The Night Sky
Why the Moon Changes Shape Through the Month
Why the Moon changes shape through the month comes down to sunlight and viewing angle; learn to read its phases…
The archive
Dispatches
Browse lasting explanations of the sky, the objects beyond Earth, the history of astronomy and the craft of looking closely.
Ways of Seeing
Binoculars or a Small Telescope for a First Look?
Binoculars or a small telescope? Match the instrument to the kind of sky view you want, from broad star fields to…
Astronomy History
Before the Telescope: How Star Maps Made the Sky Legible
See how Ptolemy’s star catalogue and medieval star charts helped observers identify stars, compare positions and pass…
Celestial Objects
The North Star Is Not the Brightest Star in the Sky
The North Star is not the brightest star in the sky, but its position near the north celestial pole makes it a steady…
The Night Sky
A Clear Autumn Evening for Learning the Constellations
Learn constellations on a clear autumn evening by tracing a few recognisable star patterns and recording how they…
Our outlook
The sky rewards a second look
A familiar patch of night can hold more than one story: a changing phase, an old observing habit, or a question that reaches beyond Earth.