Become an astronomer

Planetary physicist Dr Sheila Kanani on why now is the time to spot shooting stars and a sunlit Saturn

Star and deep-sky catalogues are crucial resources for making sense of the night sky. There are a lot of them, though – so many, in fact, that you almost need a catalogue of catalogues to keep track o

How our knowledge of these worlds beyond the Solar System has exploded in the last three decades

When the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) launched on Christmas Day 2021, astronomers hoped it would revolutionise our understanding of the early stages of the Universe. And they were right. Almost a

Imagine an early human out on the savannah, stepping away from the evening fire, glancing up at the dark sky and being totally captivated by the tiny, twinkling sparks dotted everywhere. Eyes wide, he

◀ Tuesday 2 The Lunar X and V clair-obscur effects can be seen on this evening’s Moon. Your best view will be around 23:41 BST (22:41 UT). Thursday 4 This morning, Titan’s shadow transits Saturn’s glo