February 2011

Subscribe today and save!
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

What are galaxies trying to tell us?

By Bill Andrews

Astronomers are using the latest techniques to learn what gives galaxies their shapes, what governs their interaction, and how they evolve.

pg. 24

Web Extra: Behind the scenes of galactic research

By Bill Andrews

Find out the state of affairs in galaxy-black hole research and how you can help scientists learn more.

Captured moons of the giant planets

By Liz Kruesi

Most satellites of the outer solar system didn't form with their host planets. So where did they come from?

pg. 30

Web Extra: Saturn's oddball moon

By Liz Kruesi

Phoebe is the most-studied irregular satellite.

Where has all the lithium gone?

By Bruce Dorminey

A relative lack of lithium in ancient stars means scientists don't completely understand how stars evolve or how the Big Bang forged the first elements.

pg. 44

Web Extra: How the Big Bang forged the first elements

By Richard Talcott

The paltry amount of lithium in ancient stars raises questions about exactly how nucleosynthesis played out in the early universe. But cosmologists have a pretty good handle on how nuclear reactions created hydrogen and helium.

How to hunt galaxies from the suburbs

By Neale Monks

You can see galaxies through moderate light pollution. The key is knowing where to look.

pg. 52

Web Extra: Suburban galaxies you can spot

By Michael E. Bakich

Enjoy more images of bright galaxies you might be able to see from home.

Why Gen X and Y should care about astronomy

By Karen Jennings

It doesn't take a genius to see the lack of young adults in our hobby. Yet an appreciation of the universe should be right up their alley.

pg. 54

Web Extra: Welcome to astronomy