David Eicher
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Editor-in-Chief of Astronomy magazine, author of 26 books on science and history, drummer, Green Bay Packer fan, Starmus Festival, Asteroid Day, fun.
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Articles by David Eicher
Autumn observing targets for large telescopes Original
Today I’ll be telling you about 10 of my favorite autumn deep-sky objects, with suggestions for viewing them. I hope you’ll enjoy this list, and I’ll share some other deep-sky favorites of mine from time to time in the future. What’s a large telescope? The notion of what’s big changes from observer to observer, but generally speaking, any scope of more than 10 inches’ aperture is still considered to be a big one.
Astronomy readers see a wonderful Spanish eclipse
Credit: A quick shot of the eclipse as it appeared during totality reveals the brilliant corona over our landscape of grapevines. ALL PHOTOS BY DAVID J. EICHER On the evening of August 12, 2026, a group of about 50 Astronomy readers witnessed a terrific and mesmerizing total solar eclipse that lasted about 1 minute 30 seconds. Our group consisted of Americans who traveled to Madrid and began our journey over a week of exploration before capturing the beauty of one of Nature’s grandest spectacles.
Summer observing targets for large telescopes Original
The Eagle Nebula (M16) consists of an emission nebula (IC 4703) that contains the famous Pillars of Creation at its center, as well as the open cluster NGC 6611. Credit: Dylan O’Donnell After 30 years of observing, I’ve compiled a list of some of my favorite deep-sky objects. These look best with a large telescope, so are great for more experienced observers. One of the strangest nebulae known makes a good target for large scopes.
Come full circle with the Ring Nebula
The Ring Nebula (M57). Credit: Mark Germani This week, Astronomy magazine Editor Emeritus Dave Eicher invites you to find the Ring Nebula in the constellation Lyra — a glowing shell of gas that offers a glimpse of our solar system’s distant future. When a Sun-like star exhausts its hydrogen, it blows off an illuminated cloud of gas that lingers for tens of thousands of years. Spot it with a low-power telescope, and you’ll be looking at the eventual fate of our own Sun.
Hidden wonders of the universe
The Tulip Nebula (Sharpless 2–101) blooms amid the star-rich fields of Cygnus in this narrowband image. Cataloged by Stewart Sharpless in 1950, this emission nebula is an active star-forming region — and lies just 15' east of Cygnus X-1, the first confirmed stellar black hole. Credit: BTB-Astroteam Brentenriegel/ccdguide.com Of course, a dark, moonless sky helps a lot with seeing anything other than the Moon. And a site as far from city lights as is reasonably possible helps, too.
The Moon, the Beehive, and friends
The Moon, the Beehive Cluster (M44), and Venus (from left to right). Credit: Soumyadeep Mukherjee This week, Astronomy magazine Editor Emeritus Dave Eicher invites you to look to the western sky on the evening of May 21 and see a crescent Moon near the open star cluster M44, also known as the Beehive. Nearby will be two dazzling planets — Jupiter and Venus — as well as the bright stars Pollux and Castor. Clear skies! Hi, I’m Dave Eicher, editor emeritus of Astronomy magazine.
Fall into the Whirlpool Galaxy
M51 is one of the best examples of an interacting galaxy, pictured here with its companion NGC 5195. Credit: Salvo Lauricella This week, Astronomy magazine Editor Emeritus Dave Eicher invites you to explore the Whirlpool Galaxy, cataloged as M51. It lies in Canes Venatici near the Big Dipper asterism along with its companion galaxy, NGC 5195. Hi, I’m Dave Eicher, editor emeritus of Astronomy magazine.
See the Eta Aquariid meteor shower
A crescent Moon and Mars rise above the medieval hill town of Sperlinga in Sicily, Italy, May 5, 2024, as a meteor from the Eta Aquariid shower streaks by. Credit: Dario Giannobile This week, Astronomy magazine Editor Emeritus Dave Eicher invites you to observe the Eta Aquariid meteor shower, which peaks on May 5. Although the glare of the Moon will wash out fainter meteors, you’ll still be able to see the brightest meteors this shower has to offer, especially in a dark sky.
See the Moon meet Antares
Skip to content The ruddy star Antares appears next to a Full Moon in May 2024. Credit: Chirag Upreti This week, Astronomy magazine Editor Emeritus Dave Eicher invites you to look to the southeast on the night of May 3 to see the Moon rise alongside Antares, the brightest star in Scorpius. Good luck!
