Virtual Planetarium
Pete Lawrence and Paul Abel guide us through December 2024's night-sky highlights.
Interview
Lunar phases poster
Download our lunar phases poster for Moon dates and times throughout 2024.
Lunar phases poster 2024 (PDF)
Messier Catalogue poster
Download our poster showing every object in the Messier Catalogue. How many can you tick off the list?
Messier Catalogue poster (PDF)
Binocular and Deep-Sky Tour Charts
Download this month's binocular and deep-sky tour charts. The charts are printed in black on white so they can be viewed under red light at your telescope.
Southern Hemisphere Sky Chart
SAN 235 Southern Hemisphere Chart (PDF)
Observing forms
Record your observations of Jupiter, Mars, Saturn, Venus and the Sun with our handy printable forms.
If you observe the Sun, remember NEVER to look at it with your naked eye; either project it through your telescope or use a solar filter on your telescope's front lens.
Comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS
Equipment: Nikon Z6 II camera, Tamron 70-200mm lens, iOptron SkyGuider Pro mount
Equipment: ZWO ASA183MC Pro camera, Samyang 135 lens, Sky-Watcher HEQ5 Pro mount
Equipment: Canon EOS 6D camera, Sigma 24-105mm lens, Benro tripod
Equipment: Canon R6 camera, Canon 24-105mm lens, Manfrotto tripod
Equipment: QHY 294C camera, SharpStar 61 EDPH II refractor, Sky-Watcher EQM-35 mount
Equipment: Panasonic Lumix S5 II camera, Panasonic Lumix S 50mm lens, Fotopro X-Go Max tripod
Equipment: Sony a7 III camera, Tamron 70-300mm lens, Manfrotto tripod
Equipment: ZWO Seestar S50 smart telescope
Equipment: Nikon D7500 camera, Nikkor 18-140mm lens, Cambofoto SAB264 tripod
Equipment: Nikon D3500, Nikkor 70-300mm and 18-55mm lenses
Equipment: Sony a7 III camera, Tamron 28-875mm lens, Manfrotto 055XPROB tripod
Equipment: Canon EOS M5 camera, Canon 55-250mm lens, Bonfoto B168 tripod
Equipment: Canon EOS 6D camera, Sigma 150-600mm lens, Bogen tripod
Equipment: Nikon Z6 camera, Sigma 28-70mm lens, Innorel tripod
Equipment: Composite of images from nine photographers and cameras
Equipment: Nikon D7200 camera, Tamron SP 90mm lens, Manfrotto tripod
Equipment: Nikon D750 camera, Tamron 15-35mm lens, Fotopro E7 Eagle tripod
Equipment: Canon EOS 60D camera, Orion 8-inch Newtonian, Celestron AXV mount
Equipment: Canon EOS 5D camera, 15mm fisheye lens, Psyche 8805 tripod
Equipment: Canon EOS M3 camera, Canon 55-200mm lens, generic tripod
Canon EOS 2000D camera, Canon 18-55mm lens, Celestron tripod
Readers' Gallery
Michael Caligiuri, Descanso, California, USA, 31 August 2024
Equipment: ZWO ASI294MM Pro camera, Takahashi FSQ-106N refractor, Losmandy GM8 mount
David Hugill, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, 29 August and 11–12 September 2024
Equipment: ZWO ASI585MC Pro camera, Askar 65PHQ astrograph, ZWO AM3 mount
Grant Schwartzkopff, Paringa, South Australia, 28 September 2024
Equipment: Nikon D5 camera, 24–70mm lens, Manfrotto 190MF3 tripod
Roger Hyman, Stonehenge, Wiltshire, 28 August 2024
Equipment: Fujifilm X-Pro2 camera, Samyang 12mm lens, Manfrotto 055CXPRO3 tripod
Tony Horton, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire, 15 and 17 September 2024
Equipment: Altair 26C camera, Altair Starwave 115 refractor, Sky-Watcher EQ6-R Pro mount
Emil Andronic, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, 4 March–13 May 2024
Equipment: ZWO ASI294MM Pro camera, Orion Optics CT8 reflector, Sky-Watcher EQ6 mount
Abhijit Patil, Death Valley National Park, California, USA, 5 June–5 July 2024
Equipment: Nikon Z6III camera, Nikkor 70–200mm lens, Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer GTi mount
Darshna Ladva, Stanmore, Greater London, 21 August 2024
Equipment: ZWO ASI224MC camera, Sky-Watcher Skymax-127 Maksutov–Cassegrain, Sky-Watcher EQ6 Pro mount
Miguel Claro, Alqueva, Évora, Portugal, 29 September 2024
Equipment: Nikon D850 camera, Nikon 70–200mm lens, Benro Carbon tripod
Fernando Menezes, Munhoz, Minas Gerais, Brazil, 7–9 November 2023
Equipment: ZWO ASI6200MC camera, Sky-Watcher Esprit 150ED refractor, iOptron CEM120 mount
Anton Matthews, Bristol, 7 October 2024
Equipment: ZWO ASI178MM camera, Coronado SolarMax II 60 solar scope, Sky-Watcher AZ-GTiX mount
Abdullah Salman, Faisalabad, Pakistan, 20 August 2024
Equipment: ZWO ASI224MC camera, Sky-Watcher 8-inch SynScan Dobsonian
Matthew Davis, Kenton, Oklahoma, USA, 29 and 30 September 2024
Equipment: ZWO ASI533MC Pro camera, William Optics SpaceCat 51 refractor, Pegasus Astro NYX-101 mount
Lee Pullen, Bristol, 9–18 September 2024
Equipment: ZWO ASI2600MC Pro camera, Askar 130 PHQ refractor, Sky-Watcher EQ6-R Pro mount
Mark Germani, processed from data captured by the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada Robotic Telescope, June 2021
Equipment: SBIG STX-16803 camera, RCOS 16-inch Carbon Truss Ritchey–Chrétien, Software Bisque Paramount ME mount
Egor Goryachev, Kanaan Desert Retreat, Namibia, 1 May 2024
