observation articles

What are the best conditions for viewing Mars?

Observing Mars, the ruddy wanderer of our solar system, is a deeply rewarding pursuit for amateur astronomers, but it of...

How does NASA know what the Milky Way looks like?

When we look up at a clear, dark night sky far from city lights, we see the Milky Way as a faint, glowing band of light ...

How to view the black moon?

The arrival of a "Black Moon" often generates excitement in astronomical circles and the wider public, prompting questio...

How to tell if it's Jupiter or Venus?

Spotting a brilliant, unwavering light in the twilight sky and wondering if you're looking at Earth's closest neighbor o...

Can we see objects in the Oort Cloud?

The realm of the Oort Cloud represents the very edge of our solar system's gravitational dominion, a vast, spherical hal...