There are two universes—the one we see, and the one we never will. The visible universe, just a sliver of the cosmos, ends where light can no longer reach us. Beyond that lies a possibly infinite realm—endless galaxies, stars, and mysteries forever out of reach. A groundbreaking study of 900,000 galaxies hints at this staggering vastness, suggesting that what we observe is zero percent of everything. An infinite universe could mean whole regions governed by unknown laws of physics. And if our view is that limited, can we trust the conclusions we’ve drawn? While science gives us solid facts, like the rotation of Mars, infinity challenges our grasp of the cosmos—and maybe that’s why it rarely makes the headlines.

Summer Solstice Oddities: On Friday, June 20th at 10:43 p.m. marks the official start of summer! While ancient cultures celebrated solstices with flair (sometimes literally tossing people off pyramids), we now settle for noting the longest day of the year. Expect the sun at its highest, shortest shadows, and sunsets as far north as they get. Upstate New York gets over 15 hours of sunlight and the longest twilight of the year—great for solar fans, not so much for stargazers.

This week look for the Moon—and just to its left, you'll spot a bright, orange-red star: Antares. While most reddish stars in the universe are small and dim (like Proxima Centauri, our nearest stellar neighbor), Antares stands out as a red supergiant—huge and luminous. In fact, it's in a long-running rivalry with Betelgeuse over which is the biggest red star in the sky. We’re not exactly sure which one wins, but we do know Antares has a great name—meaning “rival of Mars” for its Mars-like glow. So step outside, take a look, and decide for yourself.

On Sunday night, June 1, enjoy an easy and beautiful sky show: a crescent Moon pairs with two bright stars—one blue-white, one orange. The star just below the Moon is Regulus, the brilliant heart of Leo the Lion, once known as “Qalb” and later named by Copernicus. To the Moon’s right, the orange glow of Mars adds a planetary touch, though it’s dimmer now, sitting on the far side of its orbit. Look west anytime between nightfall and midnight for this celestial trio—no telescope needed.

This month look up for a colorful celestial display! Just find the crescent moon in the western sky—sitting in a line with orange-hued Mars and pale blue Regulus, the brightest star in Leo. Together, they create a striking trio of white, orange, and blue—a patriotic parade in the night sky. Tune in to hear when the magic will happen.

As we enter the moonless phase of the month — ideal for stargazing — it’s worth noting that even the darkest rural skies aren’t truly black. Natural skyglow, made up of airglow, Zodiacal Light, scattered starlight, and the unresolved shimmer of our galaxy, keeps the night subtly illuminated. During this period of solar maximum, the upper atmosphere glows more intensely, making the phenomenon even more striking. Despite urban light pollution, nature still puts on a quietly radiant show overhead.

Time to explore a radical new idea shaking up our understanding of the cosmos: what if dark matter doesn’t exist at all? Some European astronomers propose that the Milky Way and Andromeda galaxies may have already collided once in the distant past—a theory that challenges long-held beliefs about gravity and the mysterious dark matter thought to hold galaxies together. Instead, they point to a bold alternative called MOND (Modified Newtonian Dynamics), which suggests gravity behaves differently on cosmic scales. If true, this could rewrite everything we know about the structure and evolution of the universe.

For centuries, the full moon guided calendars and celebrations — and its legacy lives on. This weekend, we explore how lunar cycles still determine the timing of some holidays. Ever wonder why Easter moves around or why there's always a full moon during this time. It all comes down to ancient rules and celestial rhythms that still shape our holidays today.

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.

For anyone with a telescope, Saturn is a knockout. Check out the magnificent rings! Once every 50 years those rings are angled towards us and the sun. This spring is Saturn’s equinox, so it’s time to celebrate.