Welcome to BBC Sky at Night Magazine - BBC Sky at Night Magazine

A 200mm or larger telescope will reveal surface features on Mars. Credit: Pete Lawrence

Observing guide See Mars in the night sky, July 2022

How to see the Bowl of Virgo asterism

James Webb Space Telescope first images due 12 July 2022

Moon, Venus, Jupiter & Mars Conjunction 10 Oct 2015 by Peter Louer, Tenerife. Equipment: Canon 700D, Samyang 10mm Lens

See Venus in the morning sky this month

franck marchis seti institute

Interview How scientists really search for intelligent life beyond Earth

What's new?

New to astronomy?

Our simple guides will help you make the most of your time under the stars

Aurora header

13 things new stargazers should know

Friends stargazing. Credit: EvgeniyShkolenko / Getty

Observing guide How to see the planets in 2022

The Moon may always keep the same face turned to us, but the terminator makes sure that face keeps changing. Image Credit: iStock

Why does the Moon have phases?

Man looking at the stars with telescope beside him. Credit: iStock

How to choose your first telescope

More beginners' guides

Astronomy explained

Answers to some of the most commonly-asked cosmic questions

This composite image of the moon using Clementine data from 1994 is the view we are most likely to see when the moon is full. Image Credit: NASA

Astronomy explained Why do we always see the same side of the Moon?

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What is dark matter?

Star Sirius is the brightest star in the night sky. Credit: iStock / Getty Images Plus

Astronomy explained What is the brightest star?

Globular cluster NGC 3201, as seen by the Hubble Space Telescope. What makes stars twinkle? Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA. Acknowledgement: Sarajedini et al.

Astronomy explained Why do stars twinkle?

Buyers' guides

Our pick of the best astronomy equipment

Best telescope mounts

Best telescope mounts

Celestron Omni XLT AZ 102 Refractor/basic mount

Best beginners' telescopes

Explore Scientific professional weather centre

Top astronomy accessories

The best telescopes for kids and young astronomers. Credit: BBC Sky at Night Magazine

Best telescopes for kids

Binoculars are a great way for newcomers to get into astronomy. Credit: lucentius / Getty Images

Best binoculars for astronomy

Best portable telescopes for astronomy travel. Credit: Anton Petrus / Getty Images

Top travel telescopes

More buyers' guides

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Astronomy guides

Celestron Omni XLT AZ 102 Refractor/basic mount

Astronomy FAQs I'm buying my first telescope. Should I get a reflector or a refractor?

Asterisms (shown in red) can cross constellations, which are in fact regions of sky, not just the main patterns. Credit: Pete Lawrence

Constellations and asterisms: what’s the difference?

Sundogs. Credit: Science Photo Library

Daytime astronomy 6 phenomena to spot before nightfall

Get to a good, dark location away from light pollution and you will see so many more stars. Credit: Carlos Fernandez

How to stargaze in 10 easy steps

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Astronomy equipment reviews

The latest telescopes, cameras, binoculars, mounts and accessories tried and tested.

Rainbow Astro RST-135 mount scale

Telescope mounts

Rainbow Astro RST-135 mount review

iOptron Photron RC6 scale

iOptron Photron RC6 6-inch Ritchey-Chrétien review

WideSky 80 refractor review

WideSky 80 refractor review

starbase 80 telescope scale

Starbase 80 refractor and mount package review

£605 Price correct at time of review

Vixen A105MII achromatic refractor size

Vixen A105MII achromatic refractor review

£838 Price correct at time of review

Star-Hop Maker astronomy software review

£21 Price correct at time of review

Read more equipment reviews

Podcasts

BBC Sky at Night Magazine Star Diary podcast.

Star Diary: 27 June to 3 July

BBC Sky at Night Magazine Star Diary podcast.

Star Diary Podcast: 20 to 26 June

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Space Women: Maggie Aderin Pocock

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Astrophotography

Guides and galleries to help you get imaging the night sky

Credit: abriendomundo / iStock / Getty Images Plus

Astrophotography

Astrophotography All you need to know to image the night sky

How to remove stars from astrophotos in Photoshop

Astrophotography guides

How to remove stars from astrophotos in Photoshop

How to make a webcam scope for astrophotography

Photograph the night sky with a webcam scope

Ben Gadsby-Williams took this image of a meteor shower on 12 August 2016 from Brograve Mill in Norfolk, showing the importance of a good location to astrophotography. Ben says:

How to photograph a meteor shower

Best equipment, cameras and mounts for photographing meteor showers. Credit: Pedro Díaz Molins / Getty Images

Astrophotography

Best equipment for photographing meteors 2022

how to photograph the milky way

Astrophotography guides

How to photograph the Milky Way

Astrophotography galleries

North America and the Pacific can be seen clearly in this view of Earth captured during Apollo 10, 18 May 1969. Credit: NASA / restored by Toby Ord

Gallery Apollo photos of Earth from space

M20 Triffid by Dee Amos, Taken at Kitt Peak. Equipment: Kitt Peak's visitor centre's 16

Gallery Trifid Nebula

M57 Credit: André van der Hoeven, Terry Hancock, Fred Herrmann, Mike van den Berg and Mathijn Ippel, The Netherlands/USA.

Gallery Ring Nebula

Elephant's Trunk Nebula by Duan Yusef, Essex, UK.

Gallery Elephant's Trunk Nebula

NGC 281: The Pacman Nebula by Mike Garbett, Walsall, West Midlands, UK.

Gallery Pacman Nebula

M27 In another way... by Andre van der Hoeven, HI-Ambacht, The Netherlands.

Gallery Dumbbell Nebula

Spaceflight

Celebrating the latest missions and the history of humanity's journey into space

A view of Mars captured by the UAE Hope Probe

Hope probe’s global map of Mars

lunah map spacecraft nasa

How the LunaH-Map mission will map ice at the Moon’s south pole

A view of the Sun captured by the Solar Orbiter spacecraft during perihelion, the spacecraft's closest point to the Sun in its orbit. Credit: ESA & NASA/Solar Orbiter/EUI Team

Solar Orbiter See the spacecraft's brand new close-up images of our Sun

A view of Saturn captured by the Cassini spacecraft on 2 January 2010 from about 2.3 million km away. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute

Solar System images have the power to transport us to other worlds

Buzz Aldrin pictured on the surface of the Moon during the Apollo 11 mission. Credit: NASA

Apollo 11 the journey to land on the Moon

Carey Lisse, an instrument scientist on the New Horizons science team reacts after the team received confirmation from the spacecraft that it has completed the flyby of Pluto, Tuesday, July 14, 2015 at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, Maryland. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)

Interview New Horizons' Kuiper Belt encounter

Dr Abigail Fraeman, deputy project scientist of the Opportunity rover mission, pictured with a model of NASA's Curiosity rover. Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

Roving robots on Mars: interview with a NASA Opportunity scientist

Artist's impression of the Kepler space telescope Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Wendy Stenzel

How the Kepler space telescope came to be

DIY astronomy

Read our practical guides to get the most out of your observing sessions

photograph noctilucent clouds smartphone

Astrophotography guides

Photograph noctilucent clouds with a smartphone

How to detect an exoplanet

How to detect exoplanets from your back garden

how to sketch astronomical deep sky object

How to sketch an astronomical deep-sky object

More DIY astronomy projects