Star Diary

Star Diary 4 to 10 March 2024

03 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Two comets pass overhead this week. Find out how to see both of them in our weekly stargazing podcast, Star Diary.   Learn to capture the planets in ...

Star Diary 26 February to 3 March 2024

25 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Catch Jupiter’s Great Red Spot. Hear the details in this week’s stargazing guide podcast, Star Diary.   Make an animation of Jupiter: https://ww...

Star Diary 19 to 25 February 2024

18 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Watch Callisto pass under Jupiter. Get the details in the latest episode of our weekly stargazing guide podcast.     Transcription: www.skyatnight...

How x-rays unlock the secrets of the Universe

16 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Optical expert Dr Charly Feldman from the University of Leicester discusses her work on China’s Einstein probe, and reveals how x-ray vision unlocks...

Star Diary 12 to 18 February 2024

11 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Watch Venus pass through the morning sky this Valentine’s Day. Get the details in the latest episode of our weekly stargazing guide podcast.   Pho...

Star Diary 5 to 11 February 2024

04 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Watch the shadows of Jupiter’s moons as they pass across the face of the planet. Get the details in the latest episode of our weekly stargazing guid...

Star Diary 29 January to 4 February 2024

28 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Search for a comet in the morning twilight all this week. Get the details in the latest episode of our weekly stargazing guide podcast. Learn how to m...

Star Diary 22 to 28 January 2024

21 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Catch all 8 of the Solar System’s planets in one night! Get the details in the latest episode of our weekly stargazing guide podcast. Transcription:...

How Asteroid Bennu could unlock the secrets of the Solar System

19 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Prof Sara Russell of the UK’s Natural History Museum reveals how she will be studying the samples of Asteroid Bennu returned to Earth by NASA’s OS...

Star Diary 15 to 21 January 2024

14 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Jupiter appears to gain another moon this week as it passes another star. Find out how to see it and other astronomy highlights in this week’s starg...

Star Diary 8 to 14 January 2024

07 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Watch the rare sight of a moon’s shadow passing across the face of Saturn. Get the details in the latest episode of our weekly stargazing guide podc...

Star Diary 1 to 7 January 2024

31 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Quadrantids meteor shower lights up the night sky, while Comet 144P Kushida passes by on the latest episode of our weekly stargazing podcast.  Me...

Star Diary, 25 to 31 December 2023

24 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Venus puts on a good show on Christmas morning, while Mercury reappears in time for the new year in the latest episode of our weekly stargazing podcas...

Star Diary, 18 to 24 December 2023

17 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jupiter, Uranus and the Pleiades line up for a Christmas Eve treat in our weekly stargazing guide. Transcription: www.skyatnightmagazine.com/podcast...

Star Diary, 11 to 17 December 2023

10 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Watch the minor planet Vesta as it moves past the Monkey Head Nebula in this week’s stargazing guide. Transcription: www.skyatnightmagazine.com/po...

Star Diary, 4 to 10 December 2023

03 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Take a look at the evening Milky Way while the Moon is out of view in this week’s stargazing guide. Transcription: www.skyatnightmagazine.com/podca...

Moonshot success, with astronaut Mike Massimino

01 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Former NASA astronaut and spacewalker Mike Massimino is perhaps best known for his work repairing the Hubble Space Telescope in Earth orbit. In this e...

Star Diary, 27 November to 3 December 2023

26 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The full Moon offers a great chance to see ray features before gliding past the Beehive cluster in this week’s stargazing guide. Transcription: www...

Star Diary, 20 to 26 November 2023

19 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Moon points the way to Neptune, before heading on to the Pleiades in this week’s stargazing guide.  Transcription: www.skyatnightmagazine.com/...

Star Diary, 13 to 19 November 2023

12 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Leonids meteor shower and Jupiter’s moons pass in front of the planet’s in this week’s stargazing guide. Transcription: www.skyatnightma...

