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• Beyond Starlink: The Satellite Saga Continues

  SpaceX has placed more than 1,000 Starlinks in orbit, and other companies are following suit. Here's the latest on what's being done to protect astronomy.

  The post Beyond Starlink: The Satellite Saga Continues appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

• Starlink Satellites Are Fainter Now — But Still Visible

  Measurements of Starlink's "VisorSat" show SpaceX has succeeded in making a less reflective satellite. But it's still visible from dark-sky areas.

  The post Starlink Satellites Are Fainter Now — But Still Visible appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

• This Week's Sky at a Glance, January 22 – 30

  Right after dark, face east and look very high. The bright star there is Capella, the Goat Star. To the right of it, by a couple of finger-widths at arm's length, is a small, narrow triangle of 3rd- and 4th-magnitude stars known as "the Kids." Though they're not exactly eye-grabbing, they form a never-forgotten asterism with Capella.

  The post This Week's Sky at a Glance, January 22 – 30 appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

• China's Chang'e 5 Probe Heads Sunward

  China’s Chang’e 5 spacecraft helped deliver samples from the Moon to Earth. Now it’s heading for an extended mission to observe the Sun.

  The post China's Chang'e 5 Probe Heads Sunward appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

• Comet Watch 2021

  If you own an 8-inch or larger telescope you might see more than a dozen new and returning comets this year, including one potential naked-eye candidate.

  The post Comet Watch 2021 appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

• NASA Extends Juno, InSight Missions

  NASA has granted two key planetary missions extensions, so InSight and Juno will continue to return data from Mars and Jupiter, respectively, for years to come.

  The post NASA Extends Juno, InSight Missions appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

• Astronomy News: Galactic One-Two Punch, Black Hole Heartbeat Falters

  In the news this week: Globular clusters have the detailed scoop on our galaxy's past, and a "heartbeat" black hole binary in the Milky Way has gone mysteriously dim.

  The post Astronomy News: Galactic One-Two Punch, Black Hole Heartbeat Falters appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

• This Week in Astronomy Pictures: A Magnetic Whirlpool, Windblown Jets & More

  Whether you're here for eye candy or a more cosmic perspective, these astronomy pictures released this week will do the trick.

  The post This Week in Astronomy Pictures: A Magnetic Whirlpool, Windblown Jets & More appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

• What the Most Distant Quasar Tells Us About Black Hole Birth

  The existence of a quasar when the universe was only 670 million years old is helping astronomers understand how black holes are born.

  The post What the Most Distant Quasar Tells Us About Black Hole Birth appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

• This Week's Sky at a Glance, January 15 – 23

  Bright Capella high overhead, and equally bright Rigel in Orion's foot, have almost the same right ascension. This means they cross your sky’s meridian at almost exactly the same time. So whenever Capella passes the zenith, Rigel marks true south, and vice versa. That happens around 9 or 10 p.m. now.

  The post This Week's Sky at a Glance, January 15 – 23 appeared first on Sky & Telescope.