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 understand. Astronomy is where math, science, art, music, and words meet in a wondrous collision. In this section of our site, learn the basics of astronomy: from how a star chart is made, to projections and art that map the night sky, to how an astrolabe works just like it did thousands of years ago. Watch the North Star shift across centuries, explore how one sky has been mapped by many traditions, read what happened on this day in space, and see tonight’s moon for your location.

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.

โœฆ  Astronomy Picture of the Day  โœฆ

Partial Solar Eclipse over Argentina

May 2, 2022
Credit: Aixa Andrada
See this entry on NASA's APOD โ†’
What's happened to the Sun? Two days ago, parts of South America were treated to a partial solar eclipse -- where the Moon blocked out part of the Sun. The featured image shows an image of the partially eclipsed Sun through clouds as it was setting over Pata gonia, Argentina. In the tilted image, Earth is toward the right. During the eclipse, the Moon moved partly between Earth and the Sun. Although a visually impressive sight, the slight dimming of surroundings during this partial eclipse was less noticeable than dimming created by a thick cloud. In about two weeks, all of South America and part of North America will experience a total lunar eclipse -- where the Earth moves completely between the Moon and the Sun. In about two years, a total solar eclipse will cross North America.

Customized Star Charts Coming 1st Quarter 2027

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โœฆ  EarthSky  ยท  Astronomy.com  ยท  Phys.org  โœฆ
Observing Nov 13, 2026

The Sky Today on Friday, November 13: Spot Mirachโ€™s Ghost

Looking for a sky event this week? Check out our full Sky This Week column.  November 12: An open cluster in Perseus Celebrate Friday the 13th with something spooky: a ghost in the cโ€ฆ

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Nov 13, 2026

Soul searching

Mark Killion from Paris, Illinois The Soul Nebula (IC 1848) is a huge star-forming cloud in Cassiopeia about 7,500 light-years away, carved into pillars and cavities by wind and radiation from the โ€ฆ

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Sky This Week Nov 13, 2026

The Sky This Week from November 13 to 20: The Leonids peak

Friday, November 20The Moon reaches apogee, the farthest point from Earth in its orbit, at 12:50 P.M. EST. At that time, our satellite will be 252,040 miles (405,619 kilometers) from Earth. Alreadyโ€ฆ

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Astronomy Nov 12, 2026

Hubble offers cosmic sampler of targets for Roman

A gallery of gravitational lenses captured by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope showcases the diversity of this cosmic phenomenon and lays the groundwork for follow-up observations by the new Nancy Graโ€ฆ

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Astronomy Nov 12, 2026

Space telescope Euclid sets the new standard for cosmology

On July 1, 2023, the European Space Agency (ESA) launched the Euclid space telescope into space. Its mission: to create the largest and most detailed map of the universe ever made.

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Astronomy Nov 12, 2026

A rare star system emits radio signals every 8 minutes

Scientists at the Curtin University node at the International Center for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR) have linked mysterious radio pulses to an unusual pairing of starsโ€”a dead star that spinsโ€ฆ

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Astronomy Essentials Nov 12, 2026

Visible planets and night sky guide for November

Visible planets and night sky guide: Look west shortly after sunset to see earthshine on the crescent moon. And watch a video here about the Leonid meteors.

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Space Nov 12, 2026

โ€˜Rosetta Stone for Mars:โ€™ Martian meteorite hints at ancient life

A rare 4.1-billion-year-old Martian meteorite, Teghaza 001, provides new clues about Mars' ancient and more habitable past.

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Astronomy Essentials Nov 12, 2026

Is there a North Star for Mars?

Is there a North Star for Mars ... a guide star for future explorers? Not in any satisfying way. But Martian stargazers wouldn't lack for things to see!

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