Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) latest news and predictions
Could Comet A3 become another Great Comet, or even simply reach naked-eye brightness? We'll find out soon...
Webb discovers record-breaking exploded stars that existed when the Universe was in its infancy
60 Olympic swimming pools' worth of water frost discovered on top of Mars's equatorial volcanoes
Aurora | Images of spectacular October 2024 display
Comet C/2023 A3 | What to expect in November 2024
Observing Comet C/2023 A3 in October. Key dates, times and star charts for spotting it this month
Find out how to see the highly-anticipated comet at its best in October.
Observing guide | 10 autumn binocular astronomy targets
You can see a lot in the night sky with a pair of binoculars. Here are 10 of the best bino targets in Autumn.
Photographer captures spectacular image of Comet A3 and a crescent Moon over the Pyramids of Giza
Orionids 2024 | How to see this year's meteor shower
See the Orionid meteor shower peak this week with our beginners' guide.
When is the next full Moon? Full Moon calendar dates for 2024 and 2025
Find out when the next full Moon is visible, and full Moon names for 2024.
BBC Sky at Night Magazine virtual events
DSLR Astro Imaging Series
Our autumn 2024 series looks at photographing the night sky with a DSLR camera, with three of the best astro imagers in the game.
Save 24% when you buy all three as a series booking
Masterclass: Nightscapes
Award-winning astro imager Miguel Claro is your guide to creating great nightscape photos, Thursday 26 September 2024 at 7pm BST.
Save 24% when you buy all three as a series booking
Masterclass: The Milky Way
Mary McIntyre looks at capturing our Galaxy arcing across the sky and detail in the Milky Way, Thursday 24 October at 7pm BST
Save 24% when you buy all three as a series booking
Masterclass: the deep sky
Dave Eagle gives his top tips on how you can capture views of deep space with your DSLR camera, Thursday 5 December at 7pm GMT.
Save 24% when you buy all three as a series booking.
New to astronomy?
Our simple guides will help you make the most of your time under the stars
14 things new stargazers should know
New to astronomy? Here are some things you'll notice in the night sky as you spend your first year stargazing.
How to become a better astronomer
You've spent many hours observing the night sky. So how can you improve and be more productive at the telescope eyepiece?
How to stargaze from a city
Light pollution from towns and cities makes viewing the night sky a tricky business. But there are things you can do to help.
How to star-hop the night sky
Stuck trying to find stars? Star-hopping is a tried and tested technique that will help you to navigate the sky.
Astronomy advice
Answers to some of the most commonly-asked cosmic questions
Why did it take so long for astronomers to discover Uranus?
Why was Uranus not known to ancient astronomers?
How many stars can a person see in the night sky?
When we look up at the night sky, how many stars can we see, and what magnitude can the human eye see unaided?
What came before the Big Bang? These are the best theories we have about the origin of the cosmos
We explore the theories about one of the most mind-boggling questions about the Universe.
Why the Moon sometimes looks orange
What causes the Moon to appear a red, rusty colour?
Buyers' guides
Our pick of the best astronomy equipment
Best telescope mounts
On the hunt for a new telescope mount, or picking one to go with your first telescope? Read our guide to the best mounts, both budget models and high-end.
Best binoculars for astronomy
Binoculars are a great way of getting into astronomy and stargazing.
Buyer's guide | Best astro imaging cameras
Which cameras are best for astrophotography and what type should you buy? We'll guide you through the different types and the best cameras on the market.
Best beginners' telescopes
Looking to buy your first telescope but don't know where to start? We've picked out some of the best beginner telescopes on the market.
9 of the best wi-fi and smartphone telescopes in 2024
Our pick of the best telescopes operated via a smartphone or tablet.
Best telescopes for kids
Buying a telescope for children can be a tricky task. We've tested some of the best telescopes for kids and young people getting started in astronomy.
