BBC Sky at Night Magazine: Astronomy, Astrophotography & Space News - BBC Sky at Night Magazine

José J. Chambó captured this image of Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) on 24 December 2022 from Mayhill, New Mexico, USA.

Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) Observe the comet throughout January 2023

How long does a comet last, and why do they disintegrate?

What is a comet?

Electric Wizardry by Shane Turgeon, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Category: Aurorae. Equipment: Canon 1DX camera, 14mm f/2.5, ISO 1000, 6-second exposure

Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2023 opens for entries

A view of Venus through a Canon SX610HS hand-held camera and (inset) through an 80mm refractor telescope captured by Roger Samworth from his upstairs window in Warwickshire, UK, 12 November 2018.

See Venus return to the evening sky this month

What's new?

New to astronomy?

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

Aurora header

14 things new stargazers should know

Friends stargazing. Credit: EvgeniyShkolenko / Getty

Observing guide How to see the planets in 2023

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?

dark-matter-map-hubble-main_0

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 StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ scale

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.

Sky-Watcher Heritage 150P Virtuoso GTi Wi-Fi scale

Sky-Watcher Heritage 150P Virtuoso GTi Wi-Fi Dobsonian review

£419

Sharpstar Z4 sextuplet apo astrograph case

Sharpstar Z4 sextuplet apo astrograph review

Sky Watcher Quattro 150P f4 astrograph scale

Sky-Watcher Quattro 150P f/4 astrograph review

Vaonis Vespera Observation Station

Vaonis Vespera Observation Station review

Opticron Oregon Observation 11x70 binoculars

Binoculars for astronomy

Opticron Oregon Observation 11×70 binoculars review

£99 Price correct at time of review

Sky-Watcher Explorer 130P AZ GO 2 telescope

Sky-Watcher Explorer 130P AZ GO-2 review

Read more equipment reviews

Podcasts

BBC Sky at Night Magazine Star Diary podcast.

Star Diary 23 to 29 January 2023

BBC Sky at Night Magazine Star Diary podcast.

Star Diary 16 to 22 January

BBC Sky at Night Magazine Star Diary podcast.

Star Diary 9 to 15 January 2023

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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 photograph a comet. Credit: Pete Lawrence

Astrophotography guides

How to photograph a comet

Credit: abriendomundo / iStock / Getty Images Plus

Buyer's guide Best telescopes for astrophotography

The final, corrected image of the Monkey Head and Jellyfish Nebulae. ‘Background Gradient’ and ‘Rounds Stars’ from Georg Hennig’s suite of astronomy plug-ins removed vignetting, flattened the background and refined the stars.

Astrophotography guides

Fix uneven backgrounds and bloated stars in astrophotos

The famous Pillars of Creation, M16, photographed using the StarGate 500 motorised Dobsonian paired with Altair GPCAM 290c, 158x 5”. Credit: Paul Money

Astrophotography guides

How to stack and derotate images with Astro Pixel Processor

Vixen Mobile Porta Altazimuth Mount. Credit: Opticron

Astrophotography guides

How to do deep-sky astrophotography with an alt-az mount

Astrophotography galleries

apy 2022 winning image

Astrophotography

Astronomy Photographer of the Year 14 See this year's winning images

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

Spaceflight

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

Boeing's CST-100 Starliner approaches the International Space Station, 20 May 2022. Credit: Bob Hines/NASA

These are the big space missions to watch out for in 2023

Virgin Orbit spaceport cornwall launch

Virgin Orbit to launch first orbital spaceflight from UK soil tonight

A protostar begins to shine James Webb Space Telescope, 16 November 2022 Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, and STScI. Image processing: J. DePasquale, A. Pagan, and A. Koekemoer (STScI)

James Webb Space Telescope See the latest images

17 astronaut candidates were selected for the European Space Agency's Astronaut Class of 2022. Credit: ESA - P. Sebirot

UK astronauts selected as ESA unveils 17 new astronaut candidates

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

lunar occultation of mars

How to calculate and observe lunar occultations

make fairylight constellation

Make a light-up constellation with Christmas fairylights

Build an observing chair

Build an observing chair

More DIY astronomy projects