Night Sky

The night sky is the nighttime appearance of celestial objects like stars, planets, and the Moon, which are visible in a clear sky between sunset and sunrise, when the Sun is below the horizon. Natural light sources in a night sky include moonlight, starlight, and airglow, depending on location and timing. Aurorae light up the skies above the polar circles. Occasionally, a large coronal mass ejection from the Sun or simply high levels of solar wind may extend the phenomenon toward the Equator. The night sky and studies of it have a historical place in both ancient and modern cultures. In the past, for instance, farmers have used the status of the night sky as a calendar to determine when to plant crops. Many cultures have drawn constellations between stars in the sky, using them in association with legends and mythology about their deities.

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Smithsonian Magazine: A Rare Nova Explosion Will Soon Bring a 'New Star' to the Night Sky—How to Catch a Glimpse (19th April, 2024)

An astronomy club in French Guiana is keeping the memory of Jean Richer alive. In 1672 Richter spent weeks in the Amazon rainforest, staring at the night sky, sending reports to his partner in Paris — Giovanni Cassini — who used Richter's work to estimate the distance to the sun for the first time.

See Jupiter close to a crescent moon (Mars near Saturn, too) in the 'View a Planet Day' night sky

Charting the night sky with exascale computer - EurekAlert

April’s Night Sky Notes: Participate in Eclipse Science

This Nova Will Soon Erupt as a Once-in-a-Lifetime ‘New Star’ in the Night Sky

Stellar explosion will create a ‘new star’ in the night sky

How to see the 'devil comet' visible in the night sky

Comet that passes by Earth once every 71 years visible in night sky

St. Patrick’s Aurora Illuminates the Night Sky

A comet larger than Everest will streak through the night sky in the coming weeks. Here's how to see it.

See Mercury at its best in the night sky this month

See the crescent moon and Jupiter meet up in the night sky March 13

Here's how to see 'horned' comet 12P/Pons-Brooks in the night sky this month (video)

A Nova in the Night Sky Will Make ‘a New Star’: How to See it.

March’s Night Sky Notes: Constant Companions: Circumpolar Constellations, Part II

See February's Full Snow Moon light up the night sky around the world (photos)

The moon and Jupiter go on a Valentine's Day date in the night sky tonight

February's 'super' new moon leaves the night sky nice and dark tonight

February’s Night Sky Notes: Constant Companions: Circumpolar Constellations, Part I