Astronomy equipment reviews
The latest telescopes, cameras, binoculars, mounts and accessories tried and tested.
The Seestar S50 is among the cheapest smart telescopes available. But is it any good? We put it to the test
ZWO Seestar 50 smart telescope is an enjoyable budget all-in-one. But does it truly deliver on its do-it-all promises?
Altair Starwave 70 EDQ-R quad apo imaging refractor review
The Altair Starwave 70 EDQ-R is a four-lensed, lightweight scope designed for easy, wide-field astro imaging
ZWO AM5N harmonic drive mount and TC40 tripod
'Budget price, but they punch well above their weight' We tested the Ursa Major multicoated eyepieces
Vaonis Hestia telescope review
Add your phone to this manual device to turn it into a smart scope.
Celestron’s smartphone-controlled StarSense Explorer 114mm tabletop Dobsonian
A fun and budget-friendly option that’s easy to control from your phone.
Podcasts
Radio Astronomy Podcast | Detecting spacetime ripples of black holes
Astronomers have detected evidence of gravitational waves from supermassive black holes at the centres of merging galaxies.
Podcast: The search for Earth 2.0
Astronomer Chris Impey discusses the search for habitable worlds beyond our Solar System.
Podcast | Lance Bass
We speak with Lance Bass - former member of boyband N'Sync - about his experience training as a cosmonaut and his new podcast The Last Soviet.
Astrophotography
Photograph comets and stars without trailing or blurring
Eye On The Sky | NASA captures a Halloween Sun
A scorching, fiery Halloween pumpkin is revealed in an image highlighting the active regions of our Sun.
Buyer's guide | Best telescopes for astrophotography
How to choose a telescope for photographing the night sky, and some of the best models available.
7 key ways to improve your astrophotography and take your night-sky imaging to the next level
Photographer captures stunning image of the Northern Lights over the US Capitol
Comet C/2023 A3 from Mount Etna
Astrophotography galleries
Gallery | Eagle Nebula
Images of the Eagle Nebula and its famous feature the Pillars of Creation.
Gallery | Jupiter's Galilean moons
Facts about and images of Jupiter's four largest satellites, the Galilean moons.
Gallery | Pictures of Earth from space
Restored images of Earth captured during the Apollo missions cast new light on the fragility of our planet.
Gallery | Harvest Moon
What is a Harvest Moon, and and are they really worth the hype?
Gallery | Ring Nebula
Facts and images about the Ring Nebula, M57, a planetary nebula found 2,000 lightyears away in Lyra.
Gallery | Tadpole Nebula
Images of the Tadpole Nebula, IC 410, and facts about this star-forming region.
Spaceflight
NASA Europa Clipper will search for signs of life at Jupiter's icy moon.
NASA's Europa Clipper launches on its way to study Jupiter's icy moon
The launch of Europa Clipper will see a new chapter in the exploration of this icy moon.
ESA Hera mission
The European Space Agency's Hera and DART missions will attempt to impact a near-Earth object and alter its path.
"Totally awesome to see a comet from orbit". Astronauts photograph Comet C/2023 A3 from the Space Station
James Webb Space Telescope | See the latest images
See the latest full colour images to be released by the JWST.
James Webb Space Telescope | How will JWST observe the Universe?
What will NASA's James Webb Space Telescope do, and how does it compare to the Hubble Space Telescope?
May the course be with you! From Moon golf to Space Station baseball, a mini history of the ultimate away game
See that blue dot? That's us. Planet Earth and Martian moon Phobos photographed by a rover on the Red Planet
DIY Astronomy
How to thermally optimise your telescope
Tube currents in your telescope can affect the ability of the optics to bring light to a sharp focus. We show you how to combat these irritating effects.
Build a Dobsonian equatorial platform
Convert your altaz Dobsonian telescope into a sky-tracking lightbucket.
6 simple astronomy experiments you can do at home
Try our experiments using household items and illustrate the mechanics of the Solar System.