Star Diary

The mystery of comet 3I/ATLAS

Astronomer Cyrielle Opitom reveals what she’s learned about the interstellar visitor via Earth’s most powerful telescopes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcast

The Harvest Moon and the autumn equinox

Dark skies are back as we head into September 2026. Astronomers Pete Lawrence and Paul Abel reveal the best things to see this month, including a lunar occultation of the

Discovery beneath the surface of Mars

Tobermory Mackay-Champion reveals a game-changing find in the search for signs of life on Mars. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

August 2026 solar eclipse and Perseid meteor shower

Astronomers Pete Lawrence and Paul Abel reveal the best things to see in the night sky this month, including the August 2026 solar eclipse and the peak of one of the year

How do you weigh a planet that hasn’t formed yet?

Amena Faruqi reveals how she uses cosmic dust rings to measure the mass of planets around distant stars. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoi

Mercury and Saturn return!

Pete Lawrence and Paul Abel reveal the best things to see in the night sky in July 2026, from the Moon and planets to constellations and deep-sky objects. Learn more abou

How to build a planet-hunting spacecraft

Dr Rachel Drummond reveals how engineers are crafting a new space mission, called Ariel, that will study alien worlds across the Galaxy. Learn more about your ad choices.

Summer stargazing

Summer is here! Pete Lawrence and Paul Abel reveal the best things to see in the night sky, June 2026, including the close meeting of Venus and Jupiter just after dawn Le

How spaceflight hammers the human body

Scientist Tim Etheridge talks Artemis II, crewed spaceflight and the toll of weightlessness on astronauts spending long periods of time in space. Learn more about your ad

May's 'blue Moon’ – what we'll really see

Pete Lawrence and Paul Abel reveal what's in the sky in May 2026, including the ever-improving return of Venus and what astronomers really think about the 'blue Moon' on

Strange signals from the galactic centre

Astronomer Shyam Balaji reveals how three cosmic signals could be an invisible dark force in deep space. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoi

The Evening Star is back

Venus is slowly returning to the evening sky, marking the re-emergence of one of the best naked-eye objects. Find out what else is happening with the planets, the Moon, s

Exploring the radio Universe

Radio astronomer Dr Emma Chapman reveals how radio waves enable scientists to explore the cosmos, from mapping Venus to searching for alien life and discovering the origi

Spring stargazing is here

Find out which planets are best in the night sky in March 2026, plus key times to observe the Moon, stars and constellations. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podc

Revealing the secrets of Mercury

The European Space Agency's BepiColombo mission arrives at Mercury later this year. Planetary scientist Emma Bunce reveals the mysteries the mission could uncover. Learn

Jupiter dominates the night sky in February 2026

Find out the best things to see in the sky this month, from the planets and constellations to deep-sky targets for your telescope. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit

Listening to black holes colliding

Tessa Baker discusses newly-discovered cosmic collisions and how they’re helping her unlock the secrets of the Universe. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastch

New Year, new stargazing – January 2026

Pete Lawrence and Paul Abel reveal the best things to see in the night sky to kick off a new year of stargazing. Happy 2026 everyone! Learn more about your ad choices. Vi

3D-mapping an alien world

Astronomer Anjali Piette reveals how she and colleagues created a 3D view of a scorching gas giant around a distant star. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastc

Christmas stargazing 2025

Pete Lawrence and Paul Abel reveal what you should be looking at in the December 2025 night sky, including the best planets, the Geminid meteor shower, Orion and top time