Astronomy for beginners

Beginners guides, hints and tips to help you get started in the world of astronomy.

The Orion Nebula

A beginner’s guide to nebulae

A portable setup that's easy to transport makes observing at dark-sky sites much easier. Credit: Lucentius / iStock / Getty Images Plus

The pros of a portable astronomy setup

Get stargazing with Back Garden Astronomy Week

The first question an amateur astronomer often asks after buying a telescope is, 'How far into the night sky can I see with my equipment?' Credit: Panther Media GMBH/Alamy Stock Photo

How far can you see into space? A deep-sky tour

A sense of wonder: from a dark-sky site a wealth of deep-sky objects can be seen even with the naked eye, including the Milky Way, Orion Nebula and star clusters such as the Pleiades and Hyades. Credit: Mixetto/iStock/Getty Images

Deep-sky astronomy: a beginner’s guide

A good telescope combined with excellent viewing conditions away from light pollution will give you incredible views of the night sky. Credit: iStock

Amateur astronomy societies in the UK and Ireland: a guide

Astronomy dictionary © Getty Images

Astronomy Dictionary

A set of LRGB filters allows the capture of full colour images of celestial objects using a sensitive mono camera. Read our review of the Astronomik L-RGB Type 2c Colour Filter Set here. Credit: First Light Optics

An astronomer’s guide to filters

Astrocamp in the Brecon Beacons is an event run by passionate astronomers, located under some of the best dark skies in the UK Credit: Jamie Carter

Star parties: a guide to attending an astronomy event

Credit: Cheltenham Science Festival

The best UK science festivals for astronomy

Solarsphere is one of the UK's best known star parties, and takes place annually in August in the beautiful Welsh countryside. Credit: Pete Williamson

UK and Ireland star parties: a guide to the best stargazing events

Man looking through telescope. Credit: Panther Media GMBH/Alamy Stock Photo

A buyer’s guide to telescopes: getting the most from your equipment

Finderscopes and mounts are basic accessories that will help you - and your telescope - navigate the night sky and locate celestial targets. Credit: BBC Sky at Night Magazine

A buyer’s guide to telescopes: astronomy accessories

Man looking at the stars with telescope beside him. Credit: iStock

A buyer’s guide to telescopes: choosing your first scope

CEM-equatorial-mount

A Basic Guide to Telescope Mounts