Astronomy

By Ian Whitely, chair of the Save Herstmonceux Observatory campaign Since the September issue of Astronomy Now went to press, we’ve heard that the lease to the Observatory Science Centre (OSC), Herstmonceux has been extended for 10 years. The announcement, on 18 August, follows a year of uncertainty after Queen’s University Canada declared that the lease to the current operators of the science centre, Science Projects, would not be renewed after December 2026. Now, a ten-year extended lease has been agreed between Science Projects and Bader College (for Queen’s University Canada). Wide field panorama of the Observatory Science Centre site with its telescopes. Credit: Herstmonceux Science Centre The site, at Herstmonceux Castle Estate, is an important UK science heritage location and forme...

It is hailed as a global endeavour to explore the hidden universe – a powerful telescope comprising more than 130,000 antennae being built in outback Western Australia.Along with a sister telescope in South Africa, the Square Kilometre Array Observatory is a €2bn (A$3.6bn) project tasked with mapping the first billion years of the universe.One day, the SKAO’s antennae – which look like metal Christmas trees scattered across the desert – could confirm the existence of extraterrestrial life, prove Einstein’s theory of relativity and explain how galaxies have evolved over time.But while the venture is being lauded as one of the most significant scientific endeavours of the 21st century, the Guardian can reveal that the organisation managing the funds of 16 member states has been rocked by all...

Artist's impression of ʻOumuamua. Credit: ESO/M. Kornmesser In the past decade, astronomers have witnessed three interstellar objects (ISOs) passing through the solar system. These include the enigmatic 'Oumuamua in 2017, the interstellar comet 2I/Borisov in 2019, and 3I/ATLAS in July 2025. This latest object also appears to be a comet, based on recent observations that showed it was actively releasing water vapor as it neared the sun. The detection of these objects, which were previously theorized but never observed, has piqued interest in the origins of ISOs, their dynamics, and where they may be headed once they leave the solar system. Since...

3I/ATLAS, our third discovered interstellar visitor, has been in the news a lot lately for a whole host of reasons, and rightly so given the amount of unique scientific data different groups and telescopes have been collecting off of it. A new pre-release paper from researchers at the Auburn University Department of Physics recounts yet another interesting aspect of the new visitor - its water content. Almost all comets have some amount of water in them, as water is one of the most common substances in the universe, despite its absence on many of the worlds of our solar system. Typically, comets have a “coma” of water particles trailing behind them as they approach the Sun. Doing so heats up the particles, sublimating them into water vapor, which then streams behind the comet, giv...

Can you believe we are in August already? Let’s hope for another sunny heatwave and some clear skies for stargazing. Read below to know what to look out for this month! Sturgeon Moon Mark your calendars! The next full Moon will grace the skies on 9th August at 8:55am (UK time). This month’s Moon is traditionally known as the Sturgeon Moon, a name rooted from North American tradition. It has also been known as the Swan Flight Moon, Red Moon and Grain Moon.   The name comes from the giant lake sturgeon, a prehistoric-looking fish that once thrived in the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain. These freshwater giants were most easily caught in late summer and were a vital food source for Native American communities in the region. While once plentiful, sturgeon are now a much rarer sight due to overf...