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Top stories

Bright fireball seen over UK on 28 February

Robin Scagell Top stories 2nd March 20212nd March 2021
Bright fireball seen over UK on 28 February

Over 1000 reports have now been received about the fireball that occurred over the UK on Sunday 28 February. Experts are predicting that any meteorites from the event would have fallen near Cheltenham.

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Strike a light! It’s Vesta

Robin Scagell Top stories 30th January 202130th January 2021
Strike a light! It’s Vesta

The brightest asteroid, Vesta, is putting in an appearance in the sky this spring. You can find it easily using binoculars, in the constellation of Leo, the Lion.

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Space Station visible in early evening in January

Robin Scagell Top stories 21st January 20212nd March 2021
Space Station visible in early evening in January

The International Space Station is making a spectacular series of evening passes over the UK, continuing until the first week in February. You can view it from your back garden as long as you have a good view of the sky, so there’s no need to travel anywhere to see it.

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Look for Uranus next to Mars

Robin Scagell Top stories 16th January 202116th January 2021January sky, mars, Uranus
Look for Uranus next to Mars

This January, finding the planet Uranus with binoculars is made much easier because there’s a brilliant pointer right beside it – Mars. It’s like having a big arrow in the sky showing you where to look.

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A conjunction to remember

Robin Scagell Top stories 26th December 202026th December 2020
A conjunction to remember

The Great Conjunction of 2020 – when Jupiter and Saturn were closer in the sky than at any time for nearly 400 years – has now taken place. Jupiter is now to the east of Saturn in the sky and is moving away from it daily, but you can still see the pair until the first week in January when they will start to get very low in evening twilight sky.

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Watch a close encounter

Robin Scagell Top stories 15th December 202015th December 2020
Watch a close encounter

Jupiter and Saturn are getting closer together as seen in the sky – and on Monday 21 December they’ll be closer than at any time in nearly 400 years.

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A great year for Geminids

Robin Scagell Top stories 7th December 20207th December 2020
A great year for Geminids

The Geminid meteors (shooting stars) are at their best this December, and with no Moon around to wash out the view, all you have to worry about is the clouds!

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Video guide to the December sky

Robin Scagell Top stories 7th December 20207th December 2020
Video guide to the December sky

Here’s our latest video guide to what’s up in the December night sky. Recorded under the actual stars, it shows you how to identify the main constellations, find the Pleiades star cluster and find how Jupiter and Saturn are coming together in a ‘Great Conjunction’ at the end of the month.

Your 15-minute guide to the December 2020 night sky

Learn the November sky

Robin Scagell Top stories 8th November 20208th November 2020Andromeda Galaxy, constellations, mars, night sky, November, Pleiades
Learn the November sky

With National Astronomy Week from 14 to 22 November, many people will want to learn their way around the sky. This video from the SPA will help you find your way around the bright planets and major constellations on view during the month.

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Finding Uranus in 2020

Robin Scagell Top stories 31st October 20201st November 2020
Finding Uranus in 2020

Here’s how to find that elusive planet Uranus for yourself. It’s well placed in the sky right now, but it takes a bit of effort – after all, no-one spotted it throughout human history until 1781.

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Society for Popular Astronomy

President: Andrew Coates
Vice presidents: Robin Scagell & Stephen Serjeant

All content copyright the Society for Popular Astronomy. Founded in 1953.

Recent news

  • Bright fireball seen over UK on 28 February
  • Strike a light! It’s Vesta
  • Space Station visible in early evening in January
  • Look for Uranus next to Mars
  • A conjunction to remember

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