By Ian Whitely, chair of the Save Herstmonceux Observatory campaign Since the September issue of Astronomy Now went to press, we’ve heard that the lease to the Observatory Science Centre (OSC), Herstmonceux has been extended for 10 years. The announcement, on 18 August, follows a year of uncertainty after Queen’s University Canada declared that the lease to the current operators of the science centre, Science Projects, would not be renewed after December 2026. Now, a ten-year extended lea...| astronomynow.com
By Ian Whitely, chair of the Save Herstmonceux Observatory campaign Since the September issue of Astronomy Now went to press, we’ve heard that the lease to the Observatory Science Centre (OSC), Herstmonceux has been extended for 10 years. The announcement, on 18 August, follows a year of uncertainty after Queen’s University Canada declared that the lease to the current operators of the science centre, Science Projects, would not be renewed after December 2026. Now, a ten-year extended lea...| Astronomy Now
Get ready for a clash of the titans when Venus and Jupiter, the two brightest planets in our Solar System, come together for a dazzling event visible across the length and breadth of the UK. By Astronomy Now’s Night Sky manager Mark Armstrong.| astronomynow.com
August means the Perseids: the annual shooting star spectacular reaches its peak to wow meteor enthusiasts with abundant bright events, writes Astronomy Now's Night Sky manager Mark Armstrong.| Astronomy Now
Planets without stars may not be so lonely after all. New research led by astronomers at the University of St Andrews suggests that free-floating giant planets—those adrift in interstellar space—can host their own miniature planetary systems.| Astronomy Now
Professor Michele Dougherty in the lab at Imperial College. Credit: Imperial College.His Majesty The King has approved Professor Michele Dougherty as the new Astronomer Royal. Professor Dougherty will be the sixteenth person and the first woman to hold this role since its creation 350 years ago. The previous Astronomer Royal, Professor Lord Martin Rees, is retiring from the position.| astronomynow.com
Steven Young (right) symbolically hands over Astronomy Now to Stuart Clark. Credit: Neil Monaghan.| astronomynow.com
These pocket-sized binoculars transport the observer into a sea of stars covering a wide expanse of space.| Astronomy Now
Messier 57, the Ring Nebula, graces the constellation Lyra as one of the finest planetary nebulae in the night sky. A true summer showpiece, it's remarkably easy to locate and observe—even through modest instruments as small as 80mm (about three inches) in aperture.| Astronomy Now
This illustration shows the three basic steps astronomers use to calculate how fast the universe expands over time, a value called the Hubble constant. All the steps involve building a strong “cosmic distance ladder,” by starting with measuring accurate distances to nearby galaxies and then moving to galaxies farther and farther away. This “ladder” is a series of measurements of different kinds of astronomical objects with an intrinsic brightness that researchers can use to calculate ...| astronomynow.com
The universe may end far sooner than expected—within 10⁷⁸ years, not 10¹⁰⁰—according to Dutch researchers who reinterpreted Hawking radiation, suggesting all massive objects gradually decay over time.| Astronomy Now
The Moon is setting in the UK at the start of the umbral phase of the total eclipse of the Moon of 14 March. A sizeable part of the full Moon is in shadow before the Moon sets; here’s the view from Edinburgh at 5.20am GMT.Lunar eclipses occur when the full Moon moves into Earth’s shadow, known as the “umbra.” Unlike solar eclipses, they are safe to view with the naked eye. Experts from Starwalk highlight that while parts of Europe will catch a partial glimpse, Americans are in for a p...| astronomynow.com
On the morning of March 29, residents across the UK will have the chance to witness a partial solar eclipse—provided the weather cooperates. While this event doesn’t carry the breathtaking drama of a total solar eclipse, it’s still a rare and exciting opportunity to see the Moon partially cover the Sun from home soil. It’s not often that observers in the UK get to witness an eclipse of the Sun, so this occasion is definitely worth marking on your calendar. In fact, the last total sola...| astronomynow.com