What's worth looking at tonight, and how to find it
Session planning, deep-sky targets and the sky events actually worth setting an alarm for — organized by what you're trying to do, not by when we published it.
Session Planning
What's up, whether the sky will cooperate, and what to actually point at once you're out there.
PlanningBest Astronomy Apps for Beginners (2026)
The five apps that cover sky identification, weather, framing and light pollution — between them, nearly everything a night's planning requires.
Target CatalogA Field Guide to the Messier Catalog
110 objects, organized by how forgiving they are to find — the reference list to actually work from.
Planetary Observing
Setting expectations for what a telescope actually shows you, before disappointment does it for you.
Deep-Sky Targets
Individual object spotlights — what each one is, and how to actually find it. Mission Control tracks which of these are best this month.
NebulaTrifid (M20) & Lagoon (M8) Nebulae
Both sit in Sagittarius and fit in the same wide field.
Credit: NASA, ESA, STScI
ClusterThe Butterfly Cluster (M6)
An open cluster in Scorpius, its brightest stars tracing a wing shape.
Credit: NOAO/AURA/NSF
ClusterThe Hercules Cluster (M13)
Rewarding even for modest aperture, overhead for most of the night.
Credit: NASA, ESA, Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)
NebulaThe Ring Nebula (M57)
Compact but distinct, even at moderate magnification.
Credit: NASA, ESA, Hubble Heritage (STScI/AURA)-ESA/Hubble
NebulaThe Veil Nebula
A wide, faint supernova remnant that benefits from a UHC or OIII filter.
Credit: NASA, ESA, Hubble Heritage Team
GalaxyNGC 6946 — the "Fireworks Galaxy"
Demands genuinely dark skies, but rewards the effort.
Credit: NASA/ESA Hubble
Events & Eclipses
The sky events that only come around occasionally — and what you actually need to watch one safely.
Eclipse 2026Total Solar Eclipse 2026: Path, Times, Safety and What to Expect
Where totality falls, how to check your local timing, and what to expect.
SafetyHow to Observe a Solar or Lunar Eclipse Safely
Timing, equipment, and the details most guides skip.