Chris Cooke Astronomy

I am a professional astronomer with a passion for making the universe accessible and awe-inspiring for everyone. Based in Devon, I proudly serve as the Chairman of the Plymouth Astronomical Society.


Whether I'm guiding you through a starry night sky in a stargazing experience or bringing excitement to classrooms, festivals, and corporate events, my goal is to inspire curiosity and a deeper appreciation for the cosmos.


✨ With over 25 years of exploring the stars and sharing the beauty of space, I'm here to bring science and wonder down to Earth.


🌠 Join me on this cosmic journey as we look up, explore, and marvel together!

Contact Me

For general enquiries, please reach out via email or phone:

NASA Picture of the Day

Earthset from Orion - 2024-11-20

Earthset from Orion

ght billion people are about to disappear in this snapshot from space taken on 2022 November 21. On the sixth day of the Artemis I mission, their home world is setting behind the Moon's bright edge as viewed by an external camera on the outbound Orion spacecraft. Orion was headed for a powered flyby that took it to within 130 kilometers of the lunar surface. Velocity gained in the flyby maneuver was used to reach a distant retrograde orbit around the Moon. That orbit is considered distant because it's another 92,000 kilometers beyond the Moon, and retrograde because the spacecraft orbited in the opposite direction of the Moon's orbit around planet Earth. Orion entered its distant retrograde orbit on November 25. Swinging around the Moon, Orion reached a maximum distance (just over 400,000 kilometers) from Earth on November 28, exceeding a record set by Apollo 13 for most distant spacecraft designed for human space exploration. The Artemis II mission, carrying 4 astronauts around the moon and back again, is scheduled to launch no earlier than September 2025.