Pete Lawrence
Astronomer and presenter
Pete Lawrence is an experienced astronomer and astrophotographer, and a presenter on BBC's The Sky at Night.
Recent articles by Pete Lawrence
Ever seen a strange flash in the night sky? This is what it could be
A guide to strange lights and flashes in the sky
Stargazing | What to see in the night sky this month
What can you see in the night sky tonight? Find out what's on view in our monthly stargazing guide.
Eta Aquariids 2026 | See this year's meteor shower
How to see the Eta Aquariids meteor shower this year.
See Venus meet the crescent Moon and Uranus this weekend
Beautiful conjunctions of Venus, Uranus, the Moon and the Pleiades
Lyrid meteor shower 2026
Our complete guide to seeing the Lyrids
Visible planets in the night sky, April 2026
Your guide to seeing the planets in 2026
Venus is back! And it's only going to get better. How to see the Evening Star throughout April
A guide to observing the Evening Star this month
How to photograph a conjunction of planets and the Moon
Read our beginner's guide and find out how to capture a beautiful astronomical conjunction with a smartphone or a camera.
There's a chance to see a wafer-thin Moon with Venus this week. Are you up to the challenge?
A chance to see a thin crescent Moon on 19 March 2026 – catch the sweet spot after sunset when the sky is dark before the Moon gets too low.
Observing guide | What comets and asteroids are in the sky tonight?
What comets and asteroids can you see in the sky tonight and over the coming weeks? Find out when and where to look to see a Near Earth Object.
How to see comets 24P/Schaumasse and C/2024 E1 Wierzchoś
Comet 24P/Schaumasse is well placed during February 2026, but fading
Jupiter is still king of the planets in March 2026. Here's how to see it at its best
Jupiter is your planet of the month for March 2026
Observing guide | Visible planets in March
A guide to observing the planets in March, and which planets will not be visible.
Visible planets in the night sky, February 2026
How to see the planets in the sky this month.
How to photograph the Moon
How to take photos of the Moon: photograph a crescent, capture craters, what equipment you need, techniques, tips and photographing the Moon with a smartphone.
How to photograph an enormous Moon on the horizon
Observing guide | How to observe the Moon
Want to get to know the Moon better? Discover how to explore our celestial neighbour with our observing guide.
Gallery | Harvest Moon
What is a Harvest Moon, and and are they really worth the hype?
Smart telescopes – what they do and how to use one
A guide to the automated telescopes controlled via the push of a button
February 2026 is your best chance to see Mercury. Here's how to make the most of the planet
There's a good chance to spot the closest planet to the Sun this month
In February 2026, the Moon meets the stars and planets in the night sky. Here's how to see it all
How to see the Moon meet stars and planets this month
A guide to Regulus, the brightest star in Leo
Find out how to observe one of the brightest stars in the spring sky.
As the next full Moon approaches, we'll get to see it pass in front of a beautiful blue star cluster
Around 21:30 UT, the 68%-lit waxing gibbous Moon can be seen crossing the northern section of the Pleiades open cluster.
Observing comet 3I/ATLAS in January 2026
Comet 3I/ATLAS is a rare interstellar visitor, a comet not gravitationally bound to any star, and only the third such object ever identified. When discovered by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) survey in Rio Hurtado, Chile, on 1 July 2025, it was 670 million km from the Sun, technically within the inner Solar System. Its closest approach to Earth, 270 million km or 1.8 AU, was on 19 December 2025. Perihelion occurred on 29 October, 203 million km or 1.36 AU from the Sun. Thought to originate from a region of the Milky Way populated by older stars,
