December 2024 Issue | Astronomy.com

How do spacecraft avoid collisions in the asteroid belt?

Astronomy Staff — Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:00:00 +0000

How do spacecraft avoid collisions when passing through the asteroid belt? Val-David SmithsonPleasant Grove, Utah Let’s begin by reviewing some astronomical “history”: Han Solo and his rebel cohorts Leia Organa, Chewbacca, and C-3PO are nestled uncomfortably together in the Millennium Falcon’s cockpit while their ship is pursued by a battalion of Imperial fighters. Unable toContinue reading "How do spacecraft avoid collisions in the asteroid belt?"

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What happened to the jettisoned Apollo lunar modules?

Astronomy Staff — Mon, 16 Dec 2024 19:00:00 +0000

What became of the discarded lunar modules from the Apollo missions? James JarvisSan Francisco, California All but one of the Apollo program’s used lunar modules either crashed into the Moon’s surface or burned up in Earth’s atmosphere. Apollo 10’s lunar module, Snoopy, is still out there, drifting aimlessly around the solar system, waiting for someContinue reading "What happened to the jettisoned Apollo lunar modules? "

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The Red Planet lights up a famous star cluster this month

Stephen James O'Meara — Mon, 16 Dec 2024 14:00:00 +0000

Beginning in late November during the waning phases of the Moon, and then again in late December, you can investigate the possibility of a curious optical phenomenon. It involves a bright planet passing by a large and diffuse star cluster visible with the naked eye. On the evening of June 13, 2023, I went outContinue reading "The Red Planet lights up a famous star cluster this month"

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The best deep-sky targets in Taurus

Michael E. Bakich — Thu, 12 Dec 2024 14:00:00 +0000

The constellation Taurus the Bull is an easy one to find in the Northern Hemisphere’s fall and winter skies. It stands opposite the Sun at the beginning of December. The head of the figure is a large V of stars, and standing out among them is the ruddy 1st-magnitude star Aldebaran (Alpha [α] Tauri) markingContinue reading "The best deep-sky targets in Taurus"

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Can you view Pluto in a backyard telescope?

Astronomy Staff — Mon, 09 Dec 2024 19:00:00 +0000

Is it possible to view Pluto from a backyard telescope? Ethan SpykerWadsworth, Ohio If I’m being honest, Pluto is difficult for an amateur astronomer to see. A standard 8-inch telescope just won’t do the trick. That’s because Pluto hasn’t been brighter than 14th magnitude since the fall of 2004. It reached perihelion (its closest approach toContinue reading "Can you view Pluto in a backyard telescope?"

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The Moon as it never was

Klaus R. Brasch — Mon, 09 Dec 2024 14:00:00 +0000

In 1874, James Nasmyth and James Carpenter published a remarkable book: The Moon: Considered as a Planet, a World, and a Satellite. Lavishly illustrated with spectacular images of lunar features based on their own observations and exquisite plaster models, it served as a platform for the authors to advance their views on the nature andContinue reading "The Moon as it never was"

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REVIEW: The Celestron Origin is the smartscope powerhouse we’ve been waiting for

Phil Harrington — Thu, 05 Dec 2024 14:00:00 +0000

I’m in love. I don’t often begin a review by saying that a product has wooed me, but the Celestron Origin Home Observatory has done just that.Not that I’m surprised. Since it first introduced the venerable C8 Schmidt-Cassegrain in 1970, Celestron has established itself as a leading manufacturer of cutting-edge telescopes and accessories for amateurContinue reading "REVIEW: The Celestron Origin is the smartscope powerhouse we’ve been waiting for"

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Is it time to rename the Hubble constant?

Joseph Marcus — Tue, 03 Dec 2024 14:00:00 +0000

Most people associate the discovery that faraway galaxies are receding from us — and thus, that the universe is expanding — with Edwin Hubble, thanks to his landmark 1929 paper. It was one of the most fundamental discoveries in the history of science. But Hubble did not discover the expansion. In the 1910s, a LowellContinue reading "Is it time to rename the Hubble constant?"

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Does dark matter affect our solar system?

Astronomy Staff — Mon, 02 Dec 2024 19:00:00 +0000

Why do we not see effects of dark matter in our solar system and other nearby star systems? Curran RodeAmmannsville, Texas Dark matter refers to material that does not absorb, reflect, or emit any electromagnetic radiation. Astronomers have ascertained the existence of dark matter through the gravitational influence it exerts over visible matter. In fact,Continue reading "Does dark matter affect our solar system?"

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Watch Jupiter’s moons in action this month

shill — Mon, 02 Dec 2024 14:00:00 +0000

It may be cold this month, but now is a great time to get outside and explore Jupiter’s beauty and might. The fifth planet will not only reach opposition on Dec. 7, it will also be at perigee (closest to Earth) on Dec. 6, putting on its biggest and brightest show of the year. KnownContinue reading "Watch Jupiter’s moons in action this month"

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