BBC Sky at Night

Back in our March issue, we reported on a worrying new study into skyglow, the diffuse illumination caused by light pollution. Based on over a decade of night-sky observations by citizen scientists, it found that the night sky has brightened by an average of 9.6 per cent each year. In this issue, science writer Shaoni Bhattacharya speaks to one of the study’s authors and looks at the state of play of legal proposals to tackle light pollution - something that should be a concern for everyone. Turn to page 28 to read more. We hear too about the often-frustrating individual experience of combating light pollution from amateur astronomer Stephen Kirkman on page 25, and we remember the dedication of Bob Mizon, national coordinator for the BAA’s Commission for Dark Skies…

Television Find out what The Sky at Night team have been exploring in recent and past episodes on page 18 Online Visit our website for competitions, astro photo galleries, observing guides and more Social media Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for space news, astro images and website updates Podcasts Listen to our Radio Astronomy podcasts where the magazine team and guests discuss astro news Tablet/phone Get each month’s issue on your Apple or Android device, now with bonus image galleries eNewsletter The best targets to observe each week, delivered to your inbox. Visit bit.ly/skynewsletter Find out more at: www.skyatnightmagazine.com…

Ezzy Pearson Features editor “With the Artemis landing growing ever closer, it’s a poignant time to look back at the pair who led the way into the heavens for all womankind.” Ezzy tells us about the first women in space, page 34 Rob Banino Science journalist “Records show noctilucent clouds are on the rise, and future missions to study them could reveal more about our planet’s changing atmosphere.” Rob explores what’s causing an increase in NLCs, page 60 Katrin Raynor Astronomy writer “Equinoxes and solstices mark the seasons throughout the year, and on 21 June we’ll experience the summer solstice - the longest day of the year.” Katrin explains the astronomical basis for the seasons, page 72…

Visit www.skyatnightmagazine.com/bonus-content/GOKTED4 to access this month’s selection of exclusive Bonus Content JUNE HIGHLIGHTS Interview: Astronaut Kathy Sullivan The former NASA astronaut discusses her role in the launch of Hubble and what it’s like to walk in space. The Sky at Night Search for Alien Life Maggie and Chris return for a new series. Catch up as they explore how science is looking for life beyond our home planet. Build your own EQ camera mount Download PDF plans and extra images to help you make this month’s DIY Astronomy project (find the details on page 74). The Virtual Planetarium Pete Lawrence and Paul Abel guide us through the best sights to see in the night sky this month.…

Captured by the Nicholas U Mayall 4-metre Telescope at the Kitt Peak National Observatory in Arizona using its new Mosaic-3 detector, this is LBN 867, the Raspberry Nebula, which lies in the constellation of Orion. Look more closely, though, and you can see that LBN 867 is actually three objects in one: two nebulae and a powerful main sequence star. This blue-white star, HD 34989, lies at its heart. Surrounding it is the red emission nebula Sh2-263 - a diffuse region of hydrogen ionised by the heat and light energy coming from the star, and so giving off a reddish glow. Meanwhile, towards the bottom left of the photo, an adjacent cloud of cosmic dust is reflecting that same light, forming the blue reflection nebula vdB 38. Somewhat confusingly, another…

The latest astronomy and space news, written by Ezzy Pearson BULLETIN A flash of radiation called a gamma-ray burst (GRB) which swept across Earth last year was the brightest on record, astronomers have recently been able to confirm. Seen on 9 October 2022, it’s believed such blasts only occur once every 10,000 years. The event is called GRB 221009A, though it has been nicknamed the BOAT - the brightest of all time. GRBs are thought to be created when a large star’s core collapses to form a black hole, which then quickly ingests the gas surrounding it before blasting the material out at near to light speed. These jets emit powerful gamma and X-rays that can cross the Universe. Observatories around the world look out for these signals as they…