Royal Museums Greenwich

Astronomy fact files

Note: these fact files have been written for age 16 and above.

We also have over 40 astronomy FAQs including 'When will the next solar or lunar eclipse take place?', 'What is the bright object I saw in the sky last night?', and 'Will an asteroid hit the earth?'

  • Astronomical instruments
    Astronomical instruments
    Find out about telescopes, Meridian and Positional Astronomy, Photometry and Astronomical Spectroscopy.
    Astronomical instruments
  • Comets, meteors and asteroids
    Comets, meteors and asteroids
    Find out about comets, meteors, meteorites and asteroids including how to make your own comet and the closest object ever.
    Comets, meteors and asteroids
  • Royal Observatory & history of astronomy
    Royal Observatory & history of astronomy
    Learn about John Harrison, Halley, the Herschels, George Airy, Robert Hooke and Christopher Wren.
    Royal Observatory & history of astronomy
  • Stars
    Stars
    Stars, supernovae, constellations, pulsars, black holes, white dwarfs and star myths.
    Stars
  • The solar system
    The solar system
    Find out about our Sun and Moon, the planets and dwarf planets, eclipses, aurorae and sunspots.
    The solar system
  • The universe
    The universe
    Galaxies, cosmology, dark matter and the Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence.
    The universe
  • General astronomy
    General astronomy
    Find out how to become an astronomer and how UK astronomy is funded.
    General astronomy
  • Space exploration archive
    Space exploration archive
    The International Space Station, Ulysses, Deep Impact, Cassini-Hugyens, Mir, Hipparcos, Galileo and many more.
    Space exploration archive
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