Practical astronomy
Confused about the jet stream? This is it in a nutshell, and how it affects life on Earth
Predicting the position of the jet stream can be the difference between catching spectacular astronomical sights, or being treated to little more than a distant blur.
Five beautiful galaxies to see in the night sky this autumn. How many can you tick off the list?
In one of Patrick Moore's columns for BBC Sky at Night Magazine, the late astronomer and broadcaster reveals his favourite galaxies to spot in autumn's night skies.
Saturn opposition | See the ringed planet at its best
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Never attended an astronomy show before? Here are seven reasons why you should
Ever heard of a massing in astronomy? It's when three or more celestial bodies come together in the sky
See Uranus at opposition in November, the best time to observe the distant icy world
Currently at its brightest and reaching 56° altitude, now’s the time to view and image Uranus.
Barnard's Star is the closest single star to Earth. Star-hop your way to finding it with our guide
Our guide will help you star-hop across the Milky Way to find one of the nearest stars to the Solar System.
Averted vision: how to get a better view of night-sky objects
Averted vision enables the observer to see faint celestial objects with more clarity. With a bit of patience you'll see distant objects much clearer.
How to thermally optimise your telescope
Tube currents in your telescope can affect the ability of the optics to bring light to a sharp focus. We show you how to combat these irritating effects.
Astrophotography With A Smartphone: Timelapses
How to take social media-quality night sky images with your mobile phone
The planets return! Solar System worlds will be spectacular in the latter half of 2024. Here's how to see them
The worlds of our Solar System make a spectacular return to the night sky in the second half of this year.
Confused about equatorial mounts? Find out how to set one up and track objects across the night sky
For newcomers to astronomy, setting up an equatorial mount may seem a daunting task, but it's easy when you know how.
How to diagnose and fix telescope optical aberrations
Learn how to identify the errors that can occur in your telescope’s optics.
Patrick Moore's top 10 winter astronomy sights
A tour of spectacular deep-sky objects with the late Sir Patrick Moore’s pick of his personal favourites.
How to make a binocular mirror mount
Keep your binoculars steady with a mount that faces down to look up
How to use a planisphere
Even in the digital age, the planisphere is an invaluable aid to getting your bearings in the night sky.
What to take on a Highlands astronomy adventure
Scotland’s dark sky sites are some of the best places in Europe to stargaze. Our equipment guide will help you make the most out of an astronomy camping trip
Getting the best out of old astronomy equipment
The summer is a great opportunity to get out our old astronomical telescopes and cameras and see what needs refurbishing.
Astronomy in the wake of Black Lives Matter
Following the Black Lives Matter movement, we've taken a look at what the space industry is doing to help BAME astronomers and scientists.
How Patrick Moore mapped the Moon
In the first issue of BBC Sky at Night Magazine, the late Sir Patrick Moore described his early fascination with the Moon and how, faced with a lack of data, he decided to jolly well map it for himself.
African astronomy: where to stargaze on the continent
With some of the best ‘astro-farms’ and stargazing hotels, some under southern hemisphere night skies, Africa is fast becoming an intriguing dark-sky destination for astronomers.
How to photograph the night sky
Have you ever wanted to photograph the night sky? Royal Observatory Greenwich astronomer Tom Kerss reveals his top astrophotography tips. As told to Lorin R Robinson.
A guide to celestial coordinates
There’s more than one way to locate a star, but you only really need to know two
Build a low-cost wooden tripod
Build our low-cost wooden telescope tripod as a non-permanent alternative to a solid pier or home observatory.