Catch the Lyrid meteors
The Lyrid meteor shower can produce up to 20 meteors an hour. Credit: Gregg Alliss This week, Astronomy magazine Editor Emeritus Dave Eicher invites you to get outside to catch the Lyrid meteors, which peak around April 23. With the Moon mostly out of the way this year, you might see as many as 20 meteors per hour. Good luck! Video transcript: Welcome to This Week in Astronomy, brought to you by Celestron, the world’s leading manufacturer of telescopes.
Dave Eicher reviews ‘The Barnard Album’
The Horsehead Nebula is the 33rd and most famous object in Barnard's catalog of dark nebulae. Credit: Oleg Bouevitch Ninety-nine years have passed since the landmark publication of Edward Emerson Barnard’s historic atlas of dark nebulae, Atlas of Selected Regions of the Milky Way. Barnard essentially invented the study of these dark clouds in the sky, and original copies of his atlas are highly sought after and very valuable.
See spring’s best galaxies
M65, M66, and NGC 3628, known as the Leo Triplet, lie roughly 35 million light-years away and can be seen together in the same low-power field. Credit: Salvo Lauricella Galaxy season is upon us — the time of the year in the Northern Hemisphere when Earth’s nightside faces out of the plane of the Milky Way. This week, Astronomy magazine Editor Emeritus Dave Eicher invites you to explore some of the best galaxies on offer in Leo, Ursa Major, Coma Berenices, and Virgo.
Explore the Virgo Cluster
The Virgo Cluster contains about 1,500 galaxies, and it’s the largest cluster near us. You can see bright ellipticals like M87 and M89 in your telescope here. Credit: Massimo Tamajo Galaxy season is upon us — the time of the year in the Northern Hemisphere when Earth’s nightside faces out of the plane of the Milky Way towards constellations like Leo, Virgo, Coma Berenices, and Ursa Major.
Mercury at greatest elongation on April 3
When Mercury is at its greatest eastern elongation, its apparent distance from the Sun is greatest. The planet’s motion through the sky is captured in this 2023 composite image, with one frame taken each clear day. Credit: Tunç Tezel This week, Astronomy magazine Editor Emeritus Dave Eicher invites you to check out Mercury, which will be at its greatest elongation on April 3. This is when the planet appears farthest away from the Sun in the morning sky, making it easier to see.
The Moon brushes past Regulus
The Moon, Venus, and Regulus all appear together in this shot taken Sept. 19, 2025. Credit: Chirag Upreti In this episode, Astronomy magazine Editor Emeritus Dave Eicher invites you to look to the southeast on the evening of March 29 to catch the Moon next to the brilliant star Regulus — the brightest star in Leo the Lion.
The Moon visits the Pleiades
Skip to content In this episode, Astronomy magazine Editor Emeritus Dave Eicher invites you to explore a smattering of bright objects in the night sky — including a close encounter of the Moon and the Pleiades star cluster on March 22. Planets visible in the sky that night include Uranus and Jupiter, as well as old favorites like the Hyades star cluster in Taurus. Good luck!
Starmus Festival set for October in the Canary Islands
With the theme “The Search for Truth,” the world’s leading festival of science and the arts will return to the Canary Islands this October. Held in Tenerife and La Palma, the Festival will commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Stephen Hawking Medal along with the most ambitious edition of Starmus yet.
Explore Gemini's star clusters
Skip to content In this episode, Astronomy magazine Editor Emeritus Dave Eicher invites you to explore two gorgeous star clusters in the constellation Gemini the Twins: M35 and NGC 2158. M35 is an easy binocular target lying at a distance of 3,000 light-years, while NGC 2158 is around 11,000 light-years distant. Both are great objects to observe and enjoy in the springtime sky. Good luck!
This Week in Astronomy with Dave Eicher: Venus meets Saturn
Look early in the evening on March 8 to see Venus and Saturn close to one another low in the western sky. Credit: M. Bakich/TheSKY software In this episode, Astronomy magazine Editor Emeritus Dave Eicher invites you to head out on the evening of March 8 to see a close grouping of two planets. This time, brilliant Venus — the third-brightest object in the sky (next to the Sun and the Moon) will be passing by Saturn. Find Venus before twilight ends and look for the Ringed Planet as the sky darkens.
This Week in Astronomy with Dave Eicher: Total Eclipse of the Moon
The reddened shadow of Earth falling upon the Moon during the lunar eclipse of March 13/14, 2025 — a so-called Blood Moon — is captured in this sequence taken with a Canon mirrorless camera and 600mm lens. Credit: Philippe Moussette In this episode, Astronomy magazine Editor Emeritus Dave Eicher invites you to head out after midnight on March 3 to observe an example of sublime celestial geometry — a total eclipse of the Moon.
