James Josephides.

Artistic rendering of a black hole

Top view of the Milky Way galaxy showing the estimated orbits of both our Sun and the 3I/ATLAS comet.

Research Highlights

Newly discovered interstellar object 'may be oldest comet ever seen'

A mystery interstellar object discovered last week is likely to be the oldest comet ever seen – possibly predating our solar system by more than three billion years, researchers say. The "water ice-rich" visitor, named 3I/ATLAS...

The dark matter distribution of a Milky Way mass halo in a Lambda-cold dark matter (LCDM) cosmological simulation.

Research Highlights

The Milky Way could be teeming with more satellite galaxies than previously tho…

The Milky Way could have many more satellite galaxies than scientists have previously been able to predict or observe, according to new research. Cosmologists at Durham University used a new technique combining the highest...

Colour image of a flat top, heavily eroded FSR. Sand dunes can be seen migrating over the top of the FSR.

Ancient river systems reveal Mars was wetter than we thought

Research Highlights

An artist’s impression of the proposed VERVE mission to Venus the answer whether tiny bacterial lifeforms really do exist in the planet’s clouds.

Life on Venus? UK probe could reveal the answer

Research Highlights

The Mars mission that could prep for a human landing

Research Highlights

An artist’s impression of what the UK-ODESSI space monitor could look like.

UK hopes to bolster space weather forecasts with Europe's first solar storm monitor

Research Highlights

An artist’s impression of the UK-led CosmoCube spacecraft, which would orbit be tasked with listening out for an “ancient whisper” from the early universe on the far side of the Moon.

Probing the cosmic Dark Ages from the far side of the Moon

Research Highlights

Artificial solar eclipses in space could shed light on Sun

Research Highlights

Announcements

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News

RAS reopens Burlington House HQ

A black and white portrait of Professor Sir Francis Graham Smith. He rests his chin on his hand and smiles at the camera. He is wearing glasses, a shirt, tie and blazer.

News

Sir Francis Graham-Smith, 1923–2025

Professor Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell (left) has been appointed a Companion of Honour for services to astronomy and physics and to diversity. Three other RAS Fellows including Dennis Ashton (top right) Professor Lyndsay Fletcher and Professor Raman Prinja (bottom right) were also recognised in the King's Birthday Honours.

News

Ex-RAS president among four Fellows in King's Birthday Honours

Graphic promoting the RAS Awards 2026 with the Society's medals in front of a background image of the Cartwheel galaxy from JWST and NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory.

News

RAS Awards 2026: Nominations now open

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News

RAS voices concern over threats to US academic freedom

Professor Karl Menten

News

Professor Dr Karl Martin Menten, 1957-2024

Events and Dates for the Diary

17

Jul 2025

Friends of RAS (only) Dr Megan Argo: Astronomy - the next 200 years

Thursday, 17 of July 2025 - 13:00

Friends of the RAS

10

Oct 2025

AGN-Driven Multiphase Outflows: Toward Consensus Between Theory and Observation

Friday, 10 of October 2025 - 10:30

10

Oct 2025

UKIArray: Geophysically instrumenting the UK and Ireland

Friday, 10 of October 2025 - 10:35

10

Oct 2025

A&G Highlights Meeting October 2025

Friday, 10 of October 2025 - 16:00

Outreach & Education

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Careers, Education, Outreach

RAS Inclusion booklet

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RAS200

RAS200: Report of the Royal Astronomical Society’s bicentennial programme of outreach and engagement

Four circles of images of constellations, William, Caroline and John Herschel.

Education, Outreach

Astronomy through the Herschels

Library & Archives

Become a member of the RAS

For more information and how to apply online please see the Fellows' membership or Friends of the RAS section

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