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    1. Home
    2. Astronomy for beginners

    Astronomy for beginners

    Are you new to astronomy? Our beginners’ guides are filled with hints and tips to help you get started in observing the night sky.

    A composite images showing the stages of a solar eclipse. Photo by Vishal Bhatnagar/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
    Advice

    What is a solar eclipse?

    An annular solar eclipse captured from Lubbock, Texas in 2012. Credit: Willoughby Owen / Getty Images
    Advice

    Eclipses 2021 This year's solar and lunar eclipses

    What to see in the night sky in 2021. Credit: Christianto Soning / EyeEm / Getty Images
    Advice

    Stargazing 2021 What to see in the night sky this year

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    The Moon may always keep the same face turned to us, but the terminator makes sure that face keeps changing. Image Credit: iStock
    Science

    Why does the Moon have phases?

    What you need to know when buying a secondhand telescope or other astronomy equipment. Credit: BongkarnThanyakij / iStock / Getty Images, Steve Marsh
    Advice

    Buying a secondhand telescope: what you need to know

    A Quadrantid meteor appears in the night sky along with the Milky Way and the Aurora over Banff National Park, Canada, 3 January 2009. Credit: Stocktrek Images / Getty Images
    Skills

    Quadrantids 2021 See the first major meteor shower of 2021

    The Orion constellation. Credit: VW Pics / Getty Images'
    Skills

    Observing guide Best winter constellations

    What to see in the night sky on 25 December. Credit: Allexxandar / Getty Images
    Skills

    Christmas Astronomy What's in the night sky on 25 December

    How to see the Great Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn, 21 December 2020. Credit: Pete Lawrence
    Skills

    Great Conjunction See Jupiter and Saturn's planetary 'kiss', 21 December

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    Leave your telescope and binoculars at home. Meteor showers are best spotted with the naked eye. Credit: Isa Terli/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images
    Skills

    Ursids 2020 See this year's Christmas meteor shower

    The Geminids is one of the most prolific meteor showers of the year. Credit: Pete Lawrence
    Advice

    Geminids 2020 How to see this year's meteor shower

    Though the Moon completes an orbit of Earth in 27.3 days, it takes 29.5 to complete a cycle of phases due to our planet's motion around the Sun. Image Credit: iStock
    Skills

    Observing guide Spend a month with the Moon

    Neptune is located in a triangle formed by Phi (ϕ) Aquarii, 96 Aquarii and HIP 115257
    Skills

    Observing guide How to see the planets, December 2020

    The Orion constellation. Credit: iStock
    Skills

    Thanksgiving stars Spend this year's holiday with Orion

    The Leonid meteor shower as seen from Lampang Thailand. Credit: NirutiStock / Getty Images
    Skills

    Leonids 2020 How to see this year's meteor shower

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