James Josephides.

Artistic rendering of a black hole

From left, Professor Joe Silk, Dr Jonathan McDowell, Professor Martin Ward, Dr Nikita Chiu and Dr Manuel Salvoldi.

News

NAM 2026 Debate: Should the far side of the Moon be reserved for science?

What we do on the Moon now will set a precedent for preserving parts of the entire Solar System as we move out into it, according to astrophysicist and leading space debris expert Dr Jonathan McDowell. He was speaking during a...

Image from HST showing the bipolar outflow of material ejected by the helium nova V445 Puppis. The progenitor binary star system is just about visible in the centre of the outflow. Also visible are the 'bullets' of gas that were shot out at either end of the outflow. Image taken in 2013 with the F502N filter on Hubble’s Wide Field Camera 3.

Research Highlights

NAM 2026: Mystery 'bullets' seen in Milky Way's only helium nova

Mysterious high-speed "bullets" – clumps of possibly oxygen-rich gas travelling at up to 20 million miles per hour – have been discovered shooting out of the rarest stellar explosion in our galaxy. They were spotted after a dust...

Comparison of Mars before (left) and during (right) the June 2018 dust storm, which coincided with the solar energetic particle event examined by the Lancaster University team. Images taken by the Mars Color Imager (MARCI), a wide-angle camera aboard NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO), that maps daily weather conditions across the planet.

NAM 2026: Solar storms 'may alter Martian weather during dust storms'

Research Highlights

The front cover of The Sun as a Star, an online collection of papers celebrating our growing understanding of the Sun over the past two centuries.

New online collection celebrates growing understanding of our Sun

News

Photograph of the MAGIC instrument. This is the flight instrument that has just been finished and will be sent for integration into HENON soon. It is missing the sensor, which is attached by a wire and will be mounted on a deployable boom.

NAM 2026: UK-built instrument could vastly improve space weather forecasts

Research Highlights

Sunspots are regions of intense magnetic activity on the Sun's surface. The number of sunspots rises and falls over the Sun's approximately 11-year activity cycle and is one of the main ways astronomers track and predict solar activity.

NAM 2026: How Sun goes to 'sleep' could reveal space weather when it wakes

Research Highlights

RAS response to UKRI/STFC funding announcement

News

Image of the Australian desert showing the growing light pollution caused by artificial satellites.

Scourge of satellites could be mitigated with help of ultra-black coating

Research Highlights

Announcements

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News

RAS response to UKRI/STFC funding announcement

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News

New pilot scheme for small RAS grants

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News

Update on RAS Fellowships

Promotional graphic for the 2027 Royal Astronomical Society Awards.

News

RAS Awards 2027: Nominations now open

Professor Matthew Middleton alongside a cover of Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.

News

Black hole expert to become next Editor-in-Chief of MNRAS

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News

SpaceX and Reflect Orbital plans would 'permanently scar' night sky

Events and Dates for the Diary

17

Sep 2026

Friends of RAS (only): The emergence of globular star clusters, dwarf galaxies and something in-between

Thursday, 17 of September 2026 - 13:00

Friends of the RAS

22

Oct 2026

Friends of RAS (only): Early galaxies and infant black holes in the primeval Universe

Thursday, 22 of October 2026 - 13:00

Friends of the RAS

10

Dec 2026

Friends of RAS (only): Prof Nina Hatch, University of Nottingham

Thursday, 10 of December 2026 - 13:00

Friends of the RAS

28

Jan 2027

Friends of RAS (only): Dr Catherine Walsh

Thursday, 28 of January 2027 - 13:00

Friends of the RAS

July 2026

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

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Education, Outreach

RAS Carers' Grant

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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View our latest A&G magazine publication. Exclusive for our members

for more information on how you can contribute &
view our stories online please visit our A&G section.

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