin stars Castor and Pollux are labeled faintly near the top.

The Sky Today on Monday, June 1: Mercury at its best

A simulated night sky looking southwest on May 31, 2026, at 4 A.M. A Full Moon sits just below the reddish star Antares, the heart of the constellation Scorpius, against a very dark sky with few other stars visible.

The Sky Today on Sunday, May 31: Blue Moon, red star

A simulated night sky looking east on May 30, 2026, one hour after sunset. The bright orange star Arcturus, alpha star of the constellation Boötes, is prominently labeled near the center. Several Greek letter designations mark nearby stars of the constellation. A crescent Moon is visible low on the right horizon.

The Sky Today on Saturday, May 30: Fly a cosmic kite

A sky chart showing the northeastern sky on May 29, 2026, at 10 PM. The bright star Vega is labeled and visible toward the right-center of the image, and a small white arrow near the top points to the star Nu Draconis. The sky fades from deep blue-black above to a lighter blue near the horizon, with a silhouetted building and treeline along the bottom.

The Sky Today on Friday, May 29: Split Nu Draconis

A large Full Moon rises behind trees at left, glowing bright white against a deep blue night sky. To the right, the illuminated Baroque dome and bell tower of the Basilica of Superga in Turin, Italy are lit in warm golden light, creating a dramatic contrast with the moonlit sky.

Sky This Week, The Sky This Week

The Sky This Week from May 29 to June 5: May ends with a Blue Moon