Astronomy News

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Astronomy

If the Internet has as many astronomy resources as there are stars in the sky, then think of the Astronomy Web Guide as your map to the best and brightest. Whether you're looking for planetary data, celestial gifts or fellow star seekers, we'll help you navigate the heavenly sphere of astronomy-related sites and tools on the Web.

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History of Astronomy

Astronomy is one of the oldest, most popular branches of science. Unlike practitioners of medicine ... read more »

Astronomy Pictures

Images from outer space are among the most popular scientific artifacts today, capturing the ... read more »

Buying Telescopes, Binoculars and Cameras

Buying telescopes, binoculars, cameras and other accessories is a big investment, ... read more »

Finding Constellations, Planets and Objects in the Night Sky

Wouldn't it be great if you could actually find something other than the Big Dipper? The Web is ... read more »

Astronomy Clubs and Associations

The mantra of believers in extraterrestrial life rings true about astronomy buffs the world over: ... read more »

Astronomy News

Developments in astronomy happen at the speed of light. While scientists scramble to make sense of the data pouring in from space missions and laboratories, journalists and bloggers are hustling to spread the word. This section will help you keep pace with astronomy news.

Insights for Astronomy News

Mass market science magazines like Discover and Popular Science are geared toward readers with a passing interest in science. Most astronomy buffs stick to Astronomy, Astronomy Now and Sky & Telescope.

There are enough professional journalists covering astronomy news that it is unnecessary and potentially foolish to rely on blogs, many of which are run by uninformed amateurs. If you do read astronomy blogs, be sure to note the education level of the writer.

For information about scholarly and open-access journals, see the findingDulcinea Science Web Guide.

Top Sites for Astronomy News

For amateur astronomers ...

Astronomy features news and columns from the largest circulating astronomy magazine in the world. Its site has pictures, video and sky-watching tips. Some of the content requires a free registration.

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Popular Science's Aviation newsroom is slightly sensationalist but a good Web destination for the scientifically disinclined who daydream about space travel. You'll find lots of cool, computer-generated pictures here.

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SpaceNews.com is geared toward a commercial audience. Although not an engaging spot for hardcore science buffs, its business report is arguably the best on the Web for updates in the industry of space exploration. You'll also see where private and government astronomy dollars are being spent.

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For more advanced astronomers ...

ScienceDaily brings readers news directly from universities and research facilities. Articles are highly thorough and assume a large amount of science familiarity on the part of the reader. There are lots of ads, including sneakily placed ones within the news feed, but they're worth wading through for serious astronomers.

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Astronomy Now Online is the United Kingdom's best-selling astronomy magazine, and the news stories on its Web site are great browsing material for astronomy enthusiasts. It has a good mixture of space travel, physics research and observational information.

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Bad Astronomy, hosted by Discovery Magazine, is a blog written by Phil Plait, an astronomer, author and lecturer. He reports stories in astronomy news and offers his commentary in an engaging, entertaining and informative manner.

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