Look up - and get hooked.

Saturday night.

The frost was biting through my boots, and the thermometer mocked me: -4°C.

Usually, this makes me utterly miserable. But, instead of complaining (okay, maybe I complained a little), we stood there, huddled together, shivering and captivated by the sky.

Four planets—Venus, Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars—shone brightly in alignment, rare when this kind of thing happens between dinner and bedtime.

Moments like these spark big questions.

And the answers (or lack of them) divides us.

If you’ve ever taught, or sat in, a Physics lesson on Space, you’ll know it’s one of those topics that splits the room. Some are all in, eyes wide, rattling off the names of Jupiter's moons like they’re reading the menu at a fast-food joint.

Others? Disconnected and rolling their eyes so hard you’d think they’re trying to find a black hole in their own brain.

I get it. Space feels distant. Abstract. Like it has zero relevance to daily life.

Even after a slew of cool facts and mind-blowing photos, there’s no neat, tidy conclusion to encircle with a pastel highlighter and bank in revision notes.

But, it is relevant. Without space physics we wouldn't have Google Maps, the latest weather, or Netflix. Moon landings gave us scratch-resistant glasses, water purification systems and MRI machines.

The ones who are already hooked? They don’t mind the unknown. They lean in for the opportunity to discover something beyond the confines of a textbook.

So, look up at the skies this week.

According to the Royal Museums Greenwich, the best time to spot the planets is just after sunset until 9 p.m. on January 21st, but you can see them on a clear night any day this month.

To help locate and identify them (and other celestial objects), download an app like SkyView Lite.

Fun facts to keep the conversation going in the cold:

• Mars glows red because of its iron-rich soil.
• Venus is the brightest planet thanks to its reflective cloud cover.
• Planets don’t twinkle because their light reflects from a surface, unlike stars whose light “shimmers” as it travels through Earth’s atmosphere. Check out the physics behind it here.

For those who prefer warmth, NASA’s Eyes on the Solar System is a cool interactive virtual tour of all the planets, moons, asteroids and spacecraft.

Eyes - NASA Science

NASA’s Eyes is a suite of 3D visualization applications that allows everyone to explore and understand real NASA data and imagery in a fun and interactive way. The apps are all run inside a regular web browser, so any device with an internet connection and a browser can run them.

NASA Logo

Craving more?

Engage your inner astronomer with these super-curricula activities:

DIY

Try building a Star Clock to tell time using the stars as your guide.

PODCAST

Cosmic Queries episodes on StarTalk tackle fascinating questions with a good mix of humour and curiosity.

StarTalk Radio Show by Neil deGrasse Tyson

Science, pop culture & comedy collide on StarTalk w/ astrophysicist & Hayden Planetarium director Neil deGrasse Tyson, comic co-hosts, celebrities & scientists.

StarTalk Radio Show by Neil deGrasse Tyson

YOUTUBE

Physics Girl explains why Mars is so hostile to life. Spoiler: it’s not just the lack of air.

CONNECTION TO THE EVERYDAY

Want to inspire the connection between space and our everyday? Check out this infographic on NASA's spinoffs:

With more detail about over 2000 spinoffs from the last 50 years here:

Home | NASA Spinoff

NASA Spinoff

Or explore how space patents are shaping biotech industries.

MATHS

Connect your maths by deep-diving into ellipses with this practical explanation using marbles.

Marble-ous ellipses - speed and time of orbiting bodies | Teach with space P02

Language: English, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Estonian, Subjects: Physics, mathematicsIn order to understand the orbits of planets, comets, and other celestial bodies, it is necessary to examine the principles of how gravity and the velocity of an object interact to produce an orbit. It is a common misconception among students that planetary orbits are circular. This practical activity gives a space setting to speed-time graphs.  It shows how the speed of objects in elliptical orbits change as they orbit the Sun.  An extension activity which  looks at the geometry of ellipses and their relation to physical parameters in the Solar System  is included.

Teach with space P02

ENGLISH

Let this week’s night sky inspire your writing with prompts like:

The Sky's Secret Map: The planetary alignment is actually a hidden code left by ancient space explorers. What does it reveal, and how will you use it to uncover their secrets?

The Guardians of the Alignment: Long ago, four celestial guardians were tasked with keeping the planets in alignment. Write their story and the challenges they face as they protect the cosmos.

Your Planetary Superpower: During the alignment, each planet grants a special power to those who look up at them. What power do you receive, and how do you use it?

OUT & ABOUT

• Institute of Astronomy Public Lectures: Free winter lectures every Wednesday in Cambridge, plus telescope sessions on clear nights. Or catch them on YouTube.
• Royal Greenwich Observatory Planetarium Shows in London. An inspirational way to learn about what’s in the night sky, even when it’s cloudy.

2025 HIGHLIGHTS

For the best astronomy highlights for 2025, check out this roundup of celestial events:

Space and astronomy highlights in 2025

What’s worth looking up for in 2025? Discover this year’s must-see moments with Royal Observatory astronomers

Royal Observatory Greenwich

Stay curious,

Nici

P.S.

Don't know the answer but want to? Perfect—you're hooked.

That’s your spark for the next big question.

A student of mine once turned their question into a project that won a national competition!

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