Equipment: Nikon Z6a camera, Sigma 50mm lens, iOptron SkyGuider Pro mount
Adeel Shafiq, Islamabad, Pakistan, 17 September 2024
Equipment: Canon EOS 1300D camera, Samyang 135mm lens, Toyani 380 tripod
Alex Battù and Luca Barcaro, Castilléjar, Andalusia, Spain, 26 July–17 August 2024
Equipment: ZWO ASI6200MM camera, Tecnosky 300 Fast reflector, iOptron CEM120 mount
Osama Fathi, Sinai Peninsula, Egypt, 28 September 2024
Equipment: Nikon Z6 camera, Samyang 135mm lens, Sky-
Watcher Star Adventurer 2i mount
Eye On The Sky
Hubble Space Telescope, 9 October 2024
Credit: NASA, ESA, Amy Simon (NASA-GSFC); Image Processing: Joseph DePasquale (STScl)
Hubble Space Telescope, 16 October 2024
Credit: NASA, ESA, Matthias Stute , Margarita Karovska , Davide De Martin (ESA/Hubble), Mahdi Zamani (ESA/Hubble)
VISTA, 26 September 2024
Credit: ESO/VVVX survey
ALMA, 7 October 2024
Credit: ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO)/L. Rowland et al.
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, 10 October 2024
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona
Solar Dynamics Observatory, 9 October 204
Credit: NASA/SDO
Software
Download Argo Navis Deep-Sky Tour
This month's deep-sky tour plan file can be imported into the Argo Navis Digital Telescope Computer using Argonaut software, a free utility available from Wildcard Innovations. Using Argo Navis with this month's deep-sky tour plan file, you can:
• display essential information from the Argo Navis database for each object
• slew your telescope to each object in the plan - requires a compatible mount.
• push your telescope to each object in the plan using the coordinates provided on the Argo Navis display.
To import this month's deep-sky tour plan file into Argo Navis using Argonaut software:
Download and save the file to your hard drive.
Run the Argonaut utility program and transfer the plan into your Argo Navis DTC.
This month's Deep-Sky Tour plan file is produced by Deep-Sky Planner 8 (see knightware.biz/dsp).
Copyright Wildcard Innovations Pty Ltd.
Download Deep-Sky Planner
This month's Deep-Sky Tour plan file is produced by Deep-Sky Planner 9 (see knightware.biz/dsp).
Copyright Wildcard Innovations Pty Ltd.
License type Full software
Platform Windows
Versions 10, 11
Deep-Sky Planner 9 astronomy software for Windows provides the tools you need to make your time at the telescope more efficient and enjoyable.
Sort the objects in the plan according to the best time and order to view each object.
Slew your ASCOM-compatible Go-To mount to each object in the plan - requires ASCOM software (free).
Show a sky chart centred on each object in the plan using one of the top planetarium software titles – requires TheSky, Starry Night, Redshift, Cartes du Ciel (free) or Stellarium (free).
Record your observation in the open, non-proprietary observing log.
Details about Deep-Sky Planner and how to purchase can be found here.
Download the Deep-Sky Planner compatible file of this month's deep-sky tour observing plan file so that you can visit each object directly with Deep-Sky Planner.
Save the file to your hard drive and double click it to open it in Deep-Sky Planner.
Download EQTOUR
If you are one of the many astronomers who use the ASCOM driver EQMOD to control your ASCOM-compatible Go-To mount, you can use an add-on application called EQTOUR to call up various sets of sky tours like Messier, Caldwell, Globular Clusters and simply click on an object name to slew to it.
Details about the application and how to download it free of charge can be found here.
Download the EQTOUR compatible file of our monthly Deep-sky tour, so that you can visit each object directly from your EQMod control panel. We've also included a PDF document that explains the system and how to get it installed with your telescope setup.
Copy the .lst file from the folder that appears into the same directory as the EQTOUR application file, EQTOUR.exe, and follow the instructions in the link above.
Download SkySafari
License type Full software
Platform iOS, Android
Versions 4 or later (Plus or Pro editions)
This month's deep-sky tour plan file can be imported into SkySafari software, available from Simulation Curriculum.
Using this month's deep-sky tour plan file on SkySafari, you can:
• view each object in SkySafari's night sky simulation view
• display essential information from the SkySafari database for each object
• slew your telescope to each object in the plan - requires a compatible mount.
To import this month's deep-sky tour plan file into SkySafari, please see the SkySafari user manual for your device platform and version of SkySafari.
This month's Deep-Sky Tour plan file is produced by Deep-Sky Planner 8.
Watch the Sky at Night
You can watch the latest episode of The Sky Night, plus previous episodes and historic programmes from the archive, via the BBC Four Sky at Night webpage.
And for more, check out our guide to the best astronomy on the BBC.