Skills

There’s no better way to familiarise yourself with the Moon than by drawing it. Credit: Deirdre Kelleghan.

How to draw the Moon

Shadows are key to lunar study; as they move, grow and fade, new aspects of familiar surface features come to the fore. Credit: Pete Lawrence

Astrophoto guides

Imaging for science How to photograph the Moon

The Moon, as seen by the Lick Observatory. Credit: Lick Observatory

Patrick Moore’s guide to observing the Moon

Aurora imaged over Inari, Finland. Credit: Yuichi Yokota / EyeEm / GettyImages

Looking for the Northern Lights: how to find the aurora by yourself

Longer nights mean more time at the telescope. Make sure you're prepared for the 2019/20 astronomy season. Credit: m-gucci/GettyImages

Astronomy guide Night-sky highlights, autumn-winter 2019-2020

The first question an amateur astronomer often asks after buying a telescope is, 'How far into the night sky can I see with my equipment?' Credit: Panther Media GMBH/Alamy Stock Photo

How far can you see into space? A deep-sky tour

As it moves away from the Sun’s glare, Venus will eventually be seen against darker skies in coming weeks. Credit: Pete Lawrence

Observing guide How to see Venus throughout September 2019

Neptune and its largest moon Triton imaged through a 356mm telescope. Credit: Pete Lawrence

Observing guide The best planets to see in September's night sky.

A sense of wonder: from a dark-sky site a wealth of deep-sky objects can be seen even with the naked eye, including the Milky Way, Orion Nebula and star clusters such as the Pleiades and Hyades. Credit: Mixetto/iStock/Getty Images

Deep-sky astronomy: a beginner’s guide

Slooh's Chile setup. Credit: Slooh Observatory

Armchair astrophotography: how to use a remote telescope

Can you spot each of Patrick Moore's top galaxies to see in the night sky during autumn?

Patrick Moore’s top 5 autumn galaxies

Thanks to new technology, detailed images of Neptune and Uranus are within the grasp of even amateur astronomers. Credit: iStock

Astrophoto guides

How to take photos of Uranus and Neptune

If you're a planetary imager, make sure your laptop and software are ready for a new season of astronomy. Credit: Steve Marsh

Autumn astronomy The best targets for longer nights

Good preparation will help you get the most out the darker autumn and winter nights. Credit: Astrobobo/iStock/GettyImages

The astronomy season returns: how to prepare for darker nights

Jupiter, Mars, Saturn and Venus imaged through Dobsonian scopes. Credit: Martin Lewis

Astrophoto guides

Imaging planets with a Dobsonian telescope