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Meteor shower guide 2026: Up next … the Draconids
Up next is the Delta Aquariid meteor shower, they'll compete with a waning gibbous moon. Watch for meteors in dark skies before dawn the week before July 30.
August 1, 2026
Planet-observing tips: Here’s how to tour the solar system
Get our top tips for planet-observing, from the innermost and elusive Mercury out to faint blue Neptune and everything in between. Top tips here!
July 31, 2026
Look for Mercury farthest from the morning sun on August 2
Mercury will reach its greatest elongation - greatest distance from the sunrise - on August 2, 2026. Look east at dawn. It'll be close to Jupiter on August 15.
July 31, 2026
What are star trails, and how do I photograph them?
Star trails are long-exposure photographs of stars taken as Earth turns, resulting in streaks of light across the sky. Here's how to photograph star trails.
July 30, 2026
What is the Milky Way? It’s our home galaxy
When someone says "Milky Way," do you think of the starry pathway across our sky, or of the great pinwheel-shaped galaxy in space? Both are correct!
July 26, 2026
Mars sometimes is bright and sometimes is faint
Mars emerged in the April 2026 morning sky and is visible in the morning through year's end. Its next opposition - when it's brightest - is February 2027.
July 25, 2026
M6 and M7: Open star clusters in the Scorpion’s Tail
M6 and M7 are star clusters near Scorpius’ stinger. Under a dark sky, these loose groups of stars can be a stunning sight.
July 23, 2026
Earth farthest from sun – at aphelion – July 6, 2026
Earth farthest from sun - aka aphelion - occurs on July 6. That's despite the fact that it's summer in the Northern Hemisphere.
July 1, 2026
Epsilon Lyrae is the famous Double Double star
To the unaided eye, Epsilon Lyrae appears as 1 star. But it’s actually a system with at least 5 stars. Learn how to find them here.
July 1, 2026
Latest sunsets follow the summer solstice
Why don't the latest sunsets come on the longest day (the solstice)? It's all to do with a discrepancy between sun time and clock time.
June 26, 2026