Star Diary, 6 to 12 November 2023

05 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Saturn’s moons – including Titan, Iapatus and Dione – will be putting on a great show this week. Find out how to catch it and other astronom...

Star Diary, 30 October to 5 November 2023

28 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jupiter reaches opposition and will be high and bright in the night sky. Find out how to catch it and other astronomy highlights in this week’s epis...

Star Diary, 23 to 29 October 2023

21 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A partial lunar eclipse is the highlight of this week’s stargazing guide. Listen now for all the latest astronomy highlights. Learn all about our d...

Interview: The Search for Alien Life

19 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

If intelligent alien life did exist out there in the cosmos, how would we find it? This episode, astronomer Adam Frank discusses his latest book The L...

Star Diary, 16 to 22 October 2023

14 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Comet 103P Hartley continues to pass across the sky, while Venus dominates the morning sky in this week’s stargazing guide. Listen now to catch all...

How can we see the heat of the Big Bang?

10 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We discuss how the cosmic microwave background (CMB) can reveal the earliest days of the Universe with cosmologist Ermina Calabrese from Cardiff Unive...

Star Diary, 9 to 15 October 2023

07 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Comet 103P Hartley will streak its way across the sky this week, while Venus shines brightly in the morning sky. Listen now to catch all of this we...

Star Diary, 2 to 8 October 2023

30 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Draconids meteor shower puts on a show and the Moon brushes past the Pleiades star cluster in this week’s stargazing guide. Listen now to catc...

Star Diary, 25 September to 1 October 2023

23 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Uranus lines up with Jupiter and the Pleiades this week, making it a great chance to see this faint planet. Find out how in our weekly stargazing guid...

Star Diary: 18 to 24 September 2023

16 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The equinox signals the start of autumn, and Neptune reaches opposition. Find out what other astronomy highlights are coming up in our weekly stargaz...

Exploring a magnetic Solar System

14 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Professor Michele Dougherty reveals what we can learn by studying the magnetic fields of Solar System bodies, why the Cassini mission was so important...

Star Diary, 11 to 17 September 2023

09 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome back the winter sky, and take in the Milky Way as we take you through the astronomy highlights in our weekly stargazing guide. Learn all about...

Star Diary, 4 to 10 September 2023

02 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

 The Milky Way is on fabulous display this week as the Moon clears out of the evening sky, while the Moon passes close to the Pleiades in this week’...

Star Dairy, 28 August to 3 September , 2023

26 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week the Super Blue Moon takes centre stage in this week’s stargazing guide. Transcript [URL: https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/podcasts/star...

Star Dairy, 21 to 27 August, 2023

19 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Saturn’s rings are disappearing, so make sure you don’t miss the planet as it passes through opposition in this week’s stargazing guide. Transcr...

Star Diary, 14 to 20 August

12 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

All four gas giants will be visible this week, as well as other highlights in our stargazing guide. Transcript [URL: https://www.skyatnightmagazine.co...

Star Diary, 7 to 13 August

05 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Perseid meteor shower is due to put on a great show in this week’s stargazing guide. Transcript [URL: https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/podcast...

Star Diary, 31 July to 6 August

29 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The first of August’s supermoons and the appearance of the Pleiades feature in this week’s stargazing guide. Transcript [URL: https://www.skyatni...

Hunting down strange signals with humans and machines.

25 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Telescopes like JWST or the upcoming Square Kilometre Array have the power to reveal the hidden depths of the Universe. Their images contain not just ...

Star Diary, 24 to 30 July

22 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Keep an eye out for the three innermost planets just after sunset in this week’s stargazing guide. Transcript [URL: https://www.skyatnightmagazine....

Interview: Spaceflight entrepreneur Mishaal Ashemimry

20 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Mishaal Ashemimry started her own aerospace company at the age of 26, aiming to build the space industry in her home nation of Saudi Arabia. Now she w...

