Astronomy Photographer of the Year | 2025 shortlist
Eureka! We thought we knew how the Universe works, but these radical ideas changed everything
Astrophysicist Ersilia Vaudo explores five key moments in astronomy and space science that forever changed what we know about the cosmos
Group of photographers capture stunning image of distant galaxy with a black hole at its heart
Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS
If Pluto has a liquid ocean, it's one of the best places to search for life beyond Earth
ESA Proba-3 mission first images
Finally! Webb has discovered water ice around a nearby star just like our own Solar System
Oxygen on Earth is running out. Here’s what that means for us
Earth’s oxygen-rich atmosphere is not a permanent feature, and its loss will mark the end of complex life on our planet," says Kazumi Ozaki, Assistant Professor at Toho University
Venus is more like Earth than we thought. Archive NASA data allows scientists to peer beneath the surface
"A new worst case scenario." Biggest solar storm ever recorded hit our planet in 12,350 BC at the end of the Ice Age
BBC Sky at Night Magazine virtual events
The Art of Solar Imaging
Our expert talks will show you how to work with the Sun’s intense light in safety and capture the effects of solar maximum
Masterclass: Aurora
The science of the aurora, how to plan and predict the aurora and capture a display using smartphones and DSLR cameras
Masterclass: Sunspots
What sunspots are, what kit you can get on a budget to safely observe and image their movement across the Sun
Masterclass: Sun's interior
The kit needed to photograph the Sun's dynamic features and how to process your solar images to make them even better
New to astronomy?
Our simple guides will help you make the most of your time under the stars
14 things new stargazers should know
New to astronomy? Here are some things you'll notice in the night sky as you spend your first year stargazing.
How to become a better astronomer
You've spent many hours observing the night sky. So how can you improve and be more productive at the telescope eyepiece?
How to stargaze from a city
Light pollution from towns and cities makes viewing the night sky a tricky business. But there are things you can do to help.
How to star-hop the night sky
Stuck trying to find stars? Star-hopping is a tried and tested technique that will help you to navigate the sky.
Astronomy advice
Answers to some of the most commonly-asked cosmic questions
Why did it take so long for astronomers to discover Uranus?
Why was Uranus not known to ancient astronomers?
How many stars can a person see in the night sky?
When we look up at the night sky, how many stars can we see, and what magnitude can the human eye see unaided?
What came before the Big Bang? These are the best theories we have about the origin of the cosmos
We explore the theories about one of the most mind-boggling questions about the Universe.
Why the Moon sometimes looks orange
What causes the Moon to appear a red, rusty colour?
Buyers' guides
Our pick of the best astronomy equipment
Best telescope mounts
On the hunt for a new telescope mount, or picking one to go with your first telescope? Read our guide to the best mounts, both budget models and high-end.
Best binoculars for astronomy
Binoculars are a great way of getting into astronomy and stargazing.
Buyer's guide | Best astro imaging cameras
Which cameras are best for astrophotography and what type should you buy? We'll guide you through the different types and the best cameras on the market.
Best beginners' telescopes
Looking to buy your first telescope but don't know where to start? We've picked out some of the best beginner telescopes on the market.
10 of the best wi-fi and smartphone telescopes in 2025
Our pick of the best telescopes operated via a smartphone or tablet.
Best telescopes for kids
Buying a telescope for children can be a tricky task. We've tested some of the best telescopes for kids and young people getting started in astronomy.
Astronomy equipment reviews
The latest telescopes, cameras, binoculars, mounts and accessories tried and tested.
ZWO ASI585MM Pro cooled mono camera
Pegasus Astro NYX-88 mount
This sturdy yet light mount delivers near-flawless, reliable, on-the-button accuracy
Sky-Watcher Heliostar 76Ha refractor review
Starpoint Australis Octans portable observatory review
Altair 678c colour USB3 astronomy camera
A fast-frame-rate, high-sensitivity option for imaging the Moon and planets,
ZWO Seestar S30 smart telescope review
Sure to tempt beginners, the S50’s tiny sibling is affordable, super-simple and great fun
Podcasts
Radio Astronomy Podcast | Detecting spacetime ripples of black holes
Astronomers have detected evidence of gravitational waves from supermassive black holes at the centres of merging galaxies.
Podcast: The search for Earth 2.0
Astronomer Chris Impey discusses the search for habitable worlds beyond our Solar System.
Podcast | Lance Bass
We speak with Lance Bass - former member of boyband N'Sync - about his experience training as a cosmonaut and his new podcast The Last Soviet.
Astrophotography
Photograph the Corn Moon rising and you'll be able to debunk an illusion as old as the Moon itself
How to photograph this weekend's blood Moon total lunar eclipse
Lunar eclipses explained
What is a lunar eclipse and why do they happen? Discover the science of lunar eclipses and view amazing pictures of the rusty-red 'blood Moon'.
How to photograph a lunar eclipse
Read our astrophotography guide and image a lunar eclipse.
Comet-chaser captures image of comet that could become visible through binoculars this autumn
How to combine the night sky with a foreground landscape to making a stunning starry night photo
Astrophotography galleries
Voyager's best images of the Solar System
Forty years ago, the twin Voyager spacecraft launched from Cape Canaveral in Florida, sending back beautiful images of our Solar System, the like of which had never been seen before.
Gallery | Kemble's Cascade
Advice on how to observe Kemble's Cascade, and images of the asterism.
Gallery | Caldwell 7
Images of and facts about Caldwell 7, a spiral galaxy in Camelopardalis.
Best ways to observe a full Moon
Some will tell you a full Moon is the worst time to observe our lunar neighbour, but there's still plenty to see when the Moon is fully illuminated.
Hubble | 11 images that revolutionised our view of the cosmos
A look at some of the galaxies, black holes and light-warping gravity observed by Hubble since its launch.
Facts about Mars
Mars is one of the most explored bodies of our Solar System. Our spacecraft and rovers are revealing its secrets bit by bit, including whether it could have hosted life…
Spaceflight
Vintage Sagan, vintage Voyager. NASA video shows historic conference where Solar System photo is shown for the first time
Clear skies on Mars as NASA rover captures one of the sharpest panoramas of the Red Planet ever taken
Remastered photos show the golden era of American crewed spaceflight in dazzling new light
Andy Saunders' latest book, Gemini and Mercury Remastered, restores archive NASA imagery with modern technology
Hour-long quakes on the Moon could disrupt future crewed missions. Here's how NASA is planning ahead
See that tiny dot? That's us, from 290 million km away. Spacecraft spies Earth and Moon on its journey to asteroid
Big change for British space sector as the UK Space Agency to be streamlined, government says
Fastest human-made objects ever built
Jupiter-bound spacecraft tests its instruments on our Moon, on the same patch as the iconic Apollo Earthrise image
DIY Astronomy
Can't see the aurora? You can detect it with a homemade magnetometer
Follow our guide to create your own record of space weather and produce an audio recording of it. Written by Stuart Green
How to stop dew forming on your telescope
Why dew forms on your telescope's optics, and how you can stop it from fogging up your observing.
How to make a solar projection screen for safe observing the Sun or solar eclipse
Safely record features moving across the face of the Sun with this simple device.
