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
Why February has only 28 days? Nothing more scientific than Roman superstition...
Why is February so short? Why do its days number just 28?
The colours of all the Solar System planets, and what causes them
What colour are the planets and why are their apparent hues so different?
You live here. This is where Earth, our Sun and all the planets are found within our Galaxy
Far from being at the centre of the Universe, Earth is located in the spiral arm of a fairly small galaxy.
The biggest thing in the Universe is the Hercules-Corona Borealis Great Wall, 10 billion lightyears across
29 of the scariest things in space
Take our tour of terror through the cosmos.
Is space really silent? Turns out the answer's not as simple as you think
We're told there's no sound in space; that it's silent. But is that strictly true?
When will the world end? Here's what science says are the biggest ways Earth could meet its doom
Can science tell us when the world will end?
Earth doesn't have rings, but it may once have (and humans have done a good job trying to give it some)
Does Earth have rings? As is so often the case in astronomy, this is one of those seemingly simple questions that actually has no simple, obvious answer. Or at least, not one that tells the whole story, because there IS, of course, a simple, obvious answer readily available – that answer being no, Earth doesn't have rings. Read more For proof of that, just look up! Were Earth encircled, like Saturn, by rings of rock, ice and dust, you’d expect same to be visible with the naked eye at least some of the time… but there’s nothing there. Why do
From the Cold War to Artemis – 20 of the bravest astronauts who ever donned a spacesuit
15 astronauts who had the right stuff, and more
To boldly go... The story of astronaut Alan Shepard, the first American in space
The story of Alan Shepard, the first American in space.
Gravity in space? Despite what you may think, there's loads of it
The force we call gravity is everywhere and affecting everything.
Ever seen the 'spiders' on Mars? Strange features are as big as 35 basketball courts. Scientists have worked out what they are
It turns out David Bowie was right: there really are spiders on Mars! These ones, though, aren’t eight-legged creepy-crawlies, but rather a geological phenomenon. Spiders on Mars are really a geological phenomenon called ‘araneiform terrain’, if you want to get all technical about it. More on Mars All the same, look at pictures of the Martian surface by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter or Mars Express missions. These little black bobs do indeed look like dozens of spiders crawling around. What causes spiders on Mars The 'spiders' on Mars aren't really spiders, of course. Spiders on Mars are a seasonal feature
'What the heck is this?' Webb Telescope finds diamond-raining planet that defies explanation
Eggnog is out! Here's how astronauts really spend Christmas in space
Yes, your Christmas lights CAN be seen from space – just ask NASA
This strange butterfly-shaped cloud in space is what our Sun may look like in 5 billion years
Tonight the Moon is closer to Earth than at any other time. Here's why it happens
21 coolest things in space
Our pick of some of the coolest things in space that we know of.
A guide to the planets | Neptune
Despite being the farthest planet from the Sun, Neptune's winds blow stronger than any hurricane on Earth.
There's an ancient version of planet Earth hidden all around us. Here's how scientists found it
This mountaintop lab just fired a laser into the sky to talk to a distant spacecraft
Think you know where the Sun rises and sets? You may not have the full picture
A guide to the planets | Saturn
Saturn's rings make it the most eye-catching planet in the Solar System
How long it takes light from the Sun to reach Earth
The answer is either 8 minutes 20 seconds or thousands of years, depending on how you look at it!
