Iain Todd
Science journalist
Iain Todd is BBC Sky at Night Magazine's Content Editor. He fell in love with the night sky when he caught his first glimpse of Orion, aged 10.
Recent articles by Iain Todd
Jupiter is smaller and more squashed than we thought, says NASA
NASA's Juno spacecraft reveals the gas giant isn't as big as we thought
The latest images of insterstellar comet 3I/ATLAS
It started out as a small dot moving across a sea of stars in a black and white image, and now has evolved into a large, bright object with a glowing tail, courtesy of some of the best telescopes humanity has ever built. Comet 3I/ATLAS continues to amaze scientists, astronomers and even mere mortals like. And unsurprisingly, professional comet-watchers have been utilising our best observing engineering to find out as much as they can, while they can. That's because 3I/ATLAS is merely passing through our Solar System, and won't be around for long. Comet 3I/ATLAS is one of only three
3I/ATLAS breakthrough – ingredients for life and sharp brightening detected at interstellar visitor
Comet 3I/ATLAS is "releasing a cocktail of chemicals that haven’t been exposed to space for billions of years," say scientists
Worm 'blood' Moon lunar eclipse, March 2025
The third full Moon of 2026 will be visible on 3 March just after sunset, marking the rise of this year's so-called Worm Moon. A bright full Moon is one of the night sky's greatest naked-eye sights, and is a brilliant target to get kids and newcomers interested in the night sky. Sign up to the BBC Sky at Night Magazine e-newsletter for lunar times and phases delivered to your email inbox every week. Before the advent of electric lighting, a bright full Moon like the Worm Moon must have been a great comfort to travellers who had to undertake
Next full Moon dates 2025
Find out when the next full Moon is visible, and full Moon names for 2025.
Confused about solar flares? 11 facts that reveal what they are and why they cause the aurora
Yet another strong flare erupts from the Sun. Could we be in for an aurora weekend?
Stronger aurora displays could be visible on 4–6 February
Six-planet parade, February 2026. How to see it
Another planet parade is coming up. How excited should we be?
Why planetary alignments happen
The planetary alignment of January 2025 caused quite a stir online, with many people wanting to know more about this apparently unique parade of planets in the night sky, and why it happens. There were even some outlets purporting that the planets would be aligned in the sky for one night only, making 21 January 2025 the only time to see these Solar System worlds together in a single view. In truth, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune were visible for weeks before this date, and still visible into early February 2025. Being able to see six planets in
Artificial Intelligence just drove NASA's robotic rover on Mars for the first time
Generative AI was used to plan and execute a successful route across the Red Planet
By the time astronauts get to Mars, they may no longer be able to walk. These scientists could have the answer
Could AI help warn astronauts about the dangers of weightlessness?
Rocket fuel leak delays NASA's Artemis II mission to the Moon by a month. Is this a big deal?
Artemis II will now launch in March 2026 at the earliest
Artemis II astronauts released from quarantine as launch date pushed back to March 2026
Another milestone in the first crewed mission to the Moon since Apollo
Artemis II launch delayed to March as fuel leak and communications issues arise during rehearsal
Get updates on the latest preparations for the launch of NASA's Artemis II mission
Why can't Artemis II just launch right away? This is what it takes to get astronauts to the Moon and back
How NASA decides the launch dates for the Artemis II mission to the Moon
NASA launch dates for Artemis II
Potential launch dates for the Artemis II mission to the Moon
How far away does an astronaut need to be to see the whole of planet Earth?
ISS images show zoomed-in detail; Apollo images show a distant blue disc. How far do you have to be in space to see Earth in one go?
Full Moon rises over NASA's Artemis II rocket. Photographers capture perfect picture of human endeavour
Shot of a lifetime captures the Snow Moon above the rocket that will take humans around the Moon
Tonight we'll see the full Moon swallow a bright star. Here's how to know if you're in the right spot to see it
If you were out observing the Snow Moon over the past weekend, you likely saw it close to Jupiter, which is currently one of the brightest objects in the night sky. Tonight, 2 February, there's a chance to see the full Moon close to the brightest star in the constellation Leo. And, if you're in the right part of the world, you'll get to see the Moon pass in front of this bright star, temporarily hiding it from view. Get weekly stargazing updates and Moon phases delivered directly to your email inbox by signing up to the BBC Sky at
Tonight's Snow Moon is a last chance to see a high Moon of winter. Here are 6 reasons to catch it
That bright star near tonight's Snow Moon? That's Jupiter, currently the best planet to see in the sky
I'll be taking early morning walks to see this weekend's full Moon. Here's why you should too
A morning full Moon is a beautiful thing
Snow Moon
How to make the most of February's full Moon, known as the Snow Moon.
If asteroid YR4 hits our Moon, it'll cause a bright flash and meteors as debris hits Earth, say scientists
New study shows the possible effects of a lunar impact