BBC Sky at Night Magazine

Star Diary

Science EN ↓ 370 episodes

The astronomy podcast from the makers of BBC Sky at Night Magazine.

Author

BBC Sky at Night Magazine

Category

Science

Podcast website

www.skyatnightmagazine.com

Latest episode

Jun 25, 2026

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Episodes

Mercury and Saturn return! 25.06.2026

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

How to build a planet-hunting spacecraft 11.06.2026

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 stargazing 30.05.2026

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

How spaceflight hammers the human body 07.05.2026

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

May's 'blue Moon’ – what we'll really see 29.04.2026

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

Strange signals from the galactic centre 16.04.2026

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

The Evening Star is back 29.03.2026

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

Exploring the radio Universe 16.03.2026

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

Spring stargazing is here 02.03.2026

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

Revealing the secrets of Mercury 09.02.2026

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

Jupiter dominates the night sky in February 2026 30.01.2026

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 podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Listening to black holes colliding 12.01.2026

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

New Year, new stargazing – January 2026 06.01.2026

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. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

3D-mapping an alien world 15.12.2025

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

Christmas stargazing 2025 28.11.2025

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

Have scientists solved Webb’s ‘impossible’ black holes? 14.11.2025

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

See the Moon and planets under truly dark skies 31.10.2025

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

Can a planet have a planet? 14.10.2025

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

See gas giants Jupiter and Saturn at their best 29.09.2025

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

Can YOU help astronomers find exploding stars? 14.09.2025

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

See the blood Moon rise 28.08.2025

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

How the Rubin Observatory will study the Universe 14.08.2025

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

See Venus and Jupiter’s close approach 30.07.2025

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

Will our Galaxy collide with its neighbour? 10.07.2025

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

Saturn and Venus are morning jewels 26.06.2025

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

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