Star Diary, 17 to 23 July

15 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Transcript [URL: https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/podcasts/star-diary-17-july-2023/ ] How to see the ISS in the night sky [URL: https://www.skyatn...

Star Diary, 10 to 16 July, 2023

08 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Pleiades return to the morning sky, while the Moon pairs up with Jupiter in this week’s stargazing guide. Transcript [URL: https://www.skyatnig...

Detecting spacetime ripples of supermassive black holes

04 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

How do you measure ultra-low-frequency gravitational waves coming from the centres of distant galaxies? By observing their effect on cosmic clocks of ...

Star Diary, 3rd to 9th of July, 2023

01 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Venus, Mars and Regulus around themselves together in the night sky in this week’s stargazing guide. Transcript: https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/...

Star Diary, 26 June to 2 July, 2023

24 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Mars and Venus make their closest approach of the year in this week’s stargazing highlights. Transcript: https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/podcasts...

Star Diary, 19 to 25 June, 2023

17 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

As the summer solstice approaches, take a look at Venus and Mars in this week’s stargazing guide Transcript: https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/pod...

The search for Earth 2.0

15 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

 How close are we to finding life beyond Earth? Are habitable planets common outside of our Solar System? Astronomer Chris Impey discusses exoplanet ...

Star Diary, 11 to 18 June, 2023

10 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week’s stargazing highlights include the earliest sunrise of the year, and Venus clipping the top of the Beehive Cluster. Transcript [URL: ht...

Star Diary, 5 to 11 June, 2023

03 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Keep an eye on the supernova in the Pinwheel Galaxy, M101, while the Moon passes under Saturn. Transcript [URL: https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/po...

Star Diary, 29 May to 4 June, 2023

27 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Mars will pass through the heart of the Beehive cluster in this week’s stargazing guide. Transcript [URL: https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/podcas...

Star Diary, 22 to 28 May, 2023

22 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Watch out for Noctilucent clouds, and Mars and Venus continue to dominate the evening sky in this week’s stargazing guide. Transcript [URL: https:/...

Interview: Space Shuttle astronaut Kathy Sullivan

18 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Former NASA astronaut Kathy Sullivan talks about her oceanographic exploits, what it’s like to stare at planet Earth during a spacewalk, her part in...

Star Diary, 15 to 23 May, 2023

13 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jupiter passes behind the Moon in a daylight occultation and Mars lines up with Castor and Pollux in Gemini in this week’s stargazing guide. Transcr...

Star Diary, 8 to 14 May, 2023

06 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Venus and Mars pass through Gemini, and the minor meteor shower the Eta Lyrids will light up the sky in this weeks stargazing guide. Transcript [URL: ...

Star Diary, 1 to 7 May, 2023

29 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Venus passes between the horns of Taurus, and it’s a great time to look at the double star Porrima in this week’s stargazing guide. Transcript [UR...

Star Diary, 24 to 30 April 2023

22 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Mars makes its way through Gemini, while Saturn begins to emerge in the week’s stargazing guide. Transcript [URL: https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com...

Interview: Comet Madness

20 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The return of Halley's Comet in 1910 saw many media outlets report on the supposed end of civilisation that would occur as the celestial wanderer pass...

Star Diary: What’s in the night sky, 17 to 23 April

15 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Lyrids meteor shower peaks this week, and Venus approaches the moon in this week’s stargazing highlights Transcript [URL https://www.skyatnight...

Humans Of Space: Peter Visscher

09 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Rover engineer Pete Visscher discusses what it takes to put a wheeled robot on another planet, and how he began his career in space exploration.   Le...

Star Diary: What’s in the night sky, 10 to 16 April

08 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Venus passes by the Pleiades and the Moon blocks out the star Alniyat in this week’s stargazing highlights. Transcript [URL: https://www.skyatnight...

Interview: From pop star to Star City with Lance Bass

02 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In 2002, Lance Bass (formerly of N’Sync) spent six months training to be a cosmonaut. We talk to him about his experience and his new podcast, The L...

