October 2009

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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

How we mapped the Milky Way

By Liz Kruesi

After a centuries-long mystery, scientists now understand our galaxy's spiral shape. But there's more to unravel.

pg. 28

Web extra: How a scientist discovered we lived in one galaxy of many

By Liz Kruesi

Until 84 years ago astronomers thought the Milky Way Galaxy was the entire universe. Then they found that fuzzy objects in the sky were galaxies themselves.

Seeking ground truth on Mars

By Richard Talcott

Under the watchful eye of five spacecraft, the Red Planet's surface reveals weather and climate patterns and the complex history of water and ice.

pg. 34

Epsilon Aurigae: Astronomy's longest-running mystery show

By Robert Zimmerman

A huge, unknown object is dimming this supergiant star's light, just as it did 27 years ago. New technology may soon tell us what it is.

pg. 48

Web extra: Citizen science and Epsilon Aurigae

By Daniel Pendick

Amateur observers can make important contributions to the scientific observing campaign focusing on Epsilon Aurigae.

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