The sky is never clearer than on a cold, starry midwinter night. It is on such occasions, thanks to winter's exceptional atmospheric transparency, that fainter stars can be seen throughout the sky.

Collectively they have been known, among other things, as the Three Kings, the Three Marys and the String of Pearls. Orion’s belt is making its annual return to our early evening sky. From east to ...

From Earth spinning on its axis and orbiting the Sun to it precessing like a top, lots of factors affect which stars you can ...

Orion’s Belt is a familiar sight in the night sky during the colder months, often noticed easily. Three bright stars sit in a straight line, rising in the east and crossing high overhead as the ...

Orion's back! Few sights are as welcome as the three stars of his Belt glinting between bare branches. Throw in a bright moon to light up the snow, and you've got the perfect excuse for a winter ...

Prominent in the February evening sky are the winter constellations Orion, Gemini, Taurus, Auriga, Canis Major and Canis Minor. Near the southwestern horizon, look for the dazzling star Sirius, the ...

Each Monday, I pick out North America’s celestial highlights for the week ahead (which also apply to mid-northern latitudes in the northern hemisphere), but be sure to check my main feed for more ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. An award-winning reporter writing about stargazing and the night sky. The Orionids are one of stargazers’ favorite meteor showers ...

You’ll find several bright planets, stars and obvious constellations in the February evening sky. The most obvious constellation this month is Orion. To find Orion, face south and look for Orion’s ...