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.
Best binocular targets to see tonight | Best things to see in the night sky with binoculars tonight
With binoculars you can see so much more in the night sky. Take our deep-sky tour and find out.
Best things to see in the Southern Hemisphere sky, May 2026
Find out what's in the night sky tonight from your Southern Hemisphere location.
Next full Moon dates 2025
Find out when the next full Moon is visible, and full Moon names for 2026.
null
undefined
Venus-Jupiter conjunction in June 2026
See Venus and Jupiter meet for a celestial summer spectacle
Jupiter is one of the best planets to see in May 2026. Here's our complete guide for the whole month
How to track the planet Jupiter in the night sky throughout 2026, including best times to see and how to observe the gas giant
Stepping out to see a full Moon tonight? Here are 6 easy ways to enjoy its spectacle
How to make the most of and enjoy a full Moon or supermoon.
Tonight’s Flower Moon kicks off a rare two-Moon month. Here's why you shouldn't miss it
How to see the 2026 Flower Moon
Venus and Jupiter are side-by-side in May 2026, with a close encounter coming in June. Here's how to track them every night
Track the two brightest planets at the moment as they head for a close encounter this summer
That bright star near the Flower Moon tonight? That's Spica, one of the brightest stars of springtime
Can you see a bright star close to the Moon tonight? That's Spica
Stargazing | What to see in the night sky this month
What can you see in the night sky tonight? Find out what's on view in our monthly stargazing guide.
Eta Aquariids 2026 | See this year's meteor shower
How to see the Eta Aquariids meteor shower this year.
Halley's Comet meteor shower 2026. Top tips for beginners observing the Eta Aquariids
Our top tips for beginners heading out to see an Eta Aquariid meteor
Missed the peak? There's still time to see the Lyrid meteor shower, but tonight's your final chance
A beginner's guide to making the best of the Lyrid meteor shower peak
See Venus meet the crescent Moon and Uranus this weekend
Beautiful conjunctions of Venus, Uranus, the Moon and the Pleiades
Astronomy explained | What's a blue Moon?
What is a blue Moon and when is the next one? Find out what the term means and the astronomical definition in our blue Moon guide.
Lyrid meteor shower 2026
Our complete guide to seeing the Lyrids
Astronomy explained | Why do we always see the same side of the Moon?
Why does the same side of the Moon always face Earth?
Visible planets in the night sky, April 2026
Your guide to seeing the planets in 2026
Moon phases and times 2025
Dates for the Moon phases this year and timings for Moonrise every day.
This is one of the best weeks for Moon-watching. As full Moon nears, see it meet Jupiter, stars and star clusters every night
In late March 2026 the Moon meets Jupiter, the Pleiades, the Beehive Cluster and Regulus. Take our lunar tour as the Moon hops across the sky
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?
Astronomy explained | The Planets
A guide to the planets of the Solar System, their order in distance from the Sun, and facts about the rocky terrestrial worlds and the gas giants.
Want to learn how to stargaze? Here's how to get started in 12 easy steps
Stargazing is easy: you just have to look up! But getting started can be daunting for some. Read our top tips for spending your first night under the stars.
Astronomy for beginners
Want to see stars, constellations and planets in the night sky but aren't sure where to start? Read our beginner's guide to observing the cosmos.
