BBC Sky at Night Magazine
The science of sci-fi spaceships
From Jules Verne to Avatar, Dallas Campbell traces how fiction shaped our dreams of space travel – and even drove real advances in rocket science
7 min |
February 2026
BBC Sky at Night Magazine
New images reveal active interstellar comet 31/ATLAS
NASA and ESA capture gas, dust and a plasma tail ahead of the comet's closest Earth approach
1 min |
February 2026
BBC Sky at Night Magazine
Moon events in February
Astronomy is a fascinating science that's based on observing. Some sights, such as those wonders located in the deep sky, are static, while others – like the motions of the planets and their moons – are dynamic.
2 min |
February 2026
BBC Sky at Night Magazine
Astronomy Photographer of the Year
The world-leading astrophotography competition returns. Could your image take the top prize of £10,000?
2 min |
February 2026
BBC Sky at Night Magazine
Asteroid provides sweet clues to life's origins
Ribose and glucose detected in pristine dust samples from the asteroid Bennu
1 min |
February 2026
BBC Sky at Night Magazine
What happens to planets when their STAR DIES?
The Sun faces its fiery finale in five billion years. Keith Cooper asks: will the Solar System perish or could some worlds survive?
6 min |
February 2026
BBC Sky at Night Magazine
Stars above... sparks below
Whether it's drama in your astro club or tensions with your family, Mark Westmoquette shares advice to keep stargazing stress-free
2 min |
February 2026
BBC Sky at Night Magazine
NOVAStar Scarlet A62Q 62mm f/8.4 quadruplet achromatic refractor
Well-built and capable, this beginner scope punches well above its bargain price
4 min |
February 2026
BBC Sky at Night Magazine
Q&A WITH A GAMMA RAY SPECIALIST
In 2025, astronomers detected a blast from space that lasted seven hours. Now they're uncovering the strange processes behind the exceptional outburst
3 min |
February 2026
BBC Sky at Night Magazine
Detecting meteors at home: Part 1
In the first of two parts, we show you how to build your own simple meteor detector
3 min |
February 2026
BBC Sky at Night Magazine
Why our Sun doesn't have a twin
Most Sun-like stars orbit a partner, but ours ended up alone. We explain how- and why its lonely path set the stage for life
2 min |
February 2026
BBC Sky at Night Magazine
Sparks fly in Mars's atmosphere
Perseverance detects first-ever electrical crackles from a dust devil
1 min |
February 2026
BBC Sky at Night Magazine
Space telescopes under threat
Projected 560,000 satellites could overwhelm future observatories
1 min |
February 2026
BBC Sky at Night Magazine
INSIDE THE SKY AT NIGHT
We've now found thousands of exoplanets, yet the first exomoon still eludes us. George Dransfield tells us why the hunt is tough, but a breakthrough may be close
3 min |
February 2026
BBC Sky at Night Magazine
Turn back time on Jupiter
How to use de-rotation to freeze Jupiter's spin and get your sharpest pics yet
3 min |
February 2026
BBC Sky at Night Magazine
Reveal Jupiter in a striking new light
Combine methane data with RGB to show its dynamic high-altitude clouds
3 min |
February 2026
BBC Sky at Night Magazine
Aliens on our doorstep
Could life be closer than we think? Ben Evans surveys the Solar System's likeliest hideouts - and what might live there
7 min |
February 2026
BBC Sky at Night Magazine
Who invented the Southern Cross?
The smallest constellation - and one of the most celebrated - is Crux, the Southern Cross. Lost for centuries, then reborn as a guiding beacon for explorers, its story is told here by Ian Ridpath
8 min |
February 2026
BBC Sky at Night Magazine
Is Russia out of the space race?
Damage to Russia's only crew launch pad throws its space programme into doubt
1 min |
February 2026
BBC Sky at Night Magazine
Lunar tricks of the light
There are several well-timed clair-obscur (or trick-of-the-light) effects visible on the Moon this month, all clustered around the first quarter Moon which occurs on 24 February.
1 min |
February 2026
BBC Sky at Night Magazine
Tele Vue Nagler Type-7 series eyepieces
These premium optics were inspired by Apollo - and deliver a giant leap to your views
4 min |
February 2026
How It Works UK
REMOTE ABILITIES
Infrared remotes are cheaper and more power-efficient than Bluetooth alternatives
1 min |
Issue 211
How It Works UK
WALKING STRAIN
In England, 17 per cent of men and 25 per cent of women over 50 use walking sticks for mobility
1 min |
Issue 211
How It Works UK
HOME DELIVERY FOR ISS RESIDENTS
On 29 October 2025, the HTV-X1 cargo spacecraft reached the International Space Station (ISS). Launched by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), in this image the spacecraft is being gripped by the ISS' Canadarm2 robotic arm. It delivered vital equipment for cardiovascular research and spacesuit maintenance. While on board, the ISS astronauts are studying how blood circulates between vessels in the human body in microgravity.
1 min |
Issue 211
How It Works UK
SEE THE BUTTERFLY NEBULA LIKE NEVER BEFORE
On 26 November 2025, the Gemini South telescope turned 25, and astronomers celebrated its birthday with a dazzling new image of the Butterfly Nebula.
1 min |
Issue 211
How It Works UK
LASERS TARGET THETARANTULA NEBULA WITH 'ARTIFICIAL STARS'
In November 2025, the Very Large Telescope (VLT) used its powerful interferometer, the VLTI, as part of its GRAVITY+ upgrade.
1 min |
Issue 211
How It Works UK
A high-fibre diet may ‘rejuvenate' immune cells that fight cancer
Microbes in the gut can help the immune system fight cancer, and a fibre-rich diet may be the key to unlocking those benefits, a study in mice suggests. The immune system is a key player in the body’s battle against cancer. On the front line of this resistance are CD8+ killer T cells, a type of immune cell that marauds around tumours and then exterminates the cancerous cells. But after each successive battle, these cells become worn out and don’t find tumours as effectively. As such, treatments that provide the cells with enough pep to finish their job are in high demand.
2 min |
Issue 211
How It Works UK
Moss survived for nine months on the outside of the International Space Station
Moss spores have survived a prolonged trip to space. The spores spent nine months on the outside of the ISS before returning to our planet, and over 80 per cent of the spores were still able to reproduce when they arrived back on Earth.
2 min |
Issue 211
How It Works UK
ASTRONAUTS SEE COMET LEMMON 'ABSORBED' BY AURORAE
For skywatchers, scientists and even the astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS), the skies have been active. The Sun has released its largest eruptions of 2025, sparking a series of aurorae that have reached as far south as Mexico. While astronauts on the ISS had to take shelter during the recent solar storms to avoid potentially dangerous radiation, they did manage to capture this image of Comet Lemmon appearing near the aurorae on Earth.
1 min |
Issue 211
How It Works UK
SATELLITE CAPTURES THE DESTRUCTIVE POWER OF HURRICANE MELISSA
In October 2025, Hurricane Melissa roared ashore in Jamaica, leaving behind a trail of destruction that's still being tallied.
1 min |