Astronomy Highlights

  • Photo of a Moon rising over an ocean with a blue photo filter and text real or fake?
    Look to the east tonight at sunset to see a rare Blue Moon lighting up the night sky! It'll make for a beautiful view all night long. (Technically, the Moon is full at 2:45a.m. local time on May 31st.)Despite the name, the moon won’t actually
  • Graphic from Stellarium showing the western horizon with the crescent Moon next to Venus and Jupiter to the above left
    Step outside this evening around dusk to see an exquisite conjunction! The waxing crescent Moon will be next to brilliant Venus. Tomorrow night the Moon will have shifted to the east and will be between Venus and Jupiter. The following night it
  • Photo of the Moon in clouds
    Happy May Day! This time of year is astronomically significant and is known as a cross quarter day between the spring equinox and the summer solstice. Tonight is also the Full Flower Moon. But, it'll look somewhat smaller than normal, because
  • Graphic from Sky Safari showing the lyrid meteor shower
    The Lyrid meteor shower is visible tonight! Start watching around 11pm with the action picking up after midnight til about 4am. The radiant is between the constellations of Lyra and Hercules. The trail of debris left by Comet Thatcher should produce
  • Graphic from Stellarium showing the wester horizon with Venus, the Pleiades and the crescent Moon
    Look to the west this evening to find the Pleiades sandwiched between the waxing crescent Moon and dazzling Venus, at -3.9 magnitude. Orion will still be visible for a while longer and Jupiter is above within the bounds of Gemini, the twins.
  • Margenta spring hyacinths
    It’s officially spring the Northern Hemisphere! Curious about the equinox? Why does the Sun rise due east and set due west?Why are day and night equal in length on the equinoxes?What happens in the Southern Hemisphere?What are some of the
  • Series of photos of a total lunar eclipse
    Have you experienced a total lunar eclipse? No telescope required! Just bundle up and step outside at 3:45am tomorrow morning to watch the final phases of the partial eclipse leading up to totality at 4:04am (MST). The Moon will remain in Earth
  • Graphic from Sky Safari app of Neptune Saturn and the Moon setting over the mountains with constellation of Aquarius in view
    Saturn slides down the southwestern sky tonight just behind the waxing crescent Moon. You’ll need telescope to see Neptune, but the Moon and Saturn will make a pretty pair without any optical aides.Graphic from SkySafari app.
  • Photo of the limb of Jupiter from the Juno spacecraft
    The gigantic planet Jupiter is at opposition tonight — meaning it rises opposite of the Sun at sunset and sets opposite of the Sun at sunrise, making it visible all night long. The gas giant is in the constellation of Gemini and is impossible
  • Photo of a full moon rising with clouds and trees on the horizon
    Take a moment tonight and enjoy the first full Moon of 2026.Also, check out the 2026 NASA Science Calendar! You can download the latest calendar and wallpaper backgrounds for a desktop or mobile device.
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