Astronomy
The Equinox Is Not What You Think It Is
The equinox is not when day and night have equal lengths. Instead it’s something more nuanced but no less glorious
Stories by Phil Plait
Astronomy
Can You Spot a Satellite?
Thousands of spacecraft circle Earth. Seeing them from the ground is surprisingly easy—and a lot of fun
Psychology
Moon Landing Denial Fired an Early Antiscience Conspiracy Theory Shot
Apollo moon landing conspiracy theories were early hints of the dangerous anti-vax, antiscience beliefs backed by politicians today
Astronomy
The Science of Shooting Stars
Earth is bombarded by millions of bits of cosmic debris every day. Here’s how to distinguish between the different types
Astronomy
What Color Is the Sun?
Yellow, white or maybe even green—the sun’s hue depends on how you see it
Astrophysics
The Colors of Stars, Explained
From dim red to brilliant blue, stellar colors span the spectrum—and reveal how much any star brings the heat
Astronomy
How to Survive Mercury in Retrograde
If you want to make it through the trials and tribulations of Mercury in retrograde, it’s easy: don’t do anything. You’ll be fine
Astronomy
Perseid Meteor Shower Peaks This Weekend in a Stargazing Must-See
All you need to see one of the year’s best meteor showers is a clear, dark sky—and patience
Astronomy
How Seeing the Milky Way Helped Us Discover the Whole Universe
Marvel for a moment at the Milky Way’s night-sky spectacle—and the scientific revolutions it has sparked
Astronomy
What’s the Faintest Star You Can See in the Sky?
The “magnitude scale” for measuring stellar brightness also reveals the limits of naked-eye stargazing
Astronomy
Earthshine Lights up the ‘Dark Side’ of the Moon
This week—and any time there’s a new crescent moon—the lunar night is a little less dark, thanks to the bright reflected light of Earth
Astronomy
Meet the Stars of the ‘Summer Triangle’
Get to know the stellar trio behind one of the most iconic sights in summer’s night sky
Planetary Science
We Need to Widen the ‘Habitable Zones’ Seen around Alien Stars
When looking for life in space, we should broaden our horizons
Astronomy
Earth’s Aphelion Isn’t the Reason for the Seasons
Our planet’s not-quite-circular orbit means that on July 6 we’ll be about 2.5 million kilometers farther from the sun than average—but we won’t feel any colder
Astronomy
Why Does Smoke Turn the Sky Orange?
The wildfire smoke that smothered the U.S. Northeast last week has surprising connections to astrophysics—and to the historic search for our place in the cosmos
Astronomy
Why Venus Is So Bright Right Now
Our planetary neighbor Venus becomes a brilliant beacon in the sky each time it reaches its greatest orbital distance from the sun
Extraterrestrial Life
Is E.T. Eavesdropping on Our Phone Calls?
Cell-phone towers leak radio waves into space, but they’ll be tough for aliens to detect
Astronomy
Saturn’s Youthful Rings and Newfound Moons Put It in Stargazing Spotlight
Saturn’s surprisingly young rings and record-breaking bounty of moons make the planet a ripe target for springtime sky watchers
Astronomy
Elon Musk’s Starship Won’t Save Astronomy from Satellites Cluttering the Sky
Launching a fleet of space telescopes is not the solution to the Starlink problem
Astronomy
Our Sun Was Born in a Stellar Family Far, Far from Here
We only have a few clues about where the sun was born. Some new ones point to a crowded origin story for our nearest star
