Freeware EXPLORED

There's a wealth of free astronomical software available online to enhance your observations. Pete Lawrence looks at some of the best on offer

Balmy nights of brilliant sights

Astronomer Will Gater picks out the celestial targets that will keep both observers and imagers enchanted on clear, June nights

Imaging NLCs on your smartphone

Coax your phone's camera into low-light mode and catch ethereal noctilucent clouds

THE BIG THREE

The top sights to observe or image this month

Spend a month with the Moon

Scott Levine follows Earth's natural satellite and jumps off to spot nearby targets

What's it like to be a PROFESSIONAL ASTRONOMER?

Understanding the cosmos takes the work of thousands of people. Ezzy Pearson spoke to astronomers across the world to look at the many different roles that go into observing our Universe

WideSky 80 f/6.25 ED refractor

An all-round telescope that works well for visual astronomy and astrophotography

Welcome to Galaxy Season

For many astronomers, springtime means one thing - galaxies. Stuart Atkinson reveals this season's deep-sky highlights

Field of View - Poetry in Lunar Motion

Poetry in lunar motion Caroline Burrows spends a month making poetic observations of the Moon

Pioneers of Dark Matter

The term 'dark matter' was coined a century ago this month. Govert Schilling selects seven scientists who shed light on astronomy's biggest mystery

Rosalind Franklin rover suspended

The consequences of big political shifts on Earth have reached as far as Mars

Our experts review the latest kit - FIRST LIGHT

Starbase 80 refractor and mount package - A user-friendly system with an achromatic telescope and portable altaz mount

Q&A WITH A PLANETARY RESEARCH SCIENTIST

Research into whether Venus had liquid oceans in its past is giving more insight into how Earth has so far avoided a runaway greenhouse effect

Learning about LAYERS

Expert astrophotographer Will Gater provides a beginner's guide to the power of layers-based image editing

Artemis I rocket reaches launch pad

Rocket bound for the Moon set for launch rehearsal

INSIDE THE SKY AT NIGHT

Georgina Dransfield visited Antarctica to search for exoplanets and filmed her time there for the April episode of The Sky at Night

From particles to parsecs

Toby Friend considers how the development of astronomy and cosmology on the largest of scales, and particle physics on the very smallest; has often been intertwined

In search of the Belt of Venus

Katrin Raynor-Evans looks at what causes the beautiful atmospheric phenomenon that occurs in the sky opposite a sunset or sunrise

Artemis takes aim at the Moon

As Artemis I goes through its final preparations, Niamh Shaw looks at this first step in a programme to return humanity to the Moon permanently

Annie Maunder

Ezzy Pearson celebrates the achievements of the early 20th century's great solar scientist

From City Lights to Deep Space

In the first part of a series that looks at urban stargazing through the four seasons, Rod Mollise reveals the wonders you can discover in spring

Vixen A105MII achromatic refractor

A well-built telescope that is tailored to intermediate astronomers

Return to the MOON

The Moon is about to get busy, both in orbit and on the surface

CUTTING EDGE

Our experts examine the hottest new research

ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY CAPTURE - Morning conjunctions

A month of planetary encounters offers opportunities to test your astro imaging skills

DIY ASTRONOMY - Make a solar projector

How to construct a home-built projector for safely viewing the Sun

Exploring the dark heart of WALES

The Cambrian Mountains has some of the world's darkest skies. Jamie Carter takes its Astro Trail to see why Wales is a stargazer's dream come true

ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY PROCESSING - APY Masterclass: Create a skyscape panorama

Processing an image to showcase the sky and a foreground

APOLLO 16

Misbehaving engines were among the mishaps on the penultimate Apollo landing. 50 years on, Ezzy Pearson looks back at the mission

Altair Astro Hypercam AA61CFX colour camera

A full-frame, cooled camera that will appeal to dedicated astro imagers