August 2012

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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

Will Curiosity find life on Mars?

By Jim Bell

NASA’s Mars Science Laboratory mission packs the most advanced suite of scientific instruments ever sent to another world.

pg. 20

Web Extra: Hunting for signs of martian life

By Richard Talcott

NASA’s Mars Science Laboratory — aka Curiosity — will explore Gale Crater to see if the Red Planet could support life now or in the past.

How twin rovers found water on Mars

By Robert Burnham

In 2004, NASA landed two robot geologists on Mars, hoping to get 90 days of work out of them. After eight years of exploration, Spirit and Opportunity have deepened our knowledge of the Red Planet.

pg. 26

Web Extra: Twin rovers’ meteorite encounters

By Robert Burnham

Earth isn’t the only planet that features rocks from space.

Web Extra: Rovers on wheels

By Robert Burnham

NASA’s four martian rovers all took engineering inspiration from the Soviet Union’s 1970s Moon missions.

Illustrated: How we’ll get to Mars

By Richard Talcott, Roen Kelly

Landing humans on the Red Planet will be difficult and dangerous — but it can be done.

pg. 34

The Red Planet’s colorful past

By Karri Ferron

Since antiquity, Mars has captured our minds and imaginations, and its study has led to important discoveries — and some of the greatest misconceptions — in planetary science.

pg. 44

Web Extra - The quest to understand the Red Planet

By Karri Ferron

Man’s perception of Mars has changed greatly over 5,000 years.