Star Diary

Astronomer Eamonn Kerins reveals how the newly-launched Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will revolutionise the search for planets beyond our Solar System Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Astronomers Pete Lawrence and Paul Abel reveal the best things to see in the night sky in October 2026, including Mars and Jupiter’s close encounter, the Moon and deep-sky objects. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Beehive Cluster, how to see the planets and tips for observing deep-sky objects. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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

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's best meteor showers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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/adchoices

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 about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 31 May. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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/adchoices

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, stars constellations and deep-sky objects in April 2026 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 origins of the Universe. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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 times to see the Moon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Astronomers say the James Webb Space Telescope has seen black holes at the dawn of time that shouldn't exist. But a new study may be able to explain what's going on. Astronomer Seb Hoenig reveals how a new look at the early Universe could show that JWST has got black holes all wrong. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As winter gets underway, we’re approaching the darkest time of year. Find out the best times to see the Moon and planets this month, including November’s supermoon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Astronomer Belinda Damian discusses her research into the giant, free-floating worlds that may one day be able to form their own planetary systems. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to see the biggest planets in the Solar System while they’re big and bright, and find out what makes the Harvest Moon so special. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Astronomer Tom Killestein reveals how the public can help him on his mission to find stellar explosions via the Kilonova Seekers project, and reveals its first major discovery. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We reveal how to see the ‘blood Moon’ total lunar eclipse in September 2025, and explain the best dates and times to see the planets of the Solar System in the sky. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Vera C Rubin Observatory is set to be a game-changer in our understanding of key ideas such as the expansion of the Universe and the distribution of matter in distant galaxies. But how will it do all this? We spoke to astronomer Dani Leonard, who is working with the Rubin Observatory, to find out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The best things to see in the night sky this month, including Venus and Jupiter’s close approach, Uranus’s meeting with the Pleiades, Saturn and Neptune’s nightly tango and the low-down full Moon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Astronomer Alis Deason reveals new research that shows how likely it is the Milky Way will collide with the Andromeda Galaxy. She discusses why galaxy mergers happen and, if our galaxy did collide with its neighbour, which would come out on top. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Pete Lawrence and Paul Abel reveal how to observe Saturn, Venus and the rest of the planets, the Moon's meeting with the Pleiades and Antares, the Southern Aquarid meteor shower and the best deep-sky objects. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Astronomer Hidde Jense has seen cosmic light from just after the Big Bang. He reveals what it tells us. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out how to see bright planet Venus in the early morning before sunrise, and track the Red Planet Mars as it passes near Regulus, the brightest star in the constellation Leo. Our new monthly version of Star Diary is hosted by Pete Lawrence and Paul Abel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The search is on for life beyond Earth. Astrobiologist Penny Boston reveals what life on our own planet can tell us about extra-terrestrial life among the stars. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Meteor showers are always a great excuse to get out and do some stargazing. Find out how to see them Eta Aquarids in the latest episode of Star Diary, the podcast from the makers of Sky at Night Magazine. Transcript Learn to observe our nearest star, the Sun, in our upcoming online masterclass series Subscribe to BBC Sky at Night Magazine and submit your astrophotography images over on our website: https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com contactus@skyatnightmagazine.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Meteor showers are always a great excuse to get out and do some stargazing. Find out how to see them Eta Aquarids in the latest episode of Star Diary, the podcast from the makers of Sky at Night Magazine. Transcript Learn to observe our nearest star, the Sun, in our upcoming online masterclass series Subscribe to BBC Sky at Night Magazine and submit your astrophotography images over on our website: https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com contactus@skyatnightmagazine.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Red Planet passes through the star strewn field of the Beehive Cluster. Find out how to see them in the latest episode of Star Diary, the podcast from the makers of Sky at Night Magazine. Transcript Learn to observe our nearest star, the Sun, in our upcoming online masterclass series Subscribe to BBC Sky at Night Magazine and submit your astrophotography images over on our website: https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com contactus@skyatnightmagazine.