From the Veil to October’s night sky.

The Veil Nebula

On the morning of 5 September, I captured this part of the Veil Nebula from our garden in Cornwall under a beautifully clear sky. Its delicate threads of glowing gas are the remains of a star that exploded thousands of years ago.

Where in the Universe are you just being born?

Imagine a pulse of light leaving Earth on the day you were born. How far would it have travelled by now? Explore the link between your age, the speed of light and distances across space.

Would you recognise the sky from another star?

Travel to a nearby star and compare its sky with the view from Earth. Familiar constellations change shape as your viewpoint moves, and the stars’ apparent brightness changes with distance. Explore the interactive comparison—and see where our own Sun appears.

SkyRoamer and SkyWanderer

SkyRoamer helps you explore your FITS image collection, with previews and a sky map showing where your observations sit. There’s also an updated version of SkyWanderer. Visit the software page for features, downloads and trial details.

4 October · Saturn

Saturn reaches opposition and is visible through the night. Use a telescope to see its rings.

10 October · New Moon

The evenings around New Moon are a good opportunity to find fainter objects away from artificial lights.

21 October · Orionids

Look between midnight and dawn around the peak. Moonlight will hide some faint meteors. No telescope needed.

Book your astronomy courses online

Would you like some help getting started, or to understand more of what you’re looking at? Explore the astronomy sessions and courses, and book directly through the website.