Australian Sky & Telescope

Australian Sky & Telescope is a world-class magazine about the science and hobby of astronomy.  Combining the formidable worldwide resources of its venerable parent magazine with the talents of the best science writers and photographers in Australia, Australian Sky & Telescope is a magazine produced specifically for the Southern Hemisphere’s astronomers.

Remembering your first scope

Insight lander heads to Mars

IN BRIEF

TESS mission launches successfully

Gaia maps 1.7 billion stars, widens cosmic census

14 galaxies might have become the largest cluster in the Universe

Do supermassive black holes wander the Milky Way?

IN BRIEF

Hawking takes on the multiverse

Mud cracks on Mars reveal a lake’s history

Visits to Venus and Mars • The month of August has a rich place in the history in planetary exploration.

Celestial scenery • The depths of deep space revealed under dark Australian skies.

LITTER IN ORBIT: How to Clean Up Space Junk • Millions of pieces of debris orbit Earth, and it’s going to take a coordinated effort to solve the problem.

RE-ENTRY HEADLINES

INTERPLANETARY SPACE JUNK • In this article I have concentrated on the junk that orbits Earth. But humans have been littering interplanetary space, too. SpaceX’s recent launch of its CEO’s inert Tesla Roadster car into solar orbit aboard the new Falcon Heavy rocket is only one recent example.

SPACE JUNK HAS A TALE TO TELL

Mars’ LOST atmosphere • NASA’s MAVEN mission has confirmed how our planetary neighbour lost its protective gas envelope.

Your First Scope • Consider this expert advice before making your first big purchase as an amateur astronomer.

REFRACTOR

REFLECTOR

COMPOUND

‘Kicking the Tires’ • Things to check when selecting a telescope

First into orbit • Australia’s states are lining up to host to the nation’s new Space Agency.

Surprises come in twos

USING THE STAR CHART

All my Mars at once — Part 2 • Join the author as he continues down Martian Memory Lane.

Venus & Jupiter are ‘western stars’ • These two bright worlds are unmistakable in the evening sky.

Meteors, with a chance of fireballs • Tackle the Southern Taurids and maybe spot a fireball or two.

LUNAR PHENOMENA

SKY PHENOMENA (dates in AEST)

Sagittarius rises again • Take aim at these targets within the Archer-Centaur constellation.

When amateur astronomers gather • This year’s National Convention held something for everyone.

Action at Jupiter

The ‘meteor storm’ comet returns • Set your sights on 21P/Giacobini-Zinner during September.

M17: The nebula with too many names • Follow this guide to find one of the best H II regions in the night sky.

Hunting Phobos and Deimos • Spotting these diminutive moons is a daunting challenge for dedicated observers.

Precision optics • A New Zealand company that specialises in high-tech optics is taking on the world.

NEW PRODUCT SHOWCASE

Messier 27: The first planetary nebula • Explore this complex deep sky object through your telescope with the help of an experienced observer’s ever-so-elaborate sketches.

PLANETARY NEBULA: A misleading and unfortunate name

BONUS OBJECT: NSV 24959, the Goldilocks Variable star

Managing images with Observatory • This program for Mac computers helps you to organise your image data, and more.

Idiosyncratic but authoritative • Binoculars: Fallacy & Fact

An optimised Dob • Wringing the last gram of performance out of a scope.

A worthy winner • Queensland’s David Moriarty receives prestigious scientific...