When brand new entry-level telescopes start at a few hundred dollars, the idea of getting anything decent for pocket change sounds like a pipe dream. Yet the secondhand market often hides real bargains for those willing to hunt them down. Deals like this appear because people buy on impulse, then quickly lose interest for various reasons.
Facebook Marketplace seemed like the best bet for such a…
With a total solar eclipse on Aug. 12, an annular solar eclipse on Feb 6, 2027 and another total solar eclipse on Aug. 2, 2027, solar telescopes are about to be in hot demand. After all, why peer at the eclipsed sun when you can see it in close-up? However, the Sky-Watcher…
Is the Nocs Provisions Lite View spotting scope a good alternative to a traditional telescope?
August 4, 2026
Spotting scopes are typically used by birders and for hunting, but under a dark sky, the Nocs Provisions Lite View reveals a different personality. With a 56mm objective lens and a versatile 9x-27x zoom range, this compact spotting scope is surprisingly capable when turned…
Astronomers watch a black hole's feeding frenzy end with a bad case of cosmic indigestion
August 4, 2026
Astronomers have used the Very Large Telescope (VLT) to observe the violent outflow of material from a distant black hole. The observation once again shows that even the hungriest black holes are extremely messy eaters, while also revealing the “digestive processes” of these cosmic titans in unprecedented detail.
The research focuses on the black hole system Swift J1727.8−1613…
Martin Halliwell is a Partner at NewSpace Capital, one of the world’s first private equity firms devoted exclusively to growth-stage companies working in the space technology sector. He formerly served as Chief Technology Officer of SES, where he led global technology…
It was Lucky 13 for SpaceX, as new videos show just how much work came into getting the latest flight of Starship’s upper stage softly down into the ocean.
After Starship made its 13th launch on Friday (July 24) from SpaceX’s Starbase site in South Texas, the upper…
Watching August's 2026 solar eclipse from the UK? Stay safe with the best solar eclipse glasses
August 3, 2026
Looking forward to the 2026 solar eclipse, happening on Aug. 12? I know I am and even though it’s not a total solar eclipse here in the UK (the path of totality crosses Greenland, Iceland and northern Spain), we’ll still get to watch the moon obscure around 90% of the Sun, a sight that terrified our ancient ancestors.
However, you’ll need proper eye protection, such as solar…
Venus dominates the evening sky throughout August, but early risers have a special treat too, as Mercury and Jupiter draw together in a beautiful dawn conjunction around mid-month.
From our vantage point on Earth, Venus reaches the end of its tether to the sun on the…
On July 30, 1610, the famous astronomer Galileo Galilei became the first to observe rings around the planet Saturn.
Shortly after the telescope was invented in 1608, Galileo peered out into the solar system and saw the amazing ring system. At first he didn’t actually…
July full moon delights skywatchers worldwide. Here are our favorite photos of the majestic Buck Moon
July 31, 2026
The full Buck Moon rose to delight and dazzle stargazers with a spectacular display of moonlight on July 29 and we’ve got the photos to prove it!
July’s moon is also known as the full “Buck Moon” — a traditional name used by Native American tribes to reflect the time of year when young deer grow out their antlers. Sadly, the name didn’t herald any dramatic…
