Field Guide
2026 Meteor Showers Guide: Every Shower, Peak Date & Viewing Tips
Every major meteor shower in 2026 — peak dates, expected rates, moon interference, and viewing tips. From the Quadrantids to the Geminids, here's when to look up.
Read StarPixels
Stories worth looking up for.
Clear, sourced astronomy stories, practical observing guides, and the ideas that change the view.
Advice and News
The Universe Has a Hidden Radio Skin — What You Can't See Is Screaming
The universe has a hidden layer broadcasting in radio waves. Dead stars pulse like lighthouses, the Milky Way glows with synchrotron radiation, and the oldest signal in existence hums in every direction.
Advice and News
Ripples from the Big Bang: How the Oldest Light Reveals Everything
In 1965, two engineers heard a hiss they couldn't explain. It was the oldest light in the universe — and the tiny ripples in it became every galaxy, star, and planet that exists.
Deep Dives
The Great Filter: Why the Galaxy Is Empty
There should be thousands of advanced civilizations in our galaxy. The math says so. We've found nothing. Robin Hanson called it the Great Filter — a wall almost nothing gets past.
Deep Dives
Eyeballs on the Universe: Webb's Early Galaxy Problem Explained
Webb found galaxies in the early universe that shouldn't exist yet. Here's what the 'too many too early' problem means for cosmology.
Observatory Watch
Rubin Observatory: How Amateurs Can Ride the 10-Million-Alert Firehose
The Vera C. Rubin Observatory will transform amateur astronomy. Here's how citizen scientists can tap into the LSST alert stream.
Field Guides
5 Binocular Star Clusters for Beginners | StarPixels
Find five easy binocular star clusters, including the Pleiades, M41, M35, M37, and M7, with simple directions and seasonal viewing tips.
Field Guides
Messier Quick Wins: 5 Deep-Sky Targets You Can Find From Suburban Skies
Five Messier objects bright enough to spot from light-polluted suburban skies. Finder charts, gear tips, and what to expect at the eyepiece.