Sun, moon, stars and beyond with Astro Bob

Astro Bob

Three years ago this month Comet NEOWISE lit up the northern sky at dawn and dusk. We look ahead at what other bright comets might be in our future.

Astro Bob

Astro Bob: Starry sights for sultry July nights

A calendar of astronomical highlights to keep you up on summer nights.

5d ago

Astro Bob

Astro Bob: Big sunspot faces Earth

We talk about safe ways you can see it and whether it might spark auroras.

Jun 29

Astro Bob

Astro Bob: Meet Antares, stellar ruby and future supernova

Scorpius raises his head in the southeastern sky on late June nights. Get acquainted with the constellation and its "heart-star" Antares.

Jun 25

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Astro Bob

Astro Bob: Celebrate summer's first night with a Venus-moon-firefly hunt

Watch Venus, the crescent moon and Mars gather on summer's first night. Plus I have tips on firefly-watching and finding seasonal constellations.

Jun 21

By Bob King

Astro Bob

Astro Bob: Venus falls back, moon springs forward

As summer approaches, Venus tiptoes back toward the sun while the crescent moon returns at dusk.

Jun 19

By Bob King

Astro Bob

Astro Bob: Bee-spotting with Venus, Jupiter curls up with Old Moon

On Tuesday night, June 13, it will be Venus' turn to visit the Beehive star cluster. Five hours later, early risers can watch a superb conjunction of Jupiter and the waning moon.

Jun 13

By Bob King

Astro Bob

Astro Bob: Have you seen the Milky Way lately?

Plan an outing to the country the next clear night to luxuriate the Milky Way's galactic grandeur.

Jun 11

By Bob King

Astro Bob

Astro Bob: Don't blink! Spotting ISS in wink of eye

Share my adventure chasing and photographing the International Space Station across the sun — and learn how you can do it, too.

Jun 8

By Bob King

Astro Bob

Astro Bob: Oldest Earth rock found — of all places — on the moon

In February 1971, Apollo 14 astronauts bagged a moon rock later found to contain a shard blasted from the early Earth.

Jun 6

By Bob King

Astro Bob

Astro Bob: Swoon to June's best astronomical sights

A calendar of naked-eye and binocular highlights to start your summer.

Jun 1

By Bob King

Astro Bob

Astro Bob: Mars gets tangled up in the Beehive Cluster

The Red Planet will cross directly in front of one the sky's most iconic star clusters this week. Watch it happen in binoculars.

May 29

By Bob King

M101 May 21 2023 Eliot Herman single color S ANNO v2.jpg

Astro Bob

Astro Bob: Supergiant star in Pinwheel Galaxy goes supernova!

A big star blew up in the galaxy M101 located 21 million light-years away, and it's bright enough to see in a modest telescope.

May 24

By Bob King