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
Astronomers may finally have found a companion star orbiting the red giant on Orion's shoulder
Our Sun’s magnetic field is twice as strong as we thought. We may need to rethink our space weather forecasts
Planets | August 2025
Make the most of Saturn at opposition this month with our guide to observing the planets.
August planet parade – six planets and the Moon visible in the sky this month
Jupiter-bound spacecraft tests its instruments on our Moon, on the same patch as the iconic Apollo Earthrise image
A very rare kind of black hole has been discovered by astronomers, and it's devouring a nearby star
Brrrrr! This is the coldest place in the Universe we know of. It's a dying star called the Boomerang Nebula
The Boomerang Nebula is the only known place colder than the glow left over from the Big Bang.
Interview | What happened during the first seconds of the Universe?
We spoke to astrophysicist and Fermilab scientist Professor Dan Hooper, to find out what we currently know about the first moments after the birth of the Universe.
Astronomers observe the very early Universe running in slow motion
Using cosmic clocks known as 'quasars', a team of astronomers perceive the early Universe running much slower than the present day.
Scientists may have massively underestimated how powerful our Sun is, and how it affects life on Earth
No, there's no total solar eclipse next month. Here's when the 'August 2 eclipse' is really happening
India is in the centre of the Blood Moon lunar eclipse on September 7, 2025. Here's where else you can see the whole event
How an 18th century comet-hunter's list of targets to avoid became the most famous astronomy catalogue
The complete Messier Catalogue, including magnitudes and coordinates to find each one in the night sky.
Saturn, the enormous gas giant, could float on water (if you could find a big enough bathtub)
Best beginners' telescopes
Looking to buy your first telescope but don't know where to start? We've picked out some of the best beginner telescopes on the market.
Next full Moon dates 2025
Find out when the next full Moon is visible, and full Moon names for 2025.