The sky guide challenge

One of the greatest draws of astrophotography is how it blends science and creativity. Once you get to know your camera’s settings, you’ll unlock a plethora of ways to image the night sky. Even a humb

The worst time to look at the Moon is when it’s full, right? Not necessarily. It’s true that at full Moon, sunlight hits the surface head-on, flattening the appearance of its rugged landscape of deep

Thursday 2 Dwarf planet Ceres reaches opposition in the constellation of Cetus, shining at mag. +7.6. Find further details on page 47. Friday ▶ 3 Tonight and the night of 17/18 October are good times

The beauty of sky gazing is how simple and adaptable it is. Begin whenever you have some time outside or near a window where you can see the sky, even if it’s just a patch. When you feel emotionally overloaded or flat, try it for a few minutes at a time.

Astronomers love a challenge. They place their observatories on the highest mountains, in the driest deserts, on the coldest ice shelves, beneath the deepest oceans, in orbit around Earth and the Sun,

BEST TIME TO SEE: 6, 13, 21 and 29 October at the times shown With long, dark nights settling in and Saturn favourably positioned in the sky, now’s a great time to catch an unusual view of the ringed