Latest articles by Joe Rao
The Winter Triangle meets the 'Mars Triangle' in the night sky this month
For the next few weeks, the planet Mars will form an isosceles triangle with the two bright stars marking the heads of the Gemini Twins, Pollux and Castor.
The moon will be unusually high in the sky tonight. Here's why
Even to a casual viewer, the waxing gibbous moon of Feb. 7 will appear quite unusual, climbing so very high in the sky.
See the moon and Jupiter grab 'the Bull' by the horns this week
Jupiter will also be accompanied by two naked-eye star clusters: the Pleiades and Hyades.
The moon will cover the Seven Sisters of the Pleiades this week. Here's how to see it
On the night of Feb. 5, a waxing gibbous moon will once again cover up the "Seven Sisters" of the famous Pleiades star cluster.
How to see Venus snuggle up to a thin crescent moon tonight
On Saturday evening, February 1, a lovely crescent moon passes just to the left of Venus, which is now shining at the pinnacle of its brilliance.
The brightest planets in February's night sky: How to see them (and when)
Reference You'll be able to easily see four planets in the February evening sky, and with any luck you'll be able to raise that number to five during the final week of the month.
Planetary parade February 2025: When, where and how to see it
February brings a rare planetary parade, with five bright planets in clear view and a special alignment of Mercury and Saturn on Feb. 24.
Why Comet G3 (ATLAS) will be 'remembered as the Great Comet of 2025' (photos)
C/2024 G3 (ATLAS) is one of the few comets on record that became bright enough to be visible in the daytime without optical aid like binoculars or a telescope.
Thinking of Buying a Telescope? Here's Our Advice
In some cases, binoculars are a better bet.
The Full Wolf Moon 'eats' Mars on Jan. 13. Here's how to see it
On the night of Jan. 13, the full moon will appear to pass in front of Mars, resulting in an occultation visible from the United States, much of southern and eastern Canada, and West Africa.
Watch the moon hide the 'Seven Sisters' of the Pleiades star cluster tonight
The moon will pass in front of the Pleiades star cluster during an occultation on Jan. 9, 2025. Here's how to see it.
Once-in-a-160000-year comet G3 ATLAS could shine as bright as Venus next week. Here's what to expect.
One of the brightest comets in 20 years, Comet 2024 G3 (ATLAS) returns for a close encounter with the sun — but will we be able to see it?
Black Moon: What is it and why does it occur?
Reference A Black Moon is a rare occurrence. Here we explore what causes them and when the next one will happen.
The Quadrantid meteor shower peaks tonight! Don't miss the 1st 'shooting stars' of 2025
The 2025 Quadrantid meteor shower peaks overnight on Jan. 3, and could produce between 60 to 120 meteors per hour.
Full moon names 2025 (and how they came to be)
Reference The full moon names for each month, why they're named so and what we can expect from these lunar events.
Eclipses, meteor showers and more: The must-see skywatching events of 2025
A rundown of some of the exciting sky events — including meteor showers and the first total lunar eclipse for the U.S. since 2022 — that will take place this year.
Christmas night sky 2024: Venus, Saturn and Jupiter visit for the holidays tonight
The Christmas evening sky is especially rewarding now. The eastern sky is filled with brilliant stars, a sort of a celestial Christmas tree.
Venus, Mars and more: How to see planets in the night sky in 2025
Your guide to viewing the visible planets of the solar system in the night sky of 2025.
See the moon meet up with Mars this in the night sky tonight
On Dec. 17, the moon and Mars will appear close together in the night sky in the Gemini constellation.
Geminid meteor shower peaks Dec. 13 alongside a bright moon. Here's how to see it
The December Geminids — one of the best meteor showers of the year — will be adversely affected by bright moonlight, appearing the on the night before the full moon.
See the moon and Venus take a sunset stroll through the night sky tonight
The two brightest nighttime objects, the moon and the planet Venus put on a lovely display in the western evening sky of Wednesday, Dec. 4.
Thanksgiving night sky 2024: Venus, Jupiter and Saturn stay for dessert
For Thanksgiving 2024, we have a celestial feast as three bright planets shine prominently during the early evening hours: Saturn , Jupiter and Venus.
