... Three thousand light-years away, a dying star throws off shells of glowing gas. ... Follow the handle of the Big Dipper away from the dipper's bowl, until you get to the handle's last bright star. ... Mercury and the Chromosphere . ... Enjoying Wednesday's transit of Mercury from Dallas, Texas, astronomer Phil Jones recorded this detailed image of the Sun. ... As a bright November Moon lit up the night sky last week, Gil Esquerdo spotted this lovely Moon halo overhead at the Whipple Observatory on...