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 • Get ready for the world’s most powerful telescope!

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Sky at Night – lots of ways to enjoy the night sky…

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This month’s contributors

Extra content ONLINE

IT’S OH SO QUIET… • Now a vision of tranquillity, it’s not long since a supernova was spotted in this spiral galaxy HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE, 13 DECEMBER 2021

BULLETIN • The latest astronomy and space news, written by Ezzy Pearson

Comment

Galaxy confirmed to be free of dark matter • After 40 hours of observations, astronomers have found no trace of the mysterious substance

NEWS IN BRIEF

CUTTING EDGE • JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE SPECIAL

INSIDE THE SKY AT NIGHT • With multiple locations and interviewees, there was plenty to organise for January’s Sky at Night, and Carisse Perks made it all run smoothly

Looking back: The Sky at Night

The Sky at Night

INTERACTIVE • Emails – Letters – Tweets – Facebook – Instagram – Kit questions

Ancient light

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

Sky at Night

WHAT’S ON • We pick the best live and virtual astronomy events and resources this month

PICK OF THE MONTH

FIELD OF VIEW • Jonathan Powell looks at the challenges of getting a balanced diet in space

2022’s UNMISSABLE NIGHT SKY • Charlotte Daniels looks ahead to this year’s standout observing events, which neither visual astronomers nor imagers will want to miss

How to take an award-winning ASTROPHOTO • As the Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition opens for entries, Katie Sawers spoke to previous winners and this year’s judges to get their tips on capturing a best-in-class image

HOW TO ENTER • All you need to know to enter the world’s biggest and best astrophotography competition

Shooting for the Moon • NASA’s newest rocket, the Saturn V-sized Space Launch System, will take human exploration beyond low-Earth orbit once more

The Sky Guide

FEBRUARY HIGHLIGHTS • Your guide to the night sky this month

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

THE BIG THREE • The top sights to observe or image this month

THE PLANETS • Our celestial neighbourhood in February

The planets in February • The phase and relative sizes of the planets this month. Each planet is shown with south at the top, to show its orientation through a telescope

JUPITER’S MOONS: FEBRUARY • Using a small scope you can spot Jupiter’s biggest moons. Their positions change dramatically during the month, as shown on the diagram. The line by each date represents 00:00 UT.

THE NIGHT SKY – FEBRUARY • Explore the celestial sphere with our Northern Hemisphere all-sky chart

MOONWATCH • February’s top lunar feature to observe

COMETS AND ASTEROIDS • Asteroid 20 Massalia is a good target with a small telescope through the month

STAR OF THE MONTH • Discover Mirzam, Canis Major’s ‘herald’

BINOCULAR TOUR • This month’s highlights include the Little Crab, a former 16th-century constellation

THE SKY GUIDE CHALLENGE • Can you locate and capture the Horsehead Nebula with a camera or a smartphone?

DEEP-SKY TOUR • Take a look at fascinating objects near the Sickle asterism in Leo, the Lion

AT A GLANCE • How the Sky Guide events will appear in February

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