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.
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.
Sun

Sun news: Quiet sun as coronal hole winds fade

Sun news for May 10, 2026: Quiet sun as coronal hole winds fade. AR4432 fires 18 C-class flares. AR4436 rotates in. A faint CME may glance Earth today.
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.
Spaceflight

NASA releases 12,000 Artemis pics! See our faves here

NASA has released more than 12,000 Artemis pics to the public. See some of our favorites here and find out how to access them yourself!