Posts by 

Editors of EarthSky

How far is Betelgeuse, the famous red supergiant star?

Betelgeuse is bright and it's exciting because one day it will explode - but how far away is it, really? Astronomers aren't sure.

When does Friday the 13th have a full moon? Next one is 2049

Want to see some dates when a Friday the 13th and a full moon fall on the same day? Here are past and future Friday the 13ths with full moons.

Today in science: Luna 1, 1st spacecraft headed to moon

Some historians believe the Soviet spacecraft Luna 1 was supposed to hit the moon. It didn't. However, it was the first earthly craft to sweep past the moon.

Orion the Hunter and the Milky Way on December evenings

The constellation Orion the Hunter is very easy to find. If you have a dark sky, you can also see the luminous band of the Milky Way running behind it.

Use Orion’s Belt to find 4 bright stars in the sky

How to use Orion's Belt to find 4 bright stars - Betelgeuse and Rigel in Orion - Aldebaran in Taurus the Bull and Sirius in Canis Major.

Kelvin-Helmholtz clouds look like ocean waves

Kelvin-Helmholtz clouds - aka fluctus clouds - can sometimes look like ocean waves. Check out these photos of them!

Achernar is the End of the River of Eridanus constellation

Achernar is the 9th brightest star and flattest star known. It marks the end of Eridanus the River. Here's why much of Earth never sees it ... and how you can.

Jupiter as you’ve never seen it. Thanks, Hubble!

The giant planet Jupiter reached opposition this week, coming closest to Earth for the year. In celebration, NASA released this ultraviolet view of Jupiter.

The Local Group is our galactic neighborhood

What is the Local Group? It's a collection of the nearest galaxies in space. Read more about these neighbors of our home Milky Way galaxy.

Riding Light: Tour the solar system at light speed

Tour the solar system at the speed of light in the video Riding Light. This video represents a photon leaving the sun and traveling past the inner planets to Jupiter.