September 1998

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The world's best-selling astronomy magazine offers you the most exciting, visually stunning, and timely coverage of the heavens above. Each monthly issue includes expert science reporting, vivid color photography, complete sky coverage, spot-on observing tips, informative telescope reviews, and much more! All this in an easy-to-understand, user-friendly style that's perfect for astronomers at any level.

Features

Great Star Parties

The number of these get-togethers has mushroomed in the past 25 years, changing the landscape of amateur astronomy.

pg. 38

Deconstructing the Moon

By Ray Jayawardhana

When an object bigger than Mars smashed into the infant Earth, it created a celestial firestorm - and our moon.

pg. 40

Puzzling Parallax

By James S. Trefil

For ages, astronomers had no clue how far away stars lie. Then a 19th-century marriage of technology and ingenuity showed the true scale of the universe.

pg. 46

Keck Trekking

By Julie Wakefield

Perched on a dormant volcano, the 10-meter Keck telescopes provide Earth's deepest views of the cosmos.

pg. 52

Policing the Universe

By David H. Freedman

Reams of raw data flow into the office of Brian Marsden, who must decide which observations signify a newly discovered comet, asteroid, or supernova.

pg. 58

Celestial Portraits: Cygnus and Lyra

By Tom Polakis

Spectacular clusters, colorful doubles, and glowing gas clouds await backyard observers in these rich starfields.

pg. 82

Eavesdropping on the Cosmos

By Nancy L. Hendrickson

A visit to picturesque New Mexico and the 27 radio dishes of the Very Large Array will show you why this is the perfect spot to listen to the universe.

pg. 88

Awash in a Sea of Crises

By Jim Bell

The next time a crescent moon hangs in the evening sky, grab your telescope and explore this vast lava-filled basin.

pg. 94

Ask Astro

We answer your questions about the science and hobby of astronomy.

pg. 96

Departments

Behind the Scenes

Seeking Life

Talking Back

AstroNews

- Runaway Planet
- Neutrinos Have Mass
- Catching a Solar Wave
- A Perfect Celestial Alignment
- Most Powerful Magnetic Field Discovered
- First Light for VLT
- A Pinch of Salt on Europa
- Comets Showered Eocene Earth
- Getting into Hot Water on Ancient Mars

Sky Show

At opposition this month, Jupiter blazes away the whole night long. For a more subtle sight, watch on the 6th when the moon passes into Earth's light penumbral shadow.

Star Stuff

Products
- LensPen MiniPro
- AltAzimuth Platform Kit
- Cosmic Pursuit
- The Heavens Declare
- TLC Telescope Laser Collimator
Books
- Other Worlds: The Search for Life in the
Universe
Bytes
- SkyMap
- The Wonders of the Universe

Looking Ahead

Advertiser Index

Hot Shots

So Long Summer Skies

Ultimate Exposure

	Sun	Sun	Moon
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	Mercury	Mercury	Venus	Venus
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SET	—		—
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	Mars	Mars	Jupiter	Jupiter	Saturn	Saturn
RISE	—		—		—
SET	—		—		—
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