BBC Sky at Night

Sky at Night magazine is your practical guide to astronomy. Each issue features the world’s biggest and best night sky guide complete with star charts, observing tutorials and in-depth equipment reviews to ensure that amateur astronomers never miss those must-see events.

Welcome • Black holes are baffling – but maybe not for much longer

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A CLOSER LOOK AT CAS A • The supernova remnant’s inner workings are visible in the near-infrared

First planetary disc seen outside Milky Way • Surprisingly dust-free view made the visual observation possible

Comment

Hubble out of trouble • Telescope’s gyro issues were latest in a run of problems

Earth-like planets can survive extremes

NEWS IN BRIEF

Six planets in perfect balance • Planets around a nearby star found to all keep time with each other

Rocket-made aurorae light up the sky • The glows from SpaceX could affect astronomical observations

Spider pulsars obliterate partner stars

NEWS IN BRIEF

Jupiter's captured asteroids • A field of asteroids, known as the Trojans, are captured in the gas giant’s orbit

Searching for life beyond the Milky Way • New technology means we can look for alien intelligence far further afield

INSIDE THE SKY AT NIGHT • On The Sky at Night in September 2022, astrophysicist Mikako Matsuura discussed her upcoming JWST observations. Now she looks back on what she’s learned from them since then

Looking back: The Sky at Night 7 February 1982

INTERACTIVE • Email us at inbox@skyatnightmagazine.com

ON SKYATNIGHTMAGAZINE.COM • We asked if you could think of a better name than ‘Milkdromeda’ for the new galaxy that will be created by the eventual merger of the Milky Way and the Andromeda Galaxy.

SCOPE DOCTOR • Our equipment specialist cures your optical ailments and technical maladies With Steve Richards

BBC Sky at Night

SOCIETY IN FOCUS

WHAT'S ON

PICK OF THE MONTH

Serenading the stars • From Bach to Blur, Jonathan Powell tunes in to the music we’ve sent into space

Astronomy Photographer of the Year • Once again, this world-class competition seeks the best astronomy imagers of the year

The year in CONSTELLATIONS • Let’s make 2024 the year that you master the constellations! Katrin Raynor guides you through the changing star regions you’ll be able to see in the night sky as we progress through the four seasons

Constellation or asterism? • How they’re different and why both are useful

Moon phases explained • Looking for the constellations, you’ll also see the Moon. Here’s why its face changes

Dark skies • See far more of the constellations from dark-sky areas

How BLACK HOLES are born • We’re on the edge of discovering where these monstrous gravity sinkholes come from. Colin Stuart investigates

Anatomy of a black hole • There’s more to a black hole than a giant ball of matter in space

The discovery of black holes • With no way to directly observe one, confirming black holes even exist has taken decades

Can black holes die? • The tiniest particles could slowly chip away at and destroy even the biggest black holes

The Sky Guide • FEBRUARY 2024

FEBRUARY HIGHLIGHTS • Your guide to the night sky this month

NEED TO KNOW • The terms and symbols used in The Sky Guide

DON'T MISS Comet 144P/Kushida crosses the Hyades • The top sights to observe or image this month

PICK OF THE MONTH • Our celestial...