This Week in Astronomy with Dave Eicher: Planets in the Evening Sky
Take a look low in the west on the evening of February 19 to see a nice grouping of planets. Credit: M. Bakich/TheSKY software In this episode, Astronomy magazine Editor Emeritus Dave Eicher invites you to head out during the early evening hours of February 19 to see three planets and the crescent Moon low in the western sky. Venus will be the brightest, followed by Mercury, and finally Saturn. Start looking before twilight ends. Binoculars will help. Good luck! You can view the video here.
Feb. 15, 1564: The birth of Galileo
Galileo painted by Justus Sustermans c. 1640, one of the most celebrated portraits of the mathematician and astronomer who many see as the founder of modern science. Credit: Wikimedia Commons Italian mathematician Galileo Galilei was born in Feb. 15, 1564, in Pisa. Often summarized as the father of modern science, certainly a polymath and a brilliant thinker who operated on a high intellectual level, Galileo had innovative thoughts about nearly everything he contemplated.
This Week in Astronomy with Dave Eicher: The Moon meets Antares
Head out before sunrise on the morning of February 14 to watch the Moon pass by Antares, the brightest star in the constellation Scorpius the Scorpion. Credit: M. Bakich/TheSKY software In this episode, Astronomy magazine Editor Emeritus Dave Eicher invites you to head out during the early morning hours of February 11 to see the Moon pass quite close to the 1st-magnitude star Antares in the constellation Scorpius the Scorpion. In the evening sky, Scorpius is a summer constellation.
This Week in Astronomy with Dave Eicher: The Zodiacal Light
This image beautifully captures the zodiacal light, a triangular glow seen best in night skies free of overpowering moonlight and light pollution. Credit: ESO/Y. Beletsky In this episode, Astronomy magazine Editor Emeritus Dave Eicher invites you to head out on a clear moonless night to see one of the faintest glows in our sky — the zodiacal light.
This Week in Astronomy with Dave Eicher: The Zodiacal Light
Now Little snowpack, strikes by mountain staff and Trump administration policies that are keeping international visitors away have made this a difficult season in the Rockies and beyond. Bare slopes. Closed terrain. Canceled vacations. In the Western United States, the 2026 ski season is shaping up to be …
This Week in Astronomy with Dave Eicher: The Winter Hexagon
The Winter Hexagon is an easily viewed grouping of six of the sky's 20 brightest stars. Go out now once it gets dark and look toward the east. Credit: M. Bakich/TheSKY software In this episode, Astronomy magazine Editor Emeritus Dave Eicher invites you to head out and view six of the 20 brightest stars in the sky. Because they’re all reasonably close together, you can draw lines from one to the next and form a hexagon.
This Week in Astronomy with Dave Eicher: The Moon passes the Pleiades
On January 27, the Moon will pass close by the Pleiades (M45), an open star cluster in the constellation Taurus the Bull. Head out that evening and watch. Credit: M. Bakich/TheSKY software In this episode, Astronomy magazine Editor Emeritus Dave Eicher invites you to head out on the evening of January 27 to see the Moon pass the Pleiades star cluster, which lies in the constellation Taurus the Bull.
This Week in Astronomy with Dave Eicher: The Crab Nebula
The Crab Nebula, also known as M1, is a supernova remnant in the constellation Taurus the Bull. Credit: R. Jay GaBany In this episode, Astronomy magazine Editor Emeritus Dave Eicher invites you to head out in the evening sometime soon and point a telescope at the Crab Nebula, which lies in the constellation Taurus the Bull. Also known as Messier 1, or M1, the Crab is an example of a supernova remnant — the expanding gas cloud of a massive star that exploded long ago.
This Week in Astronomy with Dave Eicher: The Moon encounters Regulus
Watch the Moon pass Leo the Lion's brightest star, Regulus, on the morning of January 6. Credit: M. Bakich/TheSKY software In this episode, Astronomy magazine Editor Emeritus Dave Eicher invites you to head out in the evening of January 6 and find the Moon. Near Luna, glowing at magnitude 1.3, will be Regulus, the Alpha star of the constellation Leo the Lion. The distances between these two objects will change hourly, so maybe check them several times that night.
This Week in Astronomy with Dave Eicher: The Quadrantid meteor shower
A Quadrantid meteor streaks through the sky above Parsonsfield, Maine. Credit: Abhijit Patil In this episode, Astronomy magazine Editor Emeritus Dave Eicher invites you to head out in the evening and early morning hours around January 4. The time before sunrise on that date will be the peak of the Quadrantid meteor shower. The Moon will be bright, so look away from it. Hopefully, you’ll see some bright shooting stars. Good luck!
