pettengill | EarthSky

Scorpius marked with lines and dots. The Milky Way is in the background.

Meet Shaula and Lesath, Scorpion’s Stinger stars

Shaula and Lesath, known as the "stinger stars," mark the location of the scorpion's stinger in the zodiacal constellation Scorpius.

Rock art of a sun, a hand, and a crescent.

Chaco Canyon in New Mexico, and its astronomical rock art

Chaco Canyon aka Chaco Culture National Historical Park, New Mexico, contains astronomical rock art that documents what the people of the time saw in the sky.

US intelligence report: 140 unexplained UFOs, no aliens

A newly released U.S. intelligence report cannot "confirm or deny" that the unidentified aerial phenomena, or UAPs, sighted by Navy pilots are due to alien visitors.

Two bright stars, one large round star cluster, colorful wisps of gas clouds.

The beautiful abundance of Rho Ophiuchi

One of the most colorful regions of the sky, Rho Ophiuchi showcases clusters and nebulae galore.

Star chart of labeled constellations, including globular cluster Omega Centauri

Spica is your guide star to Omega Centauri

Omega Centauri is the largest and finest globular star cluster visible to the eye alone. You can see it in a dark sky. Binoculars or a telescope show it best. In late March, the moon can help you find the star Spica, which can later lead you to the cluster.

It seems possible to detect a subtle shading on the moon in this photo taken midway through a partial penumbral eclipse, but, if so, it's very very subtle.

Eclipse? What eclipse?

Even experienced observers say they couldn't discern the Earth's shadow on the moon during the partial penumbral eclipse of July 4-5, 2020.

Awesome nightscape photos from New Mexico’s Very Large Array

Observatories are great places to view and photograph the night sky. Tips from an astrophotographer's trip to the Very Large Array in New Mexico - to help you plan your next astrophotography adventure - plus awesome photos.

Barren, rocky landscape with snow patches. Blue sky.

Astronomy ambassadors to Chile: ALMA radio telescope

Learn what it would be like to travel to Chile - sometimes called astronomy's world capital - in this final report from Robert Pettengill with the Astronomy in Chile Educator Ambassador Program. Thank you for your dispatches, Rob!

Looking along a road toward a large telescope dome, with a second dome to the right.

Astronomy ambassadors in Chile: Cerro Pachón and Cerro Tololo

Robert Pettengill reports from the busy ACEAP (Astronomy in Chile Educator Ambassador Program) annual trip, happening now in Chile.

Radio dishes on a high plain in the Chilean Andes.

Astronomy educators to rendezvous in Chile

Members of the Astronomy in Chile Educator Ambassadors Program are heading to Chile for a tour of its great observatories, July 27 to August 5, 2019.

Mars closest to Earth on July 30-31

Closer than since 2003! Even closer now than when we passed between Mars and the sun last Friday. How that can happen, and the prospects for viewing Mars through a telescope now.

See it! Mars is very bright now

It's the brightest Mars has been in our sky since since 2003. Photos from the EarthSky community here.

Moon, Mercury, Venus June 14 to 16

On June 14, 15 and 16, 2018, the young moon swings by 2 planets - brilliant Venus and fainter Mercury - in the west after sunset. How to spot 'em, here.