Star Diary: What’s in the night sky, 3 to 9 April

01 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Venus brushes past the Pleiades in this week’s stargazing guide. Transcript  https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/podcasts/star-diary-3-april-2023/ L...

Humans Of Space: Aaron Yung

26 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

NASA scientist Aaron Yung talks about what it’s like being an astrophysicist working with the James Webb Space Telescope, and what inspired him to f...

Star Diary: What’s in the night sky, 27 March to 2 April

26 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Mars and the crescent Moon make a lovely pairing in this week’s stargazing guide. Transcript https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/podcasts/star-diary-...

Star Diary: What’s in the night sky, 20 to 26 March

19 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

 Ceres reaches opposition, while the New Moon offers a great time for deep-sky observing. Transcript https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/podcasts/star...

Black holes and bending spacetime

17 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Astrophysicist Luciano Rezzolla discusses the mind-blowing properties of gravity and his quest to understand black holes Learn more about your ad choi...

Humans Of Space: Nicole Stott

13 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Former NASA astronaut Nicole Stott reveals what made her choose a career in spaceflight, what it’s like living in zero gravity and how her experienc...

Star Diary: What’s in the night sky, 13 to 19 March, 2023

12 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Ceres reaches opposition in the asteroid belt, while the planet Venus continues to dominate the sky in this week’s stargazing guide. Transcript http...

Star Diary: What's in the night sky, 6th March to 12th March 2023

05 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week’s full Moon offers a great opportunity for some lunar observing in this week’s stargazing guide. Transcript: https://www.skyatnightmaga...

Humans Of Space: Jeff Hoffman

27 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Humans Of Space is a podcast all about the people who have changed the way we view the cosmos, and how they got to be where they are today. In this ep...

Star Diary: What's in the night sky, 27 February to 5 March 2023

26 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jupiter and Venus shine brightly together, while the Moon meets up with Mars in this week’s stargazing guide. Transcript [link: https://www.skyatni...

Observing the 850-year-old aftermath of colliding stars

24 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Astronomer Robert Fesen discusses his observations and images of a beautiful nebula that is likely the result of two collided what dwarf stars, tallyi...

Star Diary: What's in the night sky, 20 to 26 February 2023

19 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It’s the last chance to see the Green Comet E3 as it moves through Orion, while the Moon and Mars point the way to Uranus in this week’s stargazin...

Humans Of Space: James L. Green

13 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The first episode of a new podcast series talking to the people who change the way we look at the Universe, and how they got to be where they are toda...

Star Diary: What's in the night sky, 13 to 19 February 2023

12 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Green Comet E3 is still visible, while Venus and Neptune put on a great show in this week's stargazing highlights. Transcript Find out how to obse...

Star Diary: What’s in the night sky, 6 to 12 February 2023

05 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Green Comet E3 continues its journey across the sky, while Mare Orientale is on show in this weeks stargazing guide. Transcript Observe the Green ...

Star Diary: What’s in the night sky, 30 January to 5 February 2023

29 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Green Comet passes closest to Earth, Mercury reaches greatest elongation and there's a Minimoon in this week's stargazing guide. Transcript Astrop...

Interview: Is interstellar travel possible?

23 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

NASA physicist Les Johnson discusses the science of interstellar travel, whether it's currently possible, and the challenges facing humanity as we see...

Star Diary: What’s in the night sky, 23 to 29 January 2023

22 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Venus meets Saturn next to the crescent Moon, while Comet C/2022 E3 ZTF continues to shine in this week's star gazing guide. Transcript Observe Venus ...

Star Diary: What’s in the night sky, 16 to 22 January 2023

15 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Venus and Saturn line up this week, while Jupiter's makes its closest approach to the Sun as it passes through perihelion in this week's stargazing gu...

