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Today's Image
Bubble nebula: Why image an object again?
Astrophotographer Steven Bellavia captured images of the Bubble nebula in 2018 and 2023. Here, he explains why astrophotographers target the same object twice.
Astronomy Essentials
Visible planets and night sky for October
The moon will hang near the orange star Aldebaran and red star Betelgeuse. Visible planets and night sky, here! See them before midnight until dawn.
Sun

Sun activity rises to moderate after an M1.9 flare

Sun activity for October 3 is moderate, after an eruptive M1.9 flare from AR3455. A filament eruption produced a possibly-Earth-bound coronal mass ejection.
Space

More galaxies like our Milky Way than previously thought?

New data shows galaxies like our Milky Way might have been 10 times more common in the early universe than previously believed.
Astronomy Essentials

2nd eclipse season of 2023 is here, with 2 eclipses

There are many cycles in the heavens. We're coming up to a noticeable cycle - the 2nd eclipse season this year - right now. It starts with a solar eclipse.
Astronomy Essentials

Ways to watch a solar eclipse safely on October 14

Some tips for observing the sun safely during the October 14 solar eclipse, plus videos and links, here. You can observe sunspots safely as well.
Space

Curiosity rover reaches ancient ridge of mud and boulders

After 3 attempts, NASA's Curiosity rover has finally reached a large ridge composed of ancient mud and rocks. The ridge preserves a record of Mars' wet past.
Sun

Aurora season: Why more auroras at equinoxes?

An aurora season occurs in October and March each year, due to the way the magnetic fields of the sun and the Earth work in conjunction with sun-Earth geometry.
Astronomy Essentials

How to see and enjoy Jupiter’s moons

October and November 2023 are great months for seeing Jupiter's moons Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto with binoculars or a small telescope.
Spaceflight

SpaceX Starlink launches for October. Learn more here

SpaceX currently has 1 Starlink launch planned for the month of October 2023. Learn more about it, including how to watch, here.