September 2004

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.

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Features

Listening for a whisper

by
Seth Shostak

The keys to searching for life elsewhere in the universe are sky coverage and computing speed. The Allen Telescope Array, the latest project from the SETI Institute, has plenty of both – and astronomers are hoping for results in the near future.

Our local star factory

by
Matthew Terry

A ring of bright, naked-eye stars called Gould’s Belt surrounds the Sun. It’s the outcome of a burst of star-making that took place in this part of the Milky Way roughly 30 million years ago.

Cassini spies Phoebe

by
Richard Talcott

The Cassini spacecraft made its first close approach to a member of the saturnian system this summer, passing within 1,200 miles of the captured moon Phoebe.

Trekking the autumn sky

by
Ian Ridpath

Touring the universe’s galaxies, nebulae, colorful stars, and beautiful clusters doesn’t require a giant telescope. Even a small instrument can show you a lot.

Shooting the sky

by
Bill Fletcher, Sally Fletcher

Think you need a CCD camera to do great imaging? Don’t throw away your film camera just yet. Two California astrophotographers are proving terrific images still can be made on film.

The Oregon Star Party

by
Tom Polakis

The Oregon Star Party offers amateur astronomers one of the darkest observing sites in the country. Despite its remote location, visitors still can enjoy a cappuccino and surf the Web while waiting to take a shower.