SUNSET: 
ASTRONOMY & OBSERVING NEWS
NASA Struggles to Find Way Forward for Mars Sample Return
NASA's Perseverance mission has been collecting samples for later retrieval and return to Earth. Now, it's unclear how we'll get those samples home.
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Where to Look Tonight
This Week's Sky at a Glance, April 12 – 21
This Week's Sky at a Glance, April 12 – 21
Jupiter is easy to spot, shining low in the west at nightfall. Near it are Uranus and Comet Pons-Brooks, tougher catches that require binoculars or a wide-field telescope — and some finding skills.
where to lookApril Podcast: Planets in Transition
Sky Tour Podcast
April’s evening skies offer plenty of stars to check out. However, aside from Jupiter low in the west, planets are in short supply. Our latest Sky Tour podcast helps you track down Mars, Saturn, and much during April’s pleasant nights.
Subscribe NowMy Stellar Love Affair with the Pleiades
My Stellar Love Affair with the Pleiades
When we observe the little wonders of the sky, we can form deep personal connections.
Read moreOur Community
Astronomers often spend their time lost among the stars, but the science of astronomy and the hobby of stargazing are also communal affairs. So, don’t be a stranger—find a group to get involved with today!
Editor's PICKS
Photographer: malkan
Photographer: Judah.S
Photographer: Behyar Bakhshandeh
Photographer: Judah.S
Comet Closeup 12P/ Pons-Brooks
Photographer: Dan
Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks 2024 March 30
Photographer: Mike Olason
A Small Tail Disconnect in Comet 12P/ Pons-Brooks
Photographer: Dan
Photographer: Tulio
Photographer: Jon Greif
Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks spiraling
Photographer: Pepe Chambó
Close Inspection of Comet 15P/ Pons-Brooks
Photographer: Dan
Comet Pons-Brooks and Andromeda
Photographer: phoralek
Ptolemaeus, Alphonsus and Arzachel
Photographer: Vincenzo Mirabella
Photographer: Markus-Mugrauer
Photographer: t_div_astro
Photographer: Michael Teoh
Photographer: Markus-Mugrauer
Photographer: Markus-Mugrauer
Photographer: jbaxter
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Sky & Telescope Magazine
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Issue Highlights
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Stellar Autopsies
Camille M. Carlisle
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Distant Lights in the Darkness
Fabio Pacucci
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Chasing the Magic
Marybeth Kiczenski
