close
The Wayback Machine - https://web.archive.org/web/20220216190017/https://www.space.com/skywatching

Skywatching

Learn about skywatching, astronomy, star gazing, and comets in the night sky at space.com. View astrophotography and images of celestial bodies.

Latest

There's a lot going in space this year. Check out our up-to-date space launch schedule and calendar here!

Space calendar 2022: Rocket launches, sky events, missions & more!

By Hanneke Weitering published

Here's a guide to all the rocket launches and astronomical events in 2022, as well as milestones for space missions, anniversaries and conferences.

Artist's conception of the far side of the moon.

Rocket poised to hit moon is Chinese, not SpaceX Falcon 9, student observations confirm

By Elizabeth Howell published

A group of students has confirmed that a rocket stage poised to hit the moon next month is from a Chinese Long March launcher, not a SpaceX Falcon 9 as originally thought.

Fujifilm X-T30 is one of our favorite cameras for low light photography

Best cameras for low light photography

By Jason Parnell-Brookes published

Buying Guide Our pick of the best cameras for low light, from mirrorless to DSLR, compact and micro four thirds

Buying Guide
The full moon looks massive as it sets behind the Very Large Telescope in Chile's Atacama Desert, in this photo release on Jun 7, 2010. Why do observers report that the moon looks larger near the horizon than it does high in the sky? It may be nothing more than a trick of perspective.

The Full Snow Moon of February 2022 rises tonight!

By Elizabeth Howell published

The Snow Moon arrives today (Feb. 16) and joins a cluster of planets lighting up the morning sky.

The Blast Moonstruck wristwatch by Ulysse Nardin

Luxury watchmaker Ulysses Nardin unveils 'Blast Moonstruck' watch that charts moon phases

By Elizabeth Howell published

You can keep track of the moon's behavior on your wrist.

A bird is silhouetted in front of the moon

Best Night Vision Binoculars 2022

By Russ Swan published

Buying guide See in the dark with the best night vision binoculars, monoculars, and goggles

Buying guide
How to photograph the Milky Way

How to photograph the Milky Way: A guide for beginners and enthusiasts

By Tom Ormerod published

How to Create stunning night sky images by learning to photograph the Milky Way like a pro.

How to
DSLR vs mirrorless for astrophotography - a man takes a photo of the night sky

DSLR vs Mirrorless cameras for Astrophotography

By Karen N Edwards published

Versus When it comes to astro, the debate over DSLR vs mirrorless is a fierce one. We break down the pros and cons to help you decide what's better for you.

Versus
An image of the rocket stage headed for a moon impact on March 4 as seen on Feb. 6, 2022, when it was thought to be a SpaceX Falcon 9 upper stage.

The out-of-control rocket about to hit the moon is not a SpaceX Falcon 9, astronomers now say: report

By Elizabeth Howell published

A rocket set to hit the moon March 4 might not be from SpaceX after all, astronomers now say. It may be a Chinese rocket stage.

The Snow Moon arrives on Wednesday (Feb. 16) at 11:57 a.m. EST (0457 GMT).

February full moon 2022: The 'Snow Moon' is accompanied by predawn planets

By Jesse Emspak published

The full moon of February, called the Snow Moon, will arrive Wednesday (Feb. 16) at 11:57 a.m. EST (0457 GMT).

An illustration of Arcturus

Arcturus: Facts about the bright red giant star

By Elizabeth Howell, Scott Dutfield published

Reference Arcturus is a red giant that is one of the brightest stars in Earth's night sky.

Reference
Space debris burns up over Puerto Rico on Feb. 7, 2022 in this still from a video captured by a camera operated by the Sociedad de Astronomia del Caribe. It was likely a piece of the recently launched SpaceX Starlink satellite batch that was severely affected by a geomagnetic storm, according to satellite tracker Marco Langbroek.

Fiery death of SpaceX Starlink satellites captured on video after geomagnetic storm

By Mike Wall published

A dramatic video serves as a memorial to a star-crossed Starlink satellite that lived fast and died very young.

Artist's illustration of the DSCOVR satellite attached to its SpaceX Falcon 9 upper stage shortly after launch in February 2015.

You can still see the SpaceX Falcon 9 booster on a collision course with the moon in a live webcast today

By Samantha Mathewson published

A SpaceX Falcon 9 booster will crash into the moon on March 4, and you can track the rogue rocket during a live webcast on Feb. 8.

Venus, now in crescent phase, returns to the morning sky in February.

The 'morning star' Venus returns to the dawn sky this month

By Joe Rao published

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida to send the EchoStar 23 satellite into orbit. The was expected to be SpaceX's last flight that would throw away the Falcon 9 first stage.

SpaceX Falcon 9 upper stage breaks up in Earth's atmosphere, 5 years after launch

By Elizabeth Howell published

The rocket stage helped heft the Echostar 23 satellite to orbit in 2017.

discovr falcon 9 spacex

SpaceX rocket stage on a collision course with the moon captured in telescope images

By Elizabeth Howell published

A SpaceX rocket's upper stage was caught on camera careening toward a collision course with the moon.

Jupiter is the only naked-eye planet in the sky after sunset in February.

Farewell, Jupiter! The gas giant will disappear from the evening sky this month

By Joe Rao published

It will soon be time to bid a fond adieu to an object that has been a fixture in our evening sky since late last summer: the planet Jupiter.

This image of M45, or the Pleiades star cluster, was taken by Ron Brecher in October 2016.

The top 5 deep-space objects to look for in the winter night sky

By Joe Rao published

Check out the most beautiful star clusters in the winter night sky.

The crescent moon will appear about 4 degrees to the south of Jupiter on Feb. 2, 2022.

The moon and Jupiter pair up in the night sky tonight! Here's what to expect.

By Samantha Mathewson published

Look up tonight (Feb. 2) to see the moon pass near Jupiter in the night sky.

A photo of the moon

How to photograph the moon using a camera: techniques, kit, and settings

By Damian Peach published

Reference These are the techniques, times and tools you'll need to photograph the moon using a camera.

Reference