April 2009
Volume 5. Number 3. Issue 36
COVER STORY
Going Over the Dark Side
If dark energy is Einstein's cosmological constant, the universe will expand forever at an accelerating rate. If it's not, all bets are off.
By Richard Panek
NEWS & FEATURES
News Notes
• The Dimmest Brown Dwarfs?
• Mars' Oceanic Past
• Watching Tycho's Supernova
and more...
Mission Update
By Jonathan McDowell
Cosmic Relief
Living Dangerously
By David Grinspoon
Spotlight On...A Dance of Light and Shadow
Cassini has provided us with some inspiring views of the Saturnian system.
By Sean Walker
Insight
Ten things you may not know about Earth's "sister planet".
A Worldwide Astronomy Marathon
Grab your scopes and friends and head outside! Early April will be amateur astronomy's time to shine for the International Year of Astronomy 2009.
By Mike Simmons
Feeling The Heat
NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope's coolant may be running out, but it is continuing to deliver spectacular images and science.
By Greg Bryant
Exoplanets Imaged At Last
Two teams of astronomers have finally achieved one of astronomy's holy grails.
By Robert Naeye
The Moon, the Telescope, and the Birth of the Modern World
In 2009 we are all surrounded by technology, rather than candles and farm animals, because of something the telescope helped start 400 years ago.
By Stephen P. Maran and Laurence A. Marschall
PRODUCTS & REVIEWS
New Product Spotlight
• Universal Astronomic's EasyView Arm
• Celestron's CGEM German Equatorial Mount
• Vixen Optics' Foresta Binoculars
Books & Beyond
• Cracks in the Ice
• Gazing at Stars
AS&T Test Report
Powerful Performer: Orion's StarShoot Pro
This single-shot colour CCD camera sets a benchmark for value in the world of deep-sky imaging.
By Johnny Horne
OBSERVING & EXPLORING
Binocular Highlight
Mature M67
By Les Dalrymple
Tonight's Sky
Clustered Along the Milky Way
By Greg Bryant
Sun, Moon, and Planets
Saturn's Evening Show
By Greg Bryant
Celestial Calendar
The Mimas Challenge
By Alan MacRobert
Celestial Calendar
Setting a Course for Kaus Borealis
By Steve Kerr
Celestial Calendar
An Autumn Trio of Comets
By David Seargent
Exploring The Moon
The Ghosts of Mare Nubium
By Charles A. Wood
Suburban Star-Hop
Cluster Near, Cluster Far
By Ken Hewitt-White
Deep Sky Delights
Hide and Seek
By Les Dalrymple
Double Star Notes
Delta Velorum and some Neighbours
By Ross Gould
Targets
The Lion's Lair
By Sue French
ACTIVITIES & PEOPLE
Living with Light Pollution
Don't let city lights squelch your love of stargazing
By Tony Flanders
Data Mining for Astro-Gold
There could be surprising discoveries lurking in your astrophotos.
By Paul Mortfield
Club Profile
Townsville Astronomy Group
By Edward Kennedy
Community News
Telescope Workshop
Pushing Glass
By Gary Seronik
Gallery
Ask AS&T
• The Sky is Falling
• Polluted Pluto
...and more
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE
Spectrum
Mission In Action
By Greg Bryant
Subscription Offer
Subscribe and receive a free Star Chart CD! See our offer
Manufacturer & Dealer Directory
Focal Point
Talking with Civilians
By Joe Shuster
Index to Advertisers