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The planet will appear its largest in the morning sky before teaming up with the Moon later in the week. Find out how to see them in the latest episode of Star Diary, the podcast from the makers of Sky at Night Magazine. Transcript Learn to observe our nearest star, the Sun, in our upcoming online masterclass series Subscribe to BBC Sky at Night Magazine and submit your astrophotography images over on our website: https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com contactus@skyatnightmagazine.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Astronomer Martin Guerrero reveals the mysterious x-ray signals coming from the Eye of God Nebula, that could indicate a planet is being torn apart by a dying star. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A pair of globular clusters will glitter across the night sky this week. Find out how to see them in the latest episode of Star Diary, the podcast from the makers of Sky at Night Magazine. Transcript Learn to observe our nearest star, the Sun, in our upcoming online masterclass series Subscribe to BBC Sky at Night Magazine and submit your astrophotography images over on our website: https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com contactus@skyatnightmagazine.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Watch the asteroid Flora as at passes by the Hamburger Galaxy this week. Find out how to see it in the latest episode of Star Diary, the podcast from the makers of Sky at Night Magazine. Transcript Learn to observe our nearest star, the Sun, in our upcoming online masterclass series Subscribe to BBC Sky at Night Magazine and submit your astrophotography images over on our website: https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com contactus@skyatnightmagazine.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After creeping ever closer to the Seven Sisters star cluster, the crescent Moon will pass through the Seven Sisters star cluster this week. Discover how you can watch the stars as blink out one by one by listening to the latest episode of Star Diary, the podcast from the makers of Sky at Night Magazine. Transcript Learn to observe our nearest star, the Sun, in our upcoming online masterclass series Subscribe to BBC Sky at Night Magazine and submit your astrophotography images over on our website: https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com contactus@skyatnightmagazine.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, a partial solar eclipse will be visible across the UK. Find out how you can safely see the momentous occasion for yourself by listening to the latest episode of Star Diary, the podcast from the makers of Sky at Night Magazine. Transcript Learn to observe our nearest star, the Sun, in our upcoming online masterclass series Subscribe to BBC Sky at Night Magazine and submit your astrophotography images over on our website: https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com contactus@skyatnightmagazine.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Are we alone? It’s one of the humanity’s fundamental questions. Could one of the 6,000 known exoplanets beyond our Solar System host an alien species? Lisa Kaltenegger has spent her career trying to find out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Moon brushes past the red star Antares, the heart of Scorpius. Make sure to catch them both by listening to the latest episode of Star Diary, the podcast from the makers of Sky at Night Magazine. Transcript Subscribe to BBC Sky at Night Magazine and submit your astrophotography images over on our website: https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com contactus@skyatnightmagazine.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week sees a total lunar eclipse turn the moon blood red as it passes over the US. Unfortunately, the UK will only catch the partial phase. To find out exactly what you can see, listen to the latest episode of Star Diary, the podcast from the makers of Sky at Night Magazine. Transcript Subscribe to BBC Sky at Night Magazine and submit your astrophotography images over on our website: https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com contactus@skyatnightmagazine.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mars passes right next to the Moon, while Mercury reaches its highest point in the sky. Make sure to catch them both by listening to the latest episode of Star Diary, the podcast from the makers of Sky at Night Magazine. Transcript Subscribe to BBC Sky at Night Magazine and submit your astrophotography images over on our website: https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com contactus@skyatnightmagazine.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After a long absence Mercury returns to our evening skies, shining brightly in the twilight. To make sure to catch is return, listen to the latest episode of Star Diary, the podcast from the makers of Sky at Night Magazine. Transcript Subscribe to BBC Sky at Night Magazine and submit your astrophotography images over on our website: https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com contactus@skyatnightmagazine.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Saturn is about to disappear behind the Sun. Ensure you catch it before it leaves by listening to the latest episode of Star Diary, the podcast from the makers of Sky at Night Magazine. Transcript Chasing the ISS Subscribe to BBC Sky at Night Magazine and submit your astrophotography images over on our website: https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com contactus@skyatnightmagazine.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices