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I have the cover feature on the new issue (August) of BBC Sky At Night magazine. It’s about the fifty sights you must see in the night and daytime sky, related to astronomy of course, before you die.

It’s ten pages long and there are some amazing celestial views that even a seasoned astronomer might not have seen yet! August’s issue is packed full of great features as well, plus all our regular slots, so be sure to grab a copy when it hits the shelves next week. Stay tuned to the blog for some more big news coming in the next few days.

Cover image courtesy: BBC Sky At Night magazine

Episode number two of our podcast is out now. In this episode we have an interview with Stuart Clark about the Tunguska event that happened 100 years ago this June. It’s thought that a comet devastated large parts of Siberia when it exploded over a vast expanse of forest in 1908, felling 80 million trees! Stuart investigates the importance of this event and the mystery that surrounds it for our cover feature, in the magazine, this month. Lots more in the podcast too including my interview with Paul Money about June’s stargazing highlights, storms on Saturn and how to become and astronaut. Listen to it here.

Above: This light toned storm on Saturn has lighting 10,000 times more powerful than that seen on Earth. Find out about it on the podcast. Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute

I have a new feature in May’s BBC Sky At Night magazine (out in the shops early next week) entitled “Where do comets really come from?”. It’s about how new results from the NASA Stardust mission are unveiling new insights into the origin of cometary material.

Left: Comet Wild 2. Credit: Stardust/JPL/NASA

I have a new feature article (my first cover feature!) in April’s issue of BBC Sky At Night magazine, which is in the shops on Tuesday 18th March.

The article covers the proposed MoonLITE probe, a UK mission to send a small spacecraft to the Moon deploying four missiles to study the lunar surface. The missiles (or ‘penetrators’ as they are actually called) will impact the surface and remain there working for about a year. They will create a seismometer network as well as carry out geological and chemical analyses of the lunar surface. It’s a fascinating proposal. You can get the full story and read several expert interviews in the article.

You shouldn’t fail to miss the cover in the shops, the graphic designers and illustrators who worked on this article have really brought the story to life. So if you do spot the magazine grab a copy and find out how the UK may soon be joining the return to the Moon!

N.b. If you are in south-east England on Wednesday (19th March), at 10:30am, tune into BBC Radio Kent as I will be speaking live with Dominic King about MoonLITE. If you are in or around Cumbria I will be talking live to Ian Timms about the mission on BBC Radio Cumbria at 12:40pm the same day.