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Editors of EarthSky

Orion the Hunter is back in the evening sky

In November, the famous constellation Orion is back in the evening sky! Its most recognizable feature is its belt of 3 medium-bright stars.

Uranus discovered by accident in 1781 by William Herschel

William Herschel spotted Uranus in 1781 during a routine survey of the stars. It was the 1st new planet found since ancient times.

See the Summer Triangle in northern autumn

Look west in the evening to see the Summer Triangle in northern autumn. Its 3 bright stars - Vega, Deneb, and Altair - are in 3 different constellations.

Halley’s Comet is Edmond Halley’s namesake. Happy birthday, Edmond!

Astronomer Edmond Halley is famous for predicting the return of the comet that we now know as Halley's Comet. Edmond was born on November 8, 1656.
Astronomy Essentials

Venus in the daytime: Best ways to see it

The moon is near Venus on November 9, 2023. That makes that morning a great time to try to spot Venus in the daytime sky. Read how here.

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.

November birthstone: Choose either topaz or citrine

The November birthstone, topaz, comes in lots of colors. It's a much-loved gemstone in jewelry, with myths that date to ancient times. Another choice is citrine.

Jupiter’s moons: How to see and enjoy them

October and November 2023 are great months for seeing Jupiter's moons Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto with binoculars or a small telescope.

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.

Venus before sunrise: See it around October 23!

Look for Venus before sunrise. It'll reach greatest elongation - its greatest distance from the sunrise - on October 23, 2023. It's blazingly bright! Can't miss it!