One of the things I love most about the world of astronomy is its incredible variety and the way that it spans so many fields and areas of interest. The flip side of this, of course, is that there’s lots to get your head around if you’re just starting to explore the subject.

In the short guides below I’ve tried to demystify the topics that I get asked about the most. Each one is intended to be a basic introduction that you can use as a launchpad into something deeper. I hope you enjoy reading them and that you find them useful as you embark on your own astronomical adventures.

Banner image credits
Saturn image: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute. Hubble galaxy image: ESA/Hubble & NASA, D. Leonard