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Jupiter and Saturn looking southeast around 03:00 BST (02:00 UT) at the start of June 02:00 BST (01:00 UT) mid-month, and 01:00 BST (00:00 UT) at the end of June. Credit: Pete Lawrence

Observing guide See the planets in the night sky, June 2021

Astronomy explained The Planets

How Galileo changed the way we look at the Universe

Lego ISS

Gift guide Astronomy Father's Day presents

BBC Sky at Night Magazine Star Diary podcast.

Star Diary Podcast

Star Diary Podcast What's in the night sky, June 2021

What's new?

New to astronomy?

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

What to see in the night sky in 2021. Credit: Christianto Soning / EyeEm / Getty Images

Stargazing 2021 What to see in the night sky this year

Friends stargazing. Credit: EvgeniyShkolenko / Getty

Observing guide How to see the planets in 2021

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

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

12 top tips for stargazing

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Astronomy equipment reviews

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

Omegon MightyMak 60 Mini Dobsonian telescope review

Omegon MightyMak 60 Mini Dobsonian telescope review

RVO Horizon 60ED Doublet refractor telescope size scale

RVO Horizon 60ED Doublet refractor

Altair Hypercam 115M Mono TEC cooled CMOS camera

Altair Hypercam 115M Mono TEC cooled CMOS camera review

Opticron Oregon WA 10x50 binoculars

Binoculars for astronomy

Opticron Oregon WA 10×50 binoculars review

Vixen Atera H12x30 binoculars review

Binoculars for astronomy

Vixen Atera H12x30 stabilised binoculars review

Altair 72mm EDF Deluxe refractor telescope review.

Altair 72mm EDF Deluxe refractor

Read more equipment reviews

Podcasts

Solar activity over cycles 22-24
Credit: David Hathaway, NASA, Marshall Space Flight Center

Radio Astronomy Podcast Will solar activity threaten future space missions?

Planetary scientist Emily Lakdawalla

Radio Astronomy Podcast Emily Lakdawalla talks Mars exploration

NASA WMAP mission podcast

Radio Astronomy Podcast 20 years of NASA's WMAP mission

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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

California Nebula by Dan Crowson, New Florence, Missouri, USA.

Gallery California Nebula

The Cat's Paw Nebula by Maicon Germiniani, Serra Alta, Santa Catarina, Brazil.

Gallery Cat's Paw Nebula

The Crescent Nebula by Francesco Di Cencio, Belluno, Italy, Dolomites.

Gallery Crescent Nebula

Bode's Galaxy and Cigar Galaxy

Gallery Bode's Galaxy and Cigar Galaxy

How to see the annular solar eclipse and the UK partial solar eclipse on 10 June 2021. Photo by MANJUNATH KIRAN/AFP via Getty Images

Gallery Solar eclipse, 10 June 2021

Astrophotography galleries

Crab Nebula by Mark Shelton, Marston Green, Solihull, UK.

Gallery The Crab Nebula

Northern Dragon's Eye Elena Pakhalyuk (Ukraine). Category: Aurora. Equipment Canon EOS 6D camera, 14 mm f/2.8 lens, ISO 1600, 30-second exposure.

Gallery Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2020 shortlist images revealed

Jason Durrant, near Beccles, Suffolk, UK, 11 July 2020. Equipment: Sony A7III, Tamron 28-70mm lens, ISO 3200, 5

Gallery Comet NEOWISE blazes across the night sky

Hubble has helped to define the shape of the Ring Nebula, revealing it to be doughnut shaped, with lower density material at its core. Credit: Credits: NASA, ESA and the Hubble Heritage (STScI/AURA)-ESA/Hubble Collaboration

Gallery Hubble highlights: 16 of the space telescope's most iconic images

Soviet Space Graphics

Gallery 10 iconic Soviet space posters of the Cold War era

Veil Nebula 24 September 2015. A small section of the outer shell of the Veil Nebula, the remnant of a star’s violent death 8,000 years ago. Credit: NASA, ESA, Hubble Heritage Team

Hubble at 30 21 incredible images of the past decade

Spaceflight

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

US president John F Kennedy addresses Congress on 25 May 1961, announcing his administration's intention to put human beings on the Moon. Credit: AFP via Getty Images

Astronomy History How JFK kickstarted the race to the Moon

China's Tianwen-1 rover has released its first images of Mars. Credit: CNSA

Mars exploration China rover returns first images of the Red Planet

The Long March 5B rocket, lifts off from Wenchang Space Launch Center in Hainan province, 29 April 2021. Photo by STR / AFP) / China OUT via Getty Images

China rocket debris could hit Earth this weekend

Michael Collins' official Apollo 11 portrait. Credit: NASA

Former Apollo 11 astronaut Michael Collins dies aged 90

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

How to photograph targets close to the horizon. After processing, our final image reveals the details of M6 and M7. Credit: Paul Money

Astrophotography guides

Astrophotography guide Photograph objects close to the horizon

Partial solar eclipse in Iran Omid Qadrdan/Ahmad Riahi Dehkordi, Hengam Island, Iran, 26 December 2019 Equipment: Canon 6D Mark I DSLR

Astrophotography guides

Photograph the 10 June solar eclipse

how to clean your DSLR sensor. Credit: Ian Evenden

How to clean a DSLR camera

More DIY astronomy projects