Earlier this year, a science team led by Dr Queenie Chan announced her team had found the ingredients for life in two meteorites. Come and hear her tell us about this profound discovery.
How to observe the eclipse of the Moon
There’s a total eclipse of the Moon on Monday 21 January 2019. Great news, but there’s one slight problem – it occurs in the wee small hours of the morning. Read more
Join the world in 100 hours of astronomy
From Thursday 10 to Sunday 13 January 2019, people all over the world will be turning their eyes, binoculars and telescopes on the skies to take part in 100 Hours of Astronomy. And anyone in the UK (with clear skies!) can join in using our guide to the sky. Read more
Our observing sections
Whatever your interests, we’ve a section to suit you. Get expert advice and send in your own observations.
Our weekend courses
We’ll be holding another weekend course in November 2019 – details to be announced. Meanwhile, you can click here to find out about last year’s Preston Montford Weekend Course
The night sky in January 2019
Here is a map of the sky as it will appear from the latitude of London (51° 50′) in mid January, 2019, at 22h UT (GMT).
How to get started in stargazing
Learning the sky might seem tricky at first. There are so many stars, and unlike visiting a new town or city, the stars keep on moving around!
Choosing a telescope
If you’re interested in astronomy, it stands to reason that you need a telescope, and the bigger the better.