Russell Deeks
Science writer
Russell Deeks is a freelance journalist specialising in science and technology. He has been an occasional contributor to BBC Sky at Night Magazine since 2006.
Recent articles by Russell Deeks
Conspiracy theorists beware! This week's lunar eclipse shows Earth isn't flat. Here's how to prove it yourself
The shadow of Earth during lunar eclipses proves that Earth isn't a flat disc, but is instead a round, spherical object
It's official. Spaceflight affects our genes. Now scientists need to work out how to combat the effects of weightlessness
Scientists have identified human genes that are adversely affected by exposure to microgravity and weightlessness during spaceflight
Stargazers see bright clouds – astrophysicists see an impending collision. These are the two nearby galaxies you've probably never heard of
A beginner's guide to the Magellanic Clouds and their impending collision with our own Galaxy
The physics secrets that dictate where NASA launches its rockets from (and why we don’t launch rockets from mountains)
The best places to launch rockets from and why some places on Earth are better for rocket launches than others
Ancient eclipses – from angry gods to Sun-eating dragons, how our ancestors worshipped and feared the moment the Moon swallowed the Sun
How ancient cultures viewed solar eclipses and how they interpreted them through their own culture and beliefs
Jupiter's strange icy moon has a secret ocean, making it one of the best places to search for life in our Solar System
Facts about Jupiter's icy moon Europa, one of the best places to search for life beyond Earth in our Solar System.
The planet that lost its crown. 28 amazing facts about Pluto, the icy world on the edge of the Solar System
Facts about Pluto, the dwarf planet in the Kuiper Belt
This large moon has the most battered surface in the Solar System – and NASA could put a base on it. Amazing facts about Jupiter's moon Callisto
Facts about Jupiter's moon Callisto, the third largest moon in the Solar System and the most heavily-cratered object.
Gallery | Uranus
A guide to the icy ringed giant
It's cracked and frozen, but it's one of the best places to search for alien life. Meet Saturn's icy moon Enceladus
Facts about Saturn's icy moon and its subsurface ocean
What is Area 51 and what really goes on there?
Area 51 is most known for it's inclusion in alien conspiracy theories. But what actually is Area 51 and what really goes on there?
This weird moon looks like mouldy pizza and is covered in active volcanoes. Meet Io, Jupiter's chaotic satellite
Io is a moon around Jupiter covered in active volcanoes. We've taken a look at what makes this Jovian satellite so special.
Facts about Titan, Saturn's largest moon
Dark side of the Moon? There's no such thing. Here's why
Why the phrase 'dark side of the Moon' doesn't really make sense
You'll never see a straight rainbow on Earth. Here's the science behind the curved beams of light in our sky
Why rainbows are always curved
Ganymede facts
Facts about Jupiter's largest moon Ganymede
Some say Earth's radiation belts mean human spaceflight is impossible. Here's why they're wrong
The science of the Van Allen Belts.
Does a beam of light travel forever, or will it eventually run out? Here's what the science says
Why doesn’t the Sun just float away into space? Here's what the science says
The Sun seems to be static, but in truth is anything but
A 'wall of death' on the Moon could help astronauts prevent their bodies from wasting away
Could the classic circus stunt be the answer to helping lunar settlers exercise?
How many planets are there? It's a trickier question to answer than you might think...
What makes a planet? How many are there in our Solar System and the wider Universe?
The story of Kepler-22b, the first exoplanet discovered orbiting in the Goldilocks Zone of its star
Kepler 22-b lies about 15% closer to its parent star than Earth does to the Sun
Our Galaxy and others are being pulled into deep space by something called the Great Attractor
In space, nothing is ever still. You feel like you’re sitting still as you read this, but you’re not
When does Easter fall and what does it have to do with the Moon?
Why Easter moves around year after year, and what it's got to do with the full Moon
