You may have bought this December issue of BBC Sky at Night Magazine because you’ve been given – or you’ve treated yourself to – a new telescope for Christmas. And you may be wondering what to do with

Spot magnificent wintertime sky illuminations in these key hotspots

1 Dec 00:00 AEDT (30 Nov, 13:00 UT) 15 Dec 23:00 AEDT (12:00 UT) 31 Dec 22:00 AEDT (11:00 UT) The chart accurately matches the sky on the dates and times shown for Sydney, Australia. The sky is differ

The Milky Way is a firm favourite for nightscape photographers and astrophotographers alike, but beautiful images of our Galaxy are well within reach of beginners with basic entry-level equipment too.

Liz Zorab chooses her favourite plants inspired by the skies

Cecil Navick and Francis Bozon, captured remotely via Obstech, El Sauce Observatory, Chile, 4 May–28 June 2025 Cecil and Francis say: “We chose NGC 6164 because it’s rarely photographed, plus it’s a t