This Week in Astronomy with Dave Eicher: The Moon passes Saturn
Head out in the early evening hours of December 26 and look toward the southwest for the Moon and Saturn close together. Credit: M. Bakich/TheSKY software *Astronomy* magazine Editor Emeritus Dave Eicher advises observers to witness the close apparent alignment of the Moon and Saturn on the evening of December 26. Binoculars are recommended for enhanced viewing of the Moon during this astronomical event. Despite telescopic observation, Saturn's renowned ring system will exhibit limited visibility.
This Week in Astronomy with Dave Eicher: The Horsehead Nebula
The Horsehead Nebula (Barnard 33) lies in the constellation Orion the Hunter. It's considered a difficult catch in an 8-inch telescope. Credit: Adam Block/Mount Lemmon SkyCenter/University of Arizona In this episode, Astronomy magazine Editor Emeritus Dave Eicher invites you to head out late in the evening, point your telescope in the general direction of Orion’s Belt, and try to observe one of the most famous dark nebulae in the sky.
This Week in Astronomy with Dave Eicher: The Moon meets Regulus
Head out late on the evening of December 9 to watch the Moon pass Leo the Lion's brightest star, Regulus. Credit: M. Bakich/TheSKY software In this episode, Astronomy magazine Editor Emeritus Dave Eicher invites you to head out late in the evening of December 9 and during the early morning hours of December 10 to watch the Moon pass by Regulus. This blue-white star is the Alpha star in the constellation Leo the Lion and was considered one of the four Royal Stars to the ancient Persians.
This Week in Astronomy with Dave Eicher: The Moon passes the Pleiades
On the evening of December 3, the Moon will pass close to the Pleiades star cluster, a bright open cluster in the constellation Taurus the Bull. Credit: M. Bakich/TheSKY software In this episode, Astronomy magazine Editor Emeritus Dave Eicher invites you to head out on the evening of December 3 to watch the Moon pass by the Pleiades star cluster. Also known as M45 and the Seven Sisters, the Pleiades is one of the brightest deep-sky objects.
This Week in Astronomy with Dave Eicher: Saturn and its rings
Skip to content In this episode, Astronomy magazine Editor Emeritus Dave Eicher invites you to head out in the evening and observe the sixth planet in our solar system, Saturn. Point any size telescope at it, and you might think something’s missing. The rings, usually the planet’s standout feature, are nearly edge-on to our line of sight. This doesn’t happen often, so go take a look. Good luck!
Nov. 20, 1889: The birth of Edwin Hubble
Edwin Hubble, born November 20, 1889, made seminal observations in 1923 of the Andromeda Galaxy and a Cepheid variable, which significantly broadened the understanding of other galaxies and the universe's scale. During the 1930s, Hubble established a system for classifying galaxies by their observed morphological types, derived from photographic data.
A memorable star party in New Mexico
On Saturday, Nov. 15, a group of intrepid observers gathered near Animas, New Mexico, to celebrate first light of a new large telescope, a 30-inch f/3.3 instrument nicknamed the “Lockwood Monster.” This wonderful instrument was created and built by Mike Lockwood, the brilliant owner and operator of Lockwood Custom Optics.
This Week in Astronomy with Dave Eicher: Uranus at opposition
Now's the best time in 2025 to find Uranus. The seventh planet lies in the constellation Taurus the Bull. Credit: M. Bakich/TheSKY software The article, featuring Astronomy magazine Editor Emeritus Dave Eicher, encourages evening observation of Uranus, the solar system's seventh planet. Uranus was historically discovered in 1781 by William Herschel, who utilized a homemade 6.2-inch reflecting telescope for this celestial identification.
Nov. 11, 1875: The birth of V.M. Slipher
Vesto Melvin Slipher began his 53-year career at Lowell Observatory in 1901, progressing from a staff astronomer to director by 1926, a role he maintained until his retirement in 1954. In 1912, Slipher successfully measured the radial velocity of the "Andromeda Nebula," determining it was approaching Earth at an unprecedented speed of 300 kilometers per second.
This Week in Astronomy with Dave Eicher: The Leonid meteor shower
This meteor shower is called the Leonids because all of its meteors seem to originate from the constellation Leo. Credit: Astronomy magazine/Roen Kelly In this episode, Astronomy magazine Editor Emeritus Dave Eicher invites you to head out in the early morning hours of or around November 17. That’s the date the Leonid meteor shower reaches its peak. You don’t need binoculars or a telescope for this event.
