Observing

Learn about upcoming observing events like eclipses, meteor showers, comets, and conjunctions, as well as how to observe and photograph them.

Latest Observing News

Upcoming events

See the Geminids: This Week in Astronomy with Dave Eicher

The constellation Orion

Upcoming events

The famous star Betelgeuse will briefly disappear tonight

The Celestron NexStar 130 SLT is a leading pick in the best telescopes for $500 or less.

Astronomy for beginners, Observing

Best telescopes for $500 or less, picked by experts

Exoplanets, Planets, Solar System, Stars

The Star of Bethlehem: Can science explain what it really was?

Sky this Week

Geminid meteor above India

The Sky This Week from December 8 to 15: The Geminids’ time to shine

Sky this Month

Venus and Jupiter over Lake Louise

Sky This Month: December 2023

Total solar eclipse — When the Moon blots out the Sun, the Sun’s usually invisible corona pops into view.

FEATURED EVENT

20 of the best places to see the 2024 total solar eclipse

The total eclipse set to take place April 8, 2024, will dazzle everyone who views it. Here are some of the best places to see to see the 2024 eclipse.

Popular Observing Topics

Credit: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center/Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons.

The Sun

Safely observing the Sun can be a fun and rewarding experience.

Credit: Ted Hauter.

The Moon

Our nearest celestial neighbor provides many great sights.

Planets

Targeting our solar system’s other worlds is well worth the effort.

Credit: Tony Hallas.

Deep-Sky Objects

Nebulae, star clusters, and galaxies are the night sky’s hidden gems.

Credit: Celestron.

Telescopes & Equipment

Explore the tools that can help you unlock the night sky.

Credit: Peter Michaud, Gemini Observatory.

Astrophotography

Capturing great celestial sights is both an art and a skill.

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