Articles by Mark Armstrong

The observing year comes to a close with a bang as brilliant Jupiter comes to opposition on 7 December. Across the whole of the month the dominant gas giant planet offers its best observing circumstances of the year.

Brilliant and beautiful Venus is an increasingly conspicuous sight soon after sunset.

The innocuous visual appearance of the southern constellation of Sculptor, even at far southerly climes, sharply contrasts its true nature as home to some great galaxies, including the magnificent Silver Coin Galaxy.

Messier 103 is an impressive object located in Cassiopeia, Autumn’s home for outstanding open clusters.

The mighty Andromeda and Triangulum galaxies dominate deep-sky observer’s view of our Local Group of Galaxies. If you’re looking for more of a Local Group challenge however, check out Cassiopeia’s IC 10, NGC 147 and NGC 185.

Following month’s of speculation, C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) has emerged into the UK’s evening sky as a bright comet in the afterglow of the setting Sun.

Ringed-world Saturn comes to opposition on 8 September, offering its best observing circumstances for the year.