This Week in Astronomy with Dave Eicher: Observe the Pinwheel Galaxy
The Pinwheel Galaxy (M33) is the third largest member of the Local Group of galaxies. It lies in the constellation Triangulum. Credit: Bernhard Hubl In this episode, Astronomy magazine Editor Emeritus Dave Eicher invites you to head out in the evening and observe the Pinwheel Galaxy, also known as the Triangulum Galaxy. Charles Messier made this spiral galaxy the 33rd entry on his list of fuzzy objects that weren’t comets.
This Week in Astronomy with Dave Eicher: Mercury in the evening sky
Guidance is provided for observing the planet Mercury. Optimal viewing is specified as shortly after sunset, with Mercury positioned low in the western sky. Binoculars are recommended as an aid, requiring a deliberate and patient scan of the horizon region. This observational advice is presented by *Astronomy magazine* Editor Emeritus Dave Eicher. In this episode, Astronomy magazine Editor Emeritus Dave Eicher invites you to head out in the evening shortly after sunset to search for Mercury.
David J. Eicher's final "From the Editor" column
The author commenced a distinguished career in science communication in September 1982 as an editor at *Astronomy* magazine, an opportunity influenced by their previous publication, *Deep Sky Monthly*. Over 43 years, the author dedicated their professional life to *Astronomy* magazine, serving as editor-in-chief for half of that period, beginning in 2002.
This Week in Astronomy with Dave Eicher: The Orionid meteor shower
Meteors from the Orionid meteor shower, which peaks in the early morning hours of Tuesday, October 21, all seem to originate within the constellation Orion the Hunter. Credit: Astronomy magazine/Roen Kelly Dave Eicher, Editor Emeritus of *Astronomy* magazine, encourages early morning observation of meteors between midnight and 4 a.m. These meteors, identified as Orionids, visually originate from the constellation Orion the Hunter.
This Week in Astronomy with Dave Eicher: The Moon meets Jupiter
Head out during the early morning hours of October 14 to see the Moon close to the giant planet Jupiter. Credit: M. Bakich/TheSKY software In this episode, Astronomy magazine Editor Emeritus Dave Eicher invites you to head out in the early morning hours of October 14 to view the Moon close to Jupiter, which lies in the constellation Gemini the Twins. Although the Moon won’t be at its brightest, it still spreads a lot of light into the sky.
This Week in Astronomy with Dave Eicher: The Moon and the Pleiades
In this episode, Astronomy magazine Editor Emeritus Dave Eicher invites you to head out late in the evening of October 9 and find the Moon. This won’t be a problem because it will be bright. Then scan the area around the Moon to find the Pleiades star cluster, also known as M45. If you can’t find it right away, binoculars will help in your search. The Pleiades looks like a tiny dipper and is one of the brightest star clusters in the sky, although it may not look like it with a bright Moon nearby.
Oct. 5th, 1923: Hubble discovers galaxies beyond the Milky Way
On Oct. 4, 1923, Edwin Hubble took a photographic plate of the Andromeda Nebula (as it was known then) using the 100-inch Hooker telescope at Mount Wilson. The next night, Oct. 5th, he took another plate and found that a star that seemed to belong to the nebula had changed in brightness. At first, he thought this was a nova, a type of stellar explosion. But eventually, he realized it was a particular type of variable star — and this meant he could accurately measure the distance to this star.
New Mexico Stargaze rescheduled due to weather
Originally scheduled for October 11, a big observational event in southwestern New Mexico has been changed to Saturday, November 15. The original October date now faces a high chance of rainstorms in the area. This event will take place near Animas, New Mexico, under an incredibly dark sky. Not only will the new 30-inch scope be under the stars for observing, but also telescopes used by Clyde Tombaugh which are in the collection there.
This Week in Astronomy with Dave Eicher: Saturn at Opposition
Skip to content In this episode, Astronomy magazine Editor Emeritus Dave Eicher invites you to head out in the evening and point a telescope at everyone’s favorite planet: Saturn. The ringed world just passed opposition – the point in its orbit when it lies opposite the Sun from our perspective. Opposition, which only occurs for worlds farther from the Sun than Earth, is when a planet is at its brightest and best for observing. Good luck!
This Week in Astronomy with Dave Eicher: The Dumbbell Nebula
Skip to content In this episode, Astronomy magazine Editor Emeritus Dave Eicher invites you to head out in the evening and point a telescope at one of the sky’s finest planetary nebulae. This one’s number 27 on Charles Messier’s famous list, but it’s usually called the Dumbbell Nebula because of it characteristic shape. Use a star chart to locate the small constellation Vulpecula the Fox and target M27. Good luck!
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