The Rhythm of the Spheres
Reading the Night Sky
Wandering in Astronomy
The night sky is the oldest pattern of man, and every culture reads it differently. The stars above keep silent time, moving to a rhythm we are just now beginning to undertand. Astronomy is where math, science, art, music and words meet in a wonderous collision. On this section of our site, learn the basics, from how a star chart is actually made, to projections and art that map the night sky, to how astrolabe work the same as they did thousand years ago. Watch the North Star shift across centuries and explore how one sky has been mapped by many traditions. Check what happened on this day in space, or see tonight’s moon drawn for where you stand.
Map the Stars
The math behind star charts, with a projection explorer and a working astrolabe.
The Moving Sky
How the sky shifts across centuries, with a precession clock you can run.
The Traditions
One sky reads many ways, with a same-sky overlay of the world’s constellations.
This Day in the Stars
The sky’s events, discoveries, and lore tied to today’s date
The Moon Tonight
Its phase and face, drawn live for where you’re standing.
Customized Star Charts Coming 4th Quarter 2026
We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at any time
June 14, 1949: The first mammal in space
On June 14, 1949, a rhesus monkey named Albert II was launched into space aboard a V-2 rocket from White Sands, New Mexico. Prior to Albert II, animals including fruit flies, mice, and another monk…
Read3rd batch of Pentagon UAP files: Orbs and more
The U.S. government has released its 3rd batch of Pentagon UAP files. Only a few videos this time, but over 50 documents.
ReadNASA's Chandra discovers possible supernova remnant in galactic center
Using data from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory, astronomers may have found a supernova remnant in an intriguing neighborhood in the middle of our galaxy. A paper describing these new findings was…
ReadRosalind Franklin rover to search Mars clays for life
The Rosalind Franklin rover will land on Mars in 2028 to explore Oxia Planum, a region rich in clays. Its mission is to look for signs of past or present life.
ReadSee the International Space Station before it’s gone
The International Space Station has been orbiting our planet since 1998. Here's how to spot the ISS soaring overhead in your nighttime sky.
ReadThe Sky Today on Sunday, June 14: Irene nears opposition
Looking for a sky event this week? Check out our full Sky This Week column. June 13: Catch Comet 220P/McNaught Asteroid 14 Irene reaches opposition at 6 A.M. EDT tomorrow morning, m…
ReadSouth African telescope detects record‑breaking signal from the early universe
Astronomers using the MeerKAT radio telescope in South Africa have discovered the most distant hydroxyl megamaser ever detected, opening a new radio astronomy frontier. A hydroxyl megamaser is a na…
ReadQ&A: Tracing the origins of supermassive black holes
Sarah Pappert is a Ph.D. candidate in astrophysics at the TUM School of Natural Sciences and conducts research at the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics. She is supervised by Prof. D…
ReadJune 13, 1983: Pioneer 10 leaves solar system
Pioneer 10 holds the titles for many “firsts”: It was NASA’s first mission to the outer planets, the first spacecraft to fly beyond Mars, the first to traverse the asteroid belt, and the …
Read