It sounds like the title of a cheesy 1940s romantic film, but the Lyrid meteors are active between 16 and 25 April. And this year, moonlight will interfere quite badly with observations – though if you are persistent, and given the current settled weather, you could strike lucky and see a few of these shooting stars. Read more
27 April, 2019: How to leave the planet. Speaker: Dallas Campbell
At our London meeting on 27 April, science broadcaster and author Dallas Campbell looks to the future and foresees the day when ordinary people will be able to follow in the footsteps of Neil Armstrong.
Catch asteroid Pallas
There may be a dearth of major planets in the night sky at the moment – Mars is now getting lost in the evening twilight over in the west, and Jupiter doesn’t rise until the early hours of the morning – but there’s a minor planet around that is well worth a look. 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 April 2019
Here is a map of the sky as it will appear from the latitude of London (51° 50′) in mid April, 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.