Richard Bartlett
- June 01, 2026
Uranus is too close to the Sun to be seen this month, but the evening sky offers a triple planetary treat towards the west-northwest. Mercury twinkles low in twilight for most of June, from around 15 minutes after sunset.
- May 13, 2026
Amateur astronomers dream of seeing the night sky as the ancients once did, free from light pollution, with countless stars and the Milky Way stretching from horizon to horizon. Unfortunately, the reality is that those skies are rare.
- May 06, 2026
A total solar eclipse is probably the #1 must-see astronomical phenomenon - and not just for space enthusiasts. On August 2nd, 2027, we’ll be treated to an eclipse with totality potentially lasting an outstanding 6 minutes and 23 seconds.
- May 01, 2026
Both Uranus and Neptune are too close to the Sun to be visible, but Mercury returns to the evening sky during the last week and should be easily seen by month’s end. Look for it low over the west-northwest about 15 minutes after sunset.
- April 29, 2026
A major meteor shower, the eta Aquariids are fairly prolific, bright and fast, but thanks to the location of their radiant, they’re not necessarily easy to observe.
- April 17, 2026
After the Quadrantids in January, the April Lyrid meteor shower (aka, simply the Lyrids) is the next major shower of the year, and typically reaches maximum around April 22nd or 23rd.
- April 01, 2026
Neptune is too close to the Sun to be seen this month, but Venus climbs and shines in the west after sunset, joined by a crescent Moon on the 18th.
- March 18, 2026
As of early 2026, there are 14,518 active satellites in orbit, with 9,555 of those being active Starlinks. That’s an awful lot of satellites. But what are they? What do they do? And how can you see them for yourself?
- March 01, 2026
Neptune is too close to the Sun to be visible, but binocular observers may catch Mercury shortly after sunset and very low in the west during the first few days of the month.
- February 18, 2026
A few of us have been lucky enough to witness a solar eclipse, when the Moon passes in front of the Sun and obscures it, but did you know the Moon does the same thing to the stars?
- February 01, 2026
Mars and Neptune are too close to the Sun to be observable this month, but every other planet can be seen in the evening sky. Mercury becomes visible from around the 8th onwards.
- January 21, 2026
There’s nothing quite as awe-inspiring as a total eclipse. Both solar and lunar eclipses have captivated millions of people across the world for thousands of years, with many civilizations attributing the phenomena to gods or netherworld spirits.
- January 09, 2026
It would be nice to have a year in which every meteor shower reaches its maximum under moonless nights, but of course, that’s simply not possible. However, 2026 is as good as it gets, with the two most reliable and prolific showers - the Perseids and...
- January 01, 2026
It’s a quiet start to the year, with two of the brighter planets - Venus and Mars - both too close to the Sun to be visible. However, Saturn can be seen over the southwestern horizon in the evening.
- December 31, 2025
Many of the major meteor showers have a unique attribute that sets them apart from the rest. In the case of the Quadrantids, its uniqueness lies in its name, as it’s the only shower named for a constellation that no longer exists.
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