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Watch for Delta Aquariid meteors

By Bruce McClure and Deborah Byrd in Astronomy Essentials | 17 hours ago

They’re the reason it’s fun to begin watching for meteors in late July. The Delta Aquarid shower is long and rambling and overlaps with the Perseids.

Star of the week: Vega

By Larry Sessions in Brightest Stars | 17 hours ago

One of the prettiest stories in all skylore surrounds this star. “On the 7th night of the 7th moon … “

Hubble sees Phobos orbiting Mars

By Deborah Byrd in Space | Today's Image | 1 day ago

This image and video aren’t artists’ illustrations. They’re from a real time-lapse sequence of images – acquired by the Hubble Space Telescope – of the tiny moon Phobos orbiting Mars. Cool!

Video: Moon hoax not

By Deborah Byrd in Human World | Space | 2 days ago

SG Collins explains why the Apollo moon landings on the moon in the late 1960s and early ’70s couldn’t have been faked.

Today in science: 1st footsteps on moon

By Deborah Byrd in Human World | Space | 2 days ago

Today is the 48th anniversary of humanity’s historic first steps on the moon. The story in pictures, here.

A shadow-band project for August 21

By Guy Ottewell in Astronomy Essentials | Human World | 2 days ago

Shadow bands are elusive ripples of alternate light and dark, flitting over the ground or the sides of buildings during a total solar eclipse. How to take part in an International Shadow Band Campaign during the August 21 eclipse.

Maryam Mirzakhani, mathematician, dies at 40

By Daniela Breitman in Human World | 2 days ago

She was an outstanding mathematician and first woman to receive the prestigious Fields Medal. Maryam Mirzakhani died on July 14 after a several-year battle with breast cancer.

How close will asteroid 2012 TC4 come?

By Deborah Byrd in Human World | Space | 2 days ago

Asteroid 2012 TC4 might give Earth a close shave in October, 2017. Or the asteroid could pass more distantly. Astronomers are keen to observe it now, to learn more about its orbit.

EarthSky’s meteor shower guide for 2017

By Bruce McClure and Deborah Byrd in Astronomy Essentials | Space | 3 days ago

All you need to know about 2017’s major meteor showers. Next good opportunity is late July and early August. Watch between midnight and dawn, when the moon is down. You won’t catch a magnificent display, as in some years, but you might see some!

Global methane levels hitting new highs

By EarthSky Voices in Earth | 3 days ago

Here’s why, after a 2000-era plateau, global levels of the greenhouse gas are hitting new highs.

Have you seen the Mayak satellite?

By Deborah Byrd in Human World | Space | 4 days ago

On July 14, an amateur group in Russia launched a small satellite called Mayak. They said it would become the “brightest shooting star” in the sky. Why’d they do it? Here’s how to look for it.

Fire ants build with no master plan

By EarthSky Voices in Earth | 4 days ago

Researchers identified simple behavioral rules that allow these tiny creatures to collaboratively build elaborate structures – rafts and towers – with no one in charge.

Soar over Pluto and Charon

By Eleanor Imster in Human World | Space | 4 days ago

To celebrate the 2-year anniversary of New Horizon’s flyover of the Pluto system, NASA released these 2 cool videos. Sail over the surface of Pluto and its large moon Charon.

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Tonight

Today's Image

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Tonight

Find the Teapot, and the galaxy's center

Star of the week: Vega

Find the Teapot, and the galaxy's center

Sun enters Cancer on July 20

Moon and Venus closest July 20

Space

Have you seen the Mayak satellite?

Hubble sees Phobos orbiting Mars

Video: Moon hoax not

Today in science: 1st footsteps on moon

How close will asteroid 2012 TC4 come?

EarthSky's meteor shower guide for 2017

Have you seen the Mayak satellite?

Soar over Pluto and Charon

Peering toward the Cosmic Dark Ages

Astro Essentials

See it! Moon sweeps past Venus

Watch for Delta Aquariid meteors

A shadow-band project for August 21

EarthSky's meteor shower guide for 2017

Top tips for binocular stargazing

Earth

Global methane levels hitting new highs

Global methane levels hitting new highs

Fire ants build with no master plan

Moon shadow versus sun reflection

Does your dog pronk?

Last survivors on Earth?

How to see a green flash

Massive iceberg breaks off Antarctica

Possible new threat to Earth’s ozone layer

Human World

Maryam Mirzakhani, mathematician, dies at 40

Video: Moon hoax not

Today in science: 1st footsteps on moon

A shadow-band project for August 21

Maryam Mirzakhani, mathematician, dies at 40

Videos

Fire ants build with no master plan

Video: Moon hoax not

Fire ants build with no master plan

Soar over Pluto and Charon

Moon shadow versus sun reflection

Does your dog pronk?

No commands to Mars craft in late July

Astronomers track hypervelocity stars

Solar minimum is coming