A new study shows how artificial light at night scrambles insects’ normal flight patterns, pulling them off course into orbit around the light.
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Articles on Night sky
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A telescope can reveal so much of the night sky, including Saturn’s rings and the Moon’s craters. But choosing the right telescope is a difficult decision – here’s what you need to know.
People have been looking up at the stars for thousands of years. Here’s where to start if you want to learn more about the night sky – from spotting easy-to-find constellations to using the best apps.
An astronomer explains why space looks so dark despite containing 200 billion trillion stars.
Tens of thousands of satellites orbiting Earth will hamper astronomers’ efforts to study the Universe and spot dangerous asteroids, as well as brightening the sky and hiding stars from the rest of us.
With the help of thousands of citizen scientists, a new study measured exactly how much brighter night skies are getting every year.
People travel hundreds or thousands of miles and spend a fortune to see the night sky in all its splendor. But we are literally blocking out the cosmic beauty above our homes.
Skies in the Northern Hemisphere have been graced by a rare, green comet. Now, it’s our turn to look for it in Australia – but the view will be dimming rapidly.
The stars, planets and Milky Way we see at night are part of a wilderness shared across the globe and across centuries. But does BlueWalker 3 herald a night sky polluted with bright satellites?
Megaconstellations of satellites will visually clutter the night sky, disrupting astronomical research. And the environmental damage caused by these satellites is still unknown.
A new 3D film follows two children as they discover the astrophysical story of the universe and Yamaji stories of the sky and land. Making it was an extraordinary cross-cultural experience.
As thousands of new satellites enter Low Earth Orbit, it’s important to consider their potential impact, including possible environmental damage in addition to hindering the work of astronomers.
Fireflies’ summer evening light shows are a delight for humans, but for the insects they are a crucial mating ritual – and human-caused light pollution is a buzz kill.
Cape astronomers were responsible for, among other things, the first measurement of the distance to a star; the first photographic sky survey and the accurate measurement of the distance to the sun.
Dark skies have value. They are a profoundly wonderful yet highly threatened natural asset.
Towns and cities create an orange glow on the horizon at night. It’s so widespread that it even disturbs sea creatures.
Dark sky sites can inspire new generations of stargazers, but a better long-term solution would be connecting people with the night sky where they live.
A bright comet visible in December provides an excellent viewing opportunity for night sky lovers – even potentially with the naked eye.
A bunch of uncommon things all happening at the same time mean this full moon will have some special attributes.
A guide to meteor showers – what to look out for and when.
Top contributors
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Associate Professor in Astronomy, Monash University
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Director of the Abrams Planetarium, Michigan State University
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Associate professor, Astronomy, University of Regina
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Professor (Astrophysics), University of Southern Queensland
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Professor of Marine Ecology, Bangor University
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Postdoctoral Researcher in Marine Biology, University of Plymouth
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PhD Candidate in Biology, Aberystwyth University
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Associate Professor of Astrophysics, University of Portsmouth
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Associate Research Astronomer, South African Astronomical Observatory
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Professor of Biology, Tufts University
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PhD Candidate in Biology, Tufts University
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Associate Professor, Physics and Astronomy, University of British Columbia
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Scientist, National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory
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PhD researcher, University of Southern Queensland
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John Curtin Distinguished Professor (Radio Astronomy), Curtin University
