Astronomy Essentials
Tonight
Visible planets and night sky guide for May
Visible planets and night sky guide. What's going on in the sky this month? Deborah Byrd brings you a video summary of the best May sky events.
Human World
Pentagon UFO files released: Views from the moon and more
On May 8, 2026, the U.S. Pentagon released its 1st batch of Pentagon UFO files. They include some from Apollo moon missions 11, 12 and 17.
Constellations
Tonight

How to see the Northern Crown (Corona Borealis)

Corona Borealis, the Northern Crown, is an almost-perfect semicircle of stars. Learn to find it and identify its brightest star, and about its mythology.
Today's Image

See the best Milky Way photos of 2026 here

See 10 of the best Milky Way photos from across the globe, from the 2026 Milky Way Photographer of the Year contest, sponsored by Capture the Atlas.
Space

Will the Blaze Star explode in 2026? How to see it

We're still waiting for the Blaze Star to go nova! Will it happen in 2026? Here's how to find Corona Borealis so you're ready when this star goes kablooey.
Tonight

Vega is a bright bluish star on May evenings

The blue star Vega is the brightest light in the distinctive constellation Lyra the Harp. Vega is easy to spot in May by looking northeast in the evening.
Space

Surprise! Tiny world with an atmosphere in outer solar system

Researchers have found that outer solar system object 2002 XV93 is a tiny world with an atmosphere. How does such a small object have an atmosphere?
Earth

Do birds have accents? Regional differences in birdsong

Do birds have accents? Yes. From individual to geographical variation, here's why birds of the same species don't always sound the same.
Earth

2025 Alaska megatsunami shows need for warning system

A 2025 Alaska megatsunami sent a 1,580-foot wave of water up a fjord. It revealed the need for a landslide-triggered tsunami warning system.
Earth

Von Kármán vortices are mesmerizing, swirling clouds

See von Kármán vortices - mesmerizing, swirling pattern of clouds - in these satellite images. These clouds form when the wind hits a barrier like a mountain.