Star Diary: What’s in the night sky, 9 to 15 January 2023

08 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Mars reaches it stationary point, while the new Moon allows for some deep-sky observing in this week's astronomy guide. Transcript Hosted on Acast. S...

Star Diary: What’s in the night sky, 2 to 8 January, 2023

01 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Quadrantids meteor shower in this week's stargazing guide PLUS we take a look at 2023's stargazing highlights. Transcript Guide to observing meteo...

Star Diary: What’s in the night sky, 26 Dec '22 to 1 Jan '23

25 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Mars passes the Pleiades and Saturn approaches the Moon in this week's stargazing guide. Transcript How many stars in the Pleiades can you count? Ho...

Star Diary: What’s in the night sky, 19 to 25 September 2022

18 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A Christmas Comet/C 2022 E3 ZTF and the meeting of Mercury and Venus are highlights in this festive edition of our weekly stargazing guide. Transcript...

What would happen if we made contact with extra-terrestrial intelligence?

17 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

What would happen if we made contact with an extra-terrestrial civilisation? Do organisations like NASA and the United Nations have protocol in place?...

Star Diary: What’s in the night sky, 12 to 18 December 2022

11 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The Geminids meteor shower is the highlight of this week's stargazing guide, which also sees the Moon pass several bright stars. Transcript How to see...

Interview: Apollo 17 student ambassador Dermot Gethings

07 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Apollo 17 was the final human moon landing mission from NASA. Student ambassador Dermot Gethings was on of 80 students who got a behind the scenes loo...

Star Diary: What’s in the night sky, 5 to 11 December 2022

04 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Mars will be occulted by the Moon while at opposition this week - a truly historic occasion. Find out out more in our weekly stargazing guide. Transcr...

Star Diary: What’s in the night sky, 28 November to 4 December 2022

27 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Mars' closest approach to Earth as Saturn and Jupiter approach the crescent Moon in this week's stargazing guide. Transcript Hosted on Acast. See aca...

Star Diary: What’s in the night sky, 21 to 27 November 2022

20 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's stargazing guide, we take advantage of the new Moon for some deep-sky astronomy. Transcript Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for...

Star Diary: What’s in the night sky, 14 to 20 November 2022

13 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The Leonid meteor shower returns and the moon Callisto brushes past Jupiter in this week's stargazing guide. Transcript Hosted on Acast. See acast.co...

Star Diary: What’s in the night sky, 7 to 13 November 2022

07 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The Moon glides past Uranus, the Pleiades and Castor & Pollux in this week's stargazing guide. Transcript Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for ...

Amazing cosmic facts

04 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Astrophysicist Dr Jillian Scudder reveals some of the most mind-blowing facts about the universe, including why the Milky Way smells of raspberries, h...

Star Diary: What’s in the night sky, 31 October to 6 November2022

30 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's stargazing guide: catch Saturn, Vesta and the Moon together, watch out for Jupiter on Bonfire Night. Transcript Hosted on Acast. See a...

Star Diary: What’s in the night sky, 24 to 30 October 2022

27 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A partial solar eclipse and a Mars going into retrograde in this weekly stargazing guide. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Piecing together the history of the Universe

23 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

How much do astronomers know about the evolution of the cosmos? Prof Nial Tanvir from the University of Leicester talks about the early Universe, the ...

Webb Telescope and the secrets of the Solar System

20 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We spoke to University of Leicester planetary scientist Prof Leigh Fletcher about the James Webb Space Telescope, why it observes in infrared, what it...

Star Diary: What’s in the night sky, 17 to 23 October 2022

16 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The Orionids meteor shower peaks this week, and Mercury passes by the binary star Porrima in our weekly stargazing guide. Transcript Hosted on Acast....

Star Diary: What’s in the night sky, 10 to 16 October 2022

09 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Watch out for Mars and the Pleiades as the Moon passes by as we run down this week's stargazing highlights. Transcript Hosted on Acast. See acast.com...