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

woman observing night sky through telescope

Observing guide See Neptune in the night sky throughout October

Discovery of hot Neptune-sized world could help solve planetary puzzle

Leftover galaxy ‘nuggets’ could reveal the secrets of the early Universe

Dr Becky Smethurst. Credit: Angel Li

Interview Becky Smethurst talks black holes

apy 2022 winning image

Astrophotography

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

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 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?

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 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.

Explore Scientific 4K Planetary Deep Sky Astro Camera package

Explore Scientific 4K Planetary & Deep Sky Astro Camera

Altair Wave Series 130EDT-F F7 apo refractor scale

Altair Wave Series 130EDT-F F7

Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ

Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ 5.1-inch Newtonian reflector

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

Read more equipment reviews

Podcasts

Star Diary astronomy podcast. Find out what's in the night sky, March 2021

Star Diary: 10 to 16 October, 2022

Star Diary astronomy podcast. Find out what's in the night sky, March 2021

Star Diary: 3 to 9 October 2022

Dart impact NASA

Interview: NASA’s plan to crash into an asteroid

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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

An illustration showing Jupiter and its four Galilean moons, from left to right Io, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto. Credit: NASA/JPL/DLR

Gallery Jupiter's Galilean moons

Kynance Cove under the Milky Way Louise Jones (UK). Category: The Sir Patrick Moore Prize for Best Newcomer. Equipment Nikon D7100 camera, Sigma 10-20 mm lens at 10 mm f/3.5, ISO 3200, 5 x 25-second exposures.

Astronomy Photographer of the Year 14 Watch the awards online

Which camera is best for astrophotography? Credit: iStock / Getty Images Plus

Buyer's guide Best astro imaging cameras

Astrophotography a beginner's guide. Credit: Bento Fotography / Getty Images

Astrophotography

Astrophotography A beginner's guide

How to create an animation of Jupiter

Astrophotography guides

How to make a planetary animation of Jupiter

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

Asteroid moonlet Dimorphos as seen by the DART spacecraft, 11 seconds before impact. Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL

NASA’s DART mission successfully impacts asteroid

NASA’s Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft at Launch Pad 39B NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, 17 August 2022, ready for the Artemis I launch. Credit: NASA/Joel Kowsky

Artemis I mission NASA scrubs upcoming launch attempts

Illustration of NASA's DART mission. Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL

NASA's DART mission Watch the asteroid impact live tonight

Artist's impression of NASA’s DART spacecraft and the Italian Space Agency’s (ASI) LICIACube. Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Steve Gribben

NASA’s DART: The mission to crash into an asteroid

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 make a scale model of the Solar System

DIY Astronomy Make a Solar System model

binocular sunbed mount

How to turn your sunbed into a mount for binoculars

How to make a sundial

How to make a sundial

More DIY astronomy projects