Explore 48 Stargazing Collections - Atlas Obscura
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Star parties are a great way to learn how to find your way among the stars. This composite photo, created from 80 still shots, was taken during a star party at Utah's Canyonlands National Park, celebrating its designation as an International Dark Sky Park.
astronomy

A Beginner's Guide to Finding Your Way in the Heavens

It's easy to identify planets, stars, and even galaxies once you know where to look for them.
Rebecca Boyle July 19, 2023
All illustrations: John Mata for Atlas Obscura
puzzles

Puzzle Monday: Starstruck Crossword

AO Puzzles July 17, 2023
Oxygen in the atmosphere gives auroras over Vik, Iceland, their eerie green glow.
auroras

Auroras Are the Sun's Special Nighttime Light Show

As our day star enters its most active period, look for more opportunities to catch these spectral northern (and southern) lights. Here's how.
Rebecca Boyle July 11, 2023
The BlueWalker 3 satellite leaves a trail in the sky above the Nicholas U. Mayall 4-meter Telescope at Arizona's Kitt Peak National Observatory. Breaks in the trail are the result of image processing: Four 20-second exposures were stacked to create the shot.
astronomy

Spot the ISS and Other Satellites in Our Busy Night Skies

The International Space Station and a growing number of communications satellites have redefined humans' view of the heavens.
Rebecca Boyle July 5, 2023
The sun sets over West Bali National Park, ushering in the first of three twilights that herald night the world over.
sailors

Why Are There Three Twilights?

And we’re not talking about vampire books.
Gemma Tarlach July 5, 2023
Supermoons can appear not just bigger but about 30 percent brighter.
astronomy

Just How Super Is The Coming Supermoon?

July's full moon will be thousands of miles closer to us than usual. Learn how to measure it with your hand.
Rebecca Boyle June 28, 2023
The Summer Triangle dominates the left side of this image: Vega is the bright star at top left, Altair appears just below the center of image, and Deneb at far left.
astronomy

At Solstice, the Summer Triangle Is Full of Celestial Drama

On the Northern Hemisphere's shortest night of the year, spot this trio of bright stars with stories to tell.
Rebecca Boyle June 21, 2023
The Beehive Cluster, also known as Praesepe and M44, can be spotted near Venus this week.
astronomy

Watch the Beehive Cluster and Venus Dance in the Night Sky

Summer is the time to spot a group of "sibling stars" observed for millennia. Use our gear guide to get started.
Rebecca Boyle June 14, 2023
A solitary tree flanked by Venus and Mars on the left, the Moon on the right.
astronomy

How to See Venus and Mars in the Summer Sky

Our nearest planetary neighbors can help you map your place in the solar system.
Rebecca Boyle June 7, 2023
It's remarkable how the coldness of space can evoke a tropical dive.
maps

A 19th-Century Family Portrait of Comets

The thrills and horrors of strange heavenly bodies, condensed into one attractive snapshot.
Frank Jacobs June 2, 2023
The 2018 Strawberry Moon rises behind St. Michael's Mount in Cornwall, England. While increased humidity in the atmosphere may turn these early summer full moons pinkish, their name originates with the ripening time of strawberries in North America.
astronomy

The Strawberry Moon Marks a Sweet Start to Summer

Here's why you should welcome this most lovely of full moons—and how to experience it.
Rebecca Boyle May 31, 2023
<em>Idea dell'Universo</em> Vincenzo Coronelli, Italy, 1683.
maps

An Illustrated Guide to Space Maps

Thousands of years of attempts to understand our place in the cosmos.
Jeremy Berke and Cara Giaimo May 25, 2023