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.

Living in a golden age

Australian Sky & Telescope

NASA announces mission to Titan

Two more fast radio burst’s host galaxies found

IN BRIEF

Did a newly discovered dwarf do a hit-and-run?

Possible evidence for massive dark matter clump

Huge mass found under Moon’s largest basin

Youngest confirmed planet discovered

Essential astronomy reading • These Australian-produced titles are must-haves for all astronomy enthusiasts. Order yours today, and don’t forget your friends and family for Christmas!

David Malin Awards 2019 • Winning photos from Australia’s premier astrophotography competition.

Kepler’s conquests • NASA’s Kepler space telescope found that exoplanets exist in troves. Although the mission ended in 2018 when the telescope ran out of fuel, discoveries from both Kepler (the mission’s first leg) and K2 (second leg) data are still pouring in. The tallies don’t include planets detected with Kepler but discovered with other facilities.

Pioneers of the Invisible Universe • As scientists and engineers worked over the decades to access the X-ray sky, they revealed a hot and lively cosmos — and revolutionised how we study astronomy.

SERENDIPITOUS SOURCES

Opportunity’s End • The Martian rover’s spectacular and heartbreaking saga helped rewrite our understanding of the Red Planet.

A SHORTLIST OF ROVER DISCOVERIES • Both Spirit and Opportunity penned a new story of Mars — one that is overflowing with water and the necessary conditions to support life as we know it. Here are some of their most significant discoveries.

The face of a Black Hole • A worldwide team of scientists has detected the shadow created by an event horizon. Here’s how they did it.

OBSERVATORIES

If there were an elephant in the centre of M87, they wanted to see it.

USING THE STAR CHART

Big and small, near and far

Musings on eternity • The arch of the Milky Way provides the setting for thoughts on the passage of time.

Mercury in the spotlight • The innermost planet shines in the evening sky.

The Orionids are coming! • Worth observing despite moonlight interference.

SKY PHENOMENA

LUNAR PHENOMENA

Remembering the mighty Ikeya-Seki • At perihelion it was 10 times brighter than the full Moon.

VY Sculptoris, a cataclysmic binary • Test yourself by tracking down this little-observed star system.

The mysterious ‘star-spots’ of Venus • Could these bright patches be signs of active volcanoes?

Microquasars • They may be challenging to observe, but the visible companions in microquasars are exciting to pursue.

Cool hunting • You might have seen Uranus and Neptune before, but have you seen their moons?

Happy birthday, Margaret Burbidge • The astronomer who taught us we are all made of stardust will celebrates her 100th birthday this year.

Triumph over obstacles • In her largely quiet and undemonstrative way, Burbidge’s handling of the many moments of discrimination she encountered during her career inspired other female astronomers to pursue and achieve their own ambitions.

Smartphone Night scaping • The ever-improving quality of cameras in smart devices makes nightscape astrophotography a snap.

NIKON Z6

Nikon’s mirrorless Z6 • We test this new mirrorless camera well-suited to the exacting...