Jupiter

When darkness first falls these nights, the sky’s brightest star hovers in the west. This is the planet Jupiter. And just above it is a truly awesome object. It’s the twisted remains of one of the greatest start explosions. Tune in to hear how it could possibly be reached and what exactly happened.

This week in the western sky you'll spot the bright planet Jupiter, with the famous red star Aldebaran just beneath it. Aldebaran is the brightest star in the constellation Taurus, but it’s also known as the “follower,” trailing the Seven Sisters, or the Pleiades, across the heavens. The Pleiades, once feared for their connection to ancient rituals and catastrophic events, have captivated cultures for centuries—from the Minoans to the Maya, and even the Japanese, where they’re known as Subaru. Tune in as we explore the eerie history and celestial wonder of the Pleiades, and learn how binoculars can reveal their stunning beauty.

Hear how Jupiter, now at its very closest to Earth, will be at its brightest until 2034. It will absolutely look great through backyard telescopes when the air is steady, which is the case when stars are not twinkling.

Dr. David Levy has discovered 23 comets and is most famous for co-discovering Shoemaker-Levy 9. That’s the comet that impacted Jupiter in July 1994, the…

In March 1993, astronomers Eugene and Carolyn Shoemaker and David Levy discovered a comet that was on a course to impact Jupiter. Shoemaker-Levy 9…