Last Wednesday a further 60 satellites were launched as part of SpaceX's Starlink project. Eventually many thousands of these small satellites will ring the Earth, providing Internet access to almost the entire globe. This is however problematic, as they interfere with astronomy given their light pollution. Willie Koorts shows us how to image the 'String of Pearls' in his youtube videos which you can find on https://www.youtube.com/user/SterremanWillie/videos.

How is the current pandemic affecting astronomers and space missions? Are astronomers still able to work? How are the astronomical establishments responding to the crisis? Are rockets being launched into space? Fear not, this is not about the C-word and mentions no graphs or statistics, but describes how the scientists and engineers are affected - or not.

NASA has discovered gas emanating from Uranus. Trawling through 30-year old data from Voyager-2, scientists have found a large bubble of gas was flung out of Uranus's atmosphere and believe this could occur daily: a Uranian day being a mere 17 hours. Find out more about this gassy planet, and about the end of the solar system, universe and all.

How do astronomers know how far away things are? We need to know this to achieve a sense of proper perspective, something we all need right now.

Where is everybody? Kechil runs through Fermi's Paradox, a list of a dozen or so reasons why we haven't heard from the aliens yet. Since it's Friday 13th let's add another one: they haven't visited Earth yet because they just can't be bothered.

How do we know anything for sure? Some folk need proof, personal tangible proof, before believing in anything. Astronomy some would say isn't a true science, since astronomical observations are so remote and there is nothing tangible about it. Robbie Lees, a Masters student at the University of Cape Town, discusses some finer points of philosophy and people jumping out of balloons and crash landing on Earth.

Most of the stars we see are in fact more than one star, and typically they are binary systems where one star orbits another. In some cases one star begins to gobble up its companion and it can turn into what is known as a cataclysmic variable where the star system brightens and dims as it gobbles, burps, and the rests a while. Or something like that - Dr Valerio Ribeiro from the University of Aveiro in Portugal tells us how.

What to do if a star goes supernova? This may well happen to Betelgeuse in Orion, as this red giant has been dimming more than expected, and could be in a 'pre-supernova' phase. Thankfully it's a long way away, as you wouldn't want to be anywhere near the formation of a black hole or neutron star. Pronounce Betelgeuse however you like - astronomers are all over the map on this one.

It's 30 years since Voyager-1 turned its camera back to Earth and took the iconic photograph called 'Pale Blue Dot. You may think we've photographed everything in our solar system but we have never explored the poles of the Sun. This is due to change as last Monday a probe was launched to do just that. You can come take a look for yourself at what is visible in our solar system and beyond at Moonstruck on Saturday 15 February at Clifton 4 beach where astronomers will be waiting with telescopes, in amongst the party.

The President of the International Astronomical Union, Professor Ewine van Dishoeck, has been visiting South Africa for two weeks, which is a long time out of her schedule. Here she describes how it is that some of the water on Earth originated before Earth was made. So next time you take a sip of water, think that it may be older than the Earth itself! This puts an extra spin on the term fresh water. Some of it is billions of years old. If you'd like to hear more from the person at the top, go to the cosmic savannah podcast where you can find a longer programme about her visit.