Latest articles by Jamie Carter
Comet 3I/ATLAS reaches its closest point to Earth tonight: How to see it
Comet 3I/ATLAS, the third interstellar object ever detected, reached its closest point to Earth overnight from Thursday to Friday (Dec. 18 to 19), and it remains in a good viewing position tonight. Here's how to see it.
Stargazing over the Christmas holidays 2025: 10 great reasons to look up
Your guide to the best sights the night sky has to offer from Dec. 20, 2025, to Jan. 4, 2026 — and the gear you'll need to see them.
Ursid meteor shower 2025: When and where to see 'shooting stars' on the longest night of the year
Here's how to see the Ursid meteor shower, which peaks in dark skies close to a new moon this year.
Strange, 7-hour explosion from deep space is unlike anything scientists have seen — Space photo of the week
Astronomers used major telescopes across the world to probe a cosmic explosion 8 billion light-years from the solar system.
See up to 150 'shooting stars' per hour this weekend as the Geminid meteor shower reaches its stunning peak
The Geminid meteor shower peaks this weekend! The Geminids peak overnight on Dec. 13 and 14, when up to 150 "shooting stars" per hour will rain down on Earth in a near-moonless night sky.
When does winter start? Your guide to the 2025 winter solstice.
Astronomical winter begins Sunday, Dec. 21 in the Northern Hemisphere. Here's how the solstice works.
How to find the 'Christmas Star' — and what it really is
A brilliant point of light is rising in the eastern sky soon after dark this month, drawing comparisons to the "Star of Bethlehem."
Ethereal structure in the sky rivals 'Pillars of Creation' — Space photo of the week
The twin telescopes of the Gemini Observatory mark 25 years of discovery as students name distant nebula Ua ʻŌhiʻa Lan.
When is the next full moon?
When does the next full moon rise? Find out exactly when to see the full moons of 2025, including the full 'Cold Moon' supermoon in December.
Cold Moon 2025: See the last and highest full moon of the year
The Cold Moon, the 12th and final full moon of 2025, rose on Thursday (Dec. 4) but will still appear bright and full on Friday (Dec. 5)
Astrotourism, dark-sky and Northern Lights travel essentials
Deals What to pack when you’re hunting dark skies and the aurora this winter — with some amazing Black Friday deals.
Astrophotography on a budget: The best Black Friday cameras, lenses, tripods and trackers hand-picked by an astrophotographer
Deals Good quality, great value gear for budding astrophotographers to look out for during Black Friday weekend.
See a rare conjunction of Mercury and Venus late tonight
The inner planets Mercury and Venus will both be visible in the east-southeast sky before sunrise on Tuesday, Nov. 25.
Giant 'diamond ring' sparkles 4,500 light-years away in the Cygnus constellation — Space photo of the week
NASA's SOFIA observatory captured a rare image of a glowing gas ring in Cygnus X — a vast star-forming region 4,500 light-years away.
First Vera Rubin Observatory image reveals hidden structure as long as the Milky Way trailing behind a nearby galaxy — Space photo of the week
First-light images from the Vera C. Rubin Observatory have revealed a 163,000-light-year stream of stars emanating from the M61 galaxy, suggesting a violent past.
This week's Leonid meteor shower could be one of the best in years. Here's why.
The Leonids peak overnight Nov. 16-17, offering up to 15 meteors per hour under dark, moonless skies.
Webb reveals a fiery starburst in the Cigar Galaxy — Space photo of the week
The James Webb Space Telescope has revealed the blazing heart of an iconic nearby galaxy, where rapid star formation and galactic winds light up the cosmos in infrared light.
Beaver Supermoon: The biggest, brightest full moon of the year rises tonight
November's full Beaver supermoon will occur on Nov. 5, but it will be best seen the following evening as it rises into the sky in the east.
Comets Lemmon and SWAN reach their brightest this week
Comet Lemmon (C/2025 A6) makes its closest approach to Earth on Oct. 21, about 24 hours after the fainter Comet SWAN (C/2025 R2) does the same. Here's how, where and when to see them both.
Orionids 2025: Meteor shower caused by Halley's Comet peaks as two new comets cross the sky
Comets Lemmon and SWAN will be at their brightest just as the annual Orionid meteor shower produced by Halley's Comet reaches its peak.
Hubble went supernova hunting — and found something unexpected: Space photo of the week
The Hubble Space Telescope reveals how color filters tease out the life cycles of stars in spiral galaxy NGC 6000 — while a surprise asteroid streaks through the frame.
Dramatic 'fireballs' expected during Draconid meteor shower this week: How to get the best views
Expect a modest-but-convenient display of "shooting stars" after sunset, with a chance of bright "fireballs," as the Draconids peak this week.
The full Harvest Moon supermoon rises tonight
The famous Harvest Moon — the first of three supermoons of 2025 — will be the first full moon of autumn when it rises tonight (Oct. 6-7).
The James Webb telescope proves Einstein right, 8 times over — Space photo of the week
The James Webb Space Telescope's latest image shows eight spectacular examples of gravitational lensing, a phenomenon that Albert Einstein first predicted some 100 years ago.
James Webb Space Telescope reveals thick cosmic dust of Sagittarius B2, the most enormous star-forming cloud in the Milky Way — Space photo of the week
The James Webb Space Telescope has uncovered dazzling newborn stars and thick cosmic dust in Sagittarius B2, the Milky Way's most enormous star-forming cloud.
