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the SPA Join or renew About membership Contact us Shop FAQs Menu SPA home SPA Observing Sections Join About membership MagazineWhat we offer Popular Astronomy magazine Young Astronomers Other benefits Newsletter The Sound of Astronomy Officers of the Society Can you help us? SPA Codes of Conduct In Memoriam Society history News Top stories The Night Sky in May 2024 Observing section news Newsletter Electronic News Bulletins Events Forthcoming meetings Meeting videos Weekend courses Get started How to observe Learning the constellations step-by-step Advice Choosing a telescope Using your telescope Using binoculars More help and advice Astronomy on the web Observing topics Observing Sections Aurora The Moon Moonwatch Meteors Occultations The planets The Sun Variable stars Comets Deep sky Forum Shop Welcome to the Society for Popular Astronomy Exclusive to members – Popular Astronomy Magazine The May–June 2024 issue of our bimonthly magazine is out now. It is packed with interesting articles, but you won’t find it in the shops. That’s because Popular Astronomy is available exclusively to members of the Society for Popular Astronomy. To get your own copy, plus all the other benefits of belonging to Britain’s brightest astronomical society, click here now to become a member of the SPA! Latest News Seeing the northern lights 11 May 2024 12 May 2024 A large sunspot has unleashed streams of particles into the Earth’s magnetic field which caused spectacular displays of the aurora (northern lights) on 10–11 May 2024. What are the chances of seeing more displays? Read more Find remote galaxies with binoculars! 25 April 2024 25 April 2024 May is a great time of year for finding galaxies – and all you need is ordinary binoculars! As long as your skies are reasonably dark – which means waiting up until around midnight – you can even find some galaxies in the Virgo Cluster, about 50 million light years away! Read more Jupiter meets Uranus 9 April 2024 9 April 2024 Ever seen Uranus? No, be serious, have you ever seen the planet Uranus? April 2024 is a good time to look for it, because it’s right next to Jupiter, the brightest planet in the sky at the moment. And on 10 April there’s a spectacular line-up of Jupiter, Uranus, a thin crescent Moon and even a comet, all close together in the sky. Read more Why you should join the SPA! Click to find out more! Featured content The Night Sky in May 2024 Here is a map of the sky as it will appear from the latitude of London (51° 50′) this month, at 20h UT (GMT). Read more Our weekend courses The SPA runs an annual weekend course where members can observe and learn together. Read more Choosing a telescope If you’re interested in astronomy, it stands to reason that you need a telescope, and the bigger the better. But for most of us, there’s a lot of research to do before you can make the plunge. There is a bewildering range of instruments available, but the good news is… Read more Our observing sections Whatever your interests, we’ve a section to suit you. Get expert advice and send in your own observations. Read more How to start stargazing Learning the sky might seem tricky at first. There are so many stars, and unlike visiting a new town or city, the stars keep on moving around! But don’t give up! With a few tips and tricks, you’ll soon start to tell your Aries from your Aldebaran. The first step is to look at… Read more Meetings and Events The SPA usually holds regular Saturday meetings every three months in London. Read more Society for Popular Astronomy Patron: Prof John Zarnecki President: Prof Lucie Green Vice presidents: Robin Scagell & Dr Jen Gupta Privacy And Cookies Policy All content copyright the Society for Popular Astronomy. Founded in 1953. Recent news Seeing the northern lights Find remote galaxies with binoculars! Jupiter meets Uranus Eclipse? What eclipse? Try a Messier Challenge this week SPA address The Secretary, 36 Fairway, Keyworth, Nottingham NG12 5DU. Email: secretary@popastro.com Copyright © 2024 The Society for Popular...