Australian Sky & Telescope - January 2018 (gnv64)

Australian Sky & Telescope - January 2018
English | 84 pages | True PDF | 19.5 mb

REGULARS
5 Spectrum
8 Newsnotes
12 Discoveries
57 AS&T bookshop
FEATURES
14 Back in orbit Australia’s federal government has finally seen the light, committing to establishing the nation’s first full-on space agency. And it’s fair to say the space science community is thrilled. By Jonathan Nally
16 The race to Mars Timing is everything in space exploration, and in 2020 the time will be right to launch an armada of explorers to the Red Planet in search of signs of life. By Benjamin Skuse
26 Worlds of wonder With its 13-year stint at Saturn complete, NASA’s Cassini orbiter leaves a legacy of unparalleled beauty and scientific discovery. By Luke Dones
36 The killer kilonova Spacetime ripples from a neutron star smash-up have ushered in a new age of astronomy. By Govert Schilling
OBSERVING & EXPLORING
42 Binocular highlight See a ‘stingray’ in the sky. By Matt Wedel
44 Under the stars In awe of celestial curiosities. By Fred Schaaf
46 Sun, Moon and planets Planets shine in the morning sky. By Jonathan Nally
47 Meteors The best meteor showers for 2018. By Con Stoitsis
48 Double star notes Visiting Volans, the ‘flying fish’. By Ross Gould
49 Variable stars Watch a wild and unpredictable star. By Alan Plummer
50 Comets A close encounter with the Sun. By David Seargent
52 Celestial calendar Check out our 2018 observing guide.
54 Celestial calendar Don’t miss January’s lunar eclipse! By S. N. Johnson-Roehr
THE ASTRONOMY SCENE
56 Cosmic relief A solar eclipse is a chance to spread the wonder of astronomy. By David Grinspoon
66 Test report We road-test Celestron’s highly versatile CGX equatorial mount. By Dennis di Cicco
72 Astronomer’s workbench A remarkable hi-tech telescope. By Jerry Oltion
74 NightLife and Astro Calendar Events and activities for astro enthusiasts.
76 Gallery Latest images from our readers.
80 Marketplace
81 Index to advertisers
82 Focal Point Major astronomy projects need community support if they’re to succeed. By Govert Schilling