Astronomy Essentials
Deep partial lunar eclipse on August 27-28, 2026
A deep partial lunar eclipse of the full Sturgeon Moon takes place on August 27-28, 2026. Will you be able to see it? Maps and details here.
Sun
Sun news: Sunspot region roars with 5 M flares
Sun news August 25, 2026: AR4513 roared back to life with five M flares, capped by an M7. Sun-stuff from that blast could be heading our way.
Astronomy Essentials
Tonight

Visible planets and night sky guide for August and September

Visible planets and night sky guide: Tonight, look for the bright waxing gibbous moon passing through the arrowhead shape of Capricornus the Sea-goat.
Space

Voyager 2: Our 1st and only visit to Neptune

On this day, August 25, 1989, Voyager 2 visited Neptune. To this day, no other spacecraft from Earth has returned to the faraway planet.
Human World
Space

Pluto demoted to dwarf planet 20 years ago today

Pluto is the largest of many small bodies in the outer solar system. That's partly why it was demoted from major planet to dwarf planet in 2006.
Space

Pluto’s atmosphere is thinning toward a collapse

Scientists detected that Pluto's atmosphere is thinning as it moves farther away from the sun in its orbit. Is its atmospheric collapse already happening?
Earth
Human World
Space

1st photo of Earth from the moon 60 years ago

As NASA plans to land astronauts on the moon with the Artemis IV mission in 2028, it's fun to see this 1st photo of Earth taken from the moon.
Constellations

Sagittarius the Archer is home to deep-sky wonders

The zodiacal constellation Sagittarius the Archer contains the center of the Milky Way and a famous asterism known as the Teapot.
Space

Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope launches Sunday!

The launch of the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is scheduled for launch Sunday morning, August 30, from the Kennedy Space Center. More here.
Space

A first! 3 supermassive black holes discovered in 1 galaxy

For the first time, astronomers have discovered 3 supermassive black holes in a single galaxy in the early universe. Two of them are merging!