Jamie Carter is a Cardiff, U.K.-based freelance science journalist and a regular contributor to Live Science. He is the author of A Stargazing Program For Beginners and co-author of The Eclipse Effect, and leads international stargazing and eclipse-chasing tours. His work appears regularly in Space.com, Forbes, New Scientist, BBC Sky at Night, Sky & Telescope, and other major science and astronomy publications. He is also the editor of WhenIsTheNextEclipse.com.
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Quadrantid meteor shower peaks this week: How to see the first 'shooting' stars of the yearThe Quadrantids will be harder to see than usual due to the bright full moon. Here's how to get the best views.
By Jamie Carter Published
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Stunning array of 400 rings in a 'reflection' nebula solves a 30-year-old star-formation mystery — Space photo of the weekThe discovery is the first direct observational confirmation of a theory for how young stars feed on, and then explosively expel, surrounding material.
By Jamie Carter Published
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The easiest constellations for beginners to spot in winter (and what you need to see them)From Orion and Taurus to Auriga and Perseus, here are 10 easy sets of stars to find in the Northern Hemisphere’s winter night sky.
By Jamie Carter Published
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The 9 best things to see in the night sky with binoculars from November 2025 to January to 2026Discover the highlights of the Northern Hemisphere’s winter night sky with our guide to the top celestial sights to enjoy through binoculars between November 2025 and January 2026.
By Jamie Carter Published
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Glittering new James Webb telescope image shows an 'intricate web of chaos' — Space photo of the weekThis mash-up of data from the James Webb Space Telescope and the Chandra X-ray Observatory reveals two galaxies mid-collision, with their spiral arms overlapping and bending toward their neighbors' cores.
By Jamie Carter Published
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Comet 3I/ATLAS reaches its closest point to Earth tonight: How to see itComet 3I/ATLAS, the third interstellar object ever detected, reached its closest point to Earth overnight from Thursday to Friday (Dec. 18 to 19), and it remains in a good viewing position tonight. Here's how to see it.
By Jamie Carter Last updated
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Stargazing over the Christmas holidays 2025: 10 great reasons to look upYour guide to the best sights the night sky has to offer from Dec. 20, 2025, to Jan. 4, 2026 — and the gear you'll need to see them.
By Jamie Carter Published
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Ursid meteor shower 2025: When and where to see 'shooting stars' on the longest night of the yearHere's how to see the Ursid meteor shower, which peaks in dark skies close to a new moon this year.
By Jamie Carter Published
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Strange, 7-hour explosion from deep space is unlike anything scientists have seen — Space photo of the weekAstronomers used major telescopes across the world to probe a cosmic explosion 8 billion light-years from the solar system.
By Jamie Carter Published
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See up to 150 'shooting stars' per hour this weekend as the Geminid meteor shower reaches its stunning peakThe Geminid meteor shower peaks this weekend! The Geminids peak overnight on Dec. 13 and 14, when up to 150 "shooting stars" per hour will rain down on Earth in a near-moonless night sky.
By Jamie Carter Last updated
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When does winter start? Your guide to the 2025 winter solstice.Astronomical winter begins Sunday, Dec. 21 in the Northern Hemisphere. Here's how the solstice works.
By Jamie Carter Published
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How to find the 'Christmas Star' — and what it really isA brilliant point of light is rising in the eastern sky soon after dark this month, drawing comparisons to the "Star of Bethlehem."
By Jamie Carter Published
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Ethereal structure in the sky rivals 'Pillars of Creation' — Space photo of the weekThe twin telescopes of the Gemini Observatory mark 25 years of discovery as students name distant nebula Ua ʻŌhiʻa Lan.
By Jamie Carter Published
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When is the next full moon?When does the next full moon rise? Find out exactly when to see the full moons of 2025, including the full 'Cold Moon' supermoon in December.
By Jamie Carter Last updated
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Cold Moon 2025: See the last and highest full moon of the yearThe Cold Moon, the 12th and final full moon of 2025, rose on Thursday (Dec. 4) but will still appear bright and full on Friday (Dec. 5)
By Jamie Carter Last updated
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Astrotourism, dark-sky and Northern Lights travel essentialsDeals What to pack when you’re hunting dark skies and the aurora this winter — with some amazing Black Friday deals.
By Jamie Carter Published
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Astrophotography on a budget: The best Black Friday cameras, lenses, tripods and trackers hand-picked by an astrophotographerDeals Good quality, great value gear for budding astrophotographers to look out for during Black Friday weekend.
By Jamie Carter Published
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See a rare conjunction of Mercury and Venus late tonightThe inner planets Mercury and Venus will both be visible in the east-southeast sky before sunrise on Tuesday, Nov. 25.
By Jamie Carter Last updated
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Giant 'diamond ring' sparkles 4,500 light-years away in the Cygnus constellation — Space photo of the weekNASA's SOFIA observatory captured a rare image of a glowing gas ring in Cygnus X — a vast star-forming region 4,500 light-years away.
By Jamie Carter Published
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First Vera Rubin Observatory image reveals hidden structure as long as the Milky Way trailing behind a nearby galaxy — Space photo of the weekFirst-light images from the Vera C. Rubin Observatory have revealed a 163,000-light-year stream of stars emanating from the M61 galaxy, suggesting a violent past.
By Jamie Carter Published
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This week's Leonid meteor shower could be one of the best in years. Here's why.The Leonids peak overnight Nov. 16-17, offering up to 15 meteors per hour under dark, moonless skies.
By Jamie Carter Published
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Webb reveals a fiery starburst in the Cigar Galaxy — Space photo of the weekThe James Webb Space Telescope has revealed the blazing heart of an iconic nearby galaxy, where rapid star formation and galactic winds light up the cosmos in infrared light.
By Jamie Carter Published
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Beaver Supermoon: The biggest, brightest full moon of the year rises tonightNovember's full Beaver supermoon will occur on Nov. 5, but it will be best seen the following evening as it rises into the sky in the east.
By Jamie Carter Published
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Comets Lemmon and SWAN reach their brightest this weekComet Lemmon (C/2025 A6) makes its closest approach to Earth on Oct. 21, about 24 hours after the fainter Comet SWAN (C/2025 R2) does the same. Here's how, where and when to see them both.
By Jamie Carter Published
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