Skills

Our guide to what altaz mounts are, how they work and why they're important for practical astronomy.

If you’re a newcomer to astronomy, you’ve come to the right place. We’ll have you marvelling at the Universe in no time.

The Perseid meteor shower begins late July and peaks every August. Find out how you can spot a Perseid in the night sky this month.

How to make the most of your observations of the worlds of the Solar System.

Coax your phone’s camera into low-light mode and catch ethereal noctilucent clouds.

High altitude clouds on the edge of space, noctilucent clouds or NLCs are a delight for summer stargazers.

Mars and Jupiter steal the show as the planets start to improve this month.

Our month-by-month guide to locating the planets throughout 2024

This week is the best time to view Mars all year, as the Red Planet reaches opposition.

As Mars approaches opposition, take time to make the most of the Red Planet.

Find out whether there is a meteor shower occurring above the UK tonight, when the next one is, and how to see a meteor for yourself.

Grand Canyon National Park has embraced its International Dark Sky status.

For newcomers to astronomy, setting up an equatorial mount may seem a daunting task, but it's easy when you know how.

Find out what planets are worth observing in the sky this month.

Have you ever wanted to safely look at the Sun and spot its dynamic features? Read our guide to find out how.

Learn how to identify the errors that can occur in your telescope’s optics.

Monitor the progress of sunspot activity on the surface of our host star.

Top tips an online resources for taking the guesswork out of catching the amazing natural spectacle.

You don't always need a telescope or binoculars to see beautiful star clusters in the night sky. Here are our top 5 open clusters visible with the naked eye.

The Eta Aquariid meteor shower 2023 peaks on the evening of 6/7 May, but a full Moon will hamper the view.

Take your aurora astrophotography to the next level by creating a beautiful panorama showing off its colourful wisps.

Capture the movement of a planet or other object over multiple nights by creating a composite astrophoto that tracks a celestial target across the night sky.