August 1996

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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

Journey to the Outer Limits

By Robert Naeye, Seth Potter

Cutting-edge technology could take a spacecraft beyond Pluto, where it would produce a unique bounty for science.

pg. 36

A River in the Universe

By Adam Frank

Surveys suggesting that distant galaxies do not expand smoothly may force astronomers to rethink their ideas about cosmology.

pg. 44

Catch a Perseid on Film

By Patricia A. Kurtz

With the Moon out of the way for the Perseid meteors this year, observers and photographers alike should see a grand display.

pg. 52

Sky Almanac

By Martin Ratcliffe, Rick Shaffer

Regardless of when you observe, these August nights provide at least one bright, well-placed planet.

pg. 56

Saturn's Missing Rings

By Richard Talcott

Observers watched enthralled as Saturn turned its rings edge-on to our line of sight for the first time in 15 years.

pg. 66

Free-form Observing

By Jeff Kanipe

Many observers plan their viewing in great detail, but taking your scope on a random trek across the sky may produce bigger rewards.

pg. 68

Moonwalking the Outer Planets

By Richard Talcott

Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune are all high in the night sky this month, creating a perfect opportunity to glean their faint moons.

pg. 72

Fish-eye on the Sky

By Mark J. Coco, Stephen J. Edberg

Looking for something different out of your celestial photos? Try capturing the entire sky in one image.

pg. 76

Departments

Behind the Scenes

Catch Some Falling Stars

Letters

AstroForum

A Labor of Love and Adventure

AstroNews

- Closing in on the Hubble Constant
- Saturn's Edge-on Rings
- Computer Cosmology
- A Nearby Extrasolar Planet?
- The Birth of Dwarfs
- Getting to Know Jupiter & Company
- Are Quasars Formed in Collisions?
- How Far to M101?
- Solar Eruptions

Amateur News

Peach State Star Gaze Delights Georgians

Astronomy Books

Observing for the Fun of It

AstroBytes

- Guide 4.0
- H-R Calc 2.0
- Earth Centered Universe 2.0B

Meetings and Events

Resources & Photofacts

New Products

- Binocular Viewer Kit
- Comet Crash Slide Set
- Apollo 13 Video

Advertiser Index

Reader Reports