August 2024 Issue | Astronomy.com

How is TESS able to spot more planets in the sky than Kepler could?

Astronomy Staff — Thu, 22 Aug 2024 15:00:00 +0000

How is TESS able to spot more planets in the sky than Kepler could? Doug KaupaCouncil Bluffs, Iowa The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) has outpaced the now-retired Kepler mission in discovering planets and planet candidates primarily because of the former’s significantly larger survey area. It covers almost the entire sky compared to the smallContinue reading "How is TESS able to spot more planets in the sky than Kepler could?"

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How to choose the right focal length for your astrophotos

shill — Thu, 22 Aug 2024 13:00:00 +0000

On the first night out with my brand-new Celestron NexStar 8SE back in July 2015, I knew little about the relative sizes of astronomical objects. I was bowled over by my first view of Saturn — an impressive sight through an 8-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope (SCT) — and I was eager to see more. I knewContinue reading "How to choose the right focal length for your astrophotos"

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Looking inside the Ring Nebula

Stephen James O'Meara — Mon, 19 Aug 2024 13:00:00 +0000

The Ring Nebula (M57) in Lyra is one of the most adored planetary nebulae in the night sky. Yet its bright annulus, which is most observers’ target, can steal attention away from what lies inside it. This includes its central star, which lies at the limit of vision and is a rewarding challenge to spot.Continue reading "Looking inside the Ring Nebula"

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DwarfLab’s new tiny smart scope packs a punch

Phil Harrington — Thu, 15 Aug 2024 13:00:00 +0000

We have smartphones, smart cars, smart appliances, and even smart lightbulbs. What about smart telescopes? You could say that smart scopes have been around since the first go-to models were introduced decades ago. But over the past few years, a new breed of even-smarter telescopes has become increasingly popular. These next-generation smarties are not forContinue reading "DwarfLab’s new tiny smart scope packs a punch"

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How does spectroscopy work?

Astronomy Staff — Tue, 13 Aug 2024 16:00:00 +0000

How do scientists know what spectral lines belong to which compound? Zbigniew KomalaChrzanow, Poland Each atom and molecule has its own fingerprint that, like yours, is unique. But unlike yours, this fingerprint is made of light. Elements and compounds emit identifying sets of “colors,” or wavelengths, of light. (“Colors” is in quotes here because theContinue reading "How does spectroscopy work?"

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Why do astronomers measure stars in magnitudes?

Michael E. Bakich — Mon, 12 Aug 2024 13:00:00 +0000

If someone asks you, “How bright is that star?” and your answer is “Pretty bright,” that isn’t very useful. And, of course, it’s worthless for any type of comparative research. So for centuries, astronomers have used and refined a method of determining the brightness of stars and every other celestial object called the magnitude system.Continue reading "Why do astronomers measure stars in magnitudes?"

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Survivors from the Milky Way’s birth

Rod Pommier — Fri, 09 Aug 2024 13:00:00 +0000

Over the past eight years, the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Gaia space observatory has transformed our understanding of the history of our Milky Way Galaxy. From Gaia’s perch at Earth’s L2 Lagrange point, roughly 1 million miles (1.5 million kilometers) distant, it has produced the most comprehensive three-dimensional survey of the Milky Way ever made:Continue reading "Survivors from the Milky Way’s birth"

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How to grasp the scale of the cosmos from your backyard

Michael E. Bakich — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 13:00:00 +0000

When amateur astronomers participate in star parties for the general public, the subject of distances in space always comes up. The immensity of our universe never fails to fascinate curious minds. But when it comes to truly grasping it — let alone explaining it — words and numbers often fall short. It might be good,Continue reading "How to grasp the scale of the cosmos from your backyard"

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Why aren’t the constellations always drawn the same way?

Astronomy Staff — Wed, 07 Aug 2024 16:00:00 +0000

When using my astronomy software or looking at various books, I notice that not everyone draws the constellations the same way. Why? John HinkampAndros Island, Bahamas Imagining familiar images in the sky has always been an easy way to track the annual progress of the stars. Around the second century C.E., the Greek astronomer ClaudiusContinue reading "Why aren’t the constellations always drawn the same way?"

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Find cool products this hot month

Astronomy Staff — Mon, 05 Aug 2024 15:00:00 +0000

Aberration-free Vixen Co.Saitama, Japan The VSD90SS 3.5-inch f/5.5 astrograph offers fast and aberration-free imaging across the entire field of view on a full-frame or medium-format (44mm by 33mm) camera. The optical tube assembly has a focal length of 495mm and a five-element design, with two super-low dispersion lenses and one extra-low dispersion lens. $4,999.97service@explorescientific.comhttps://global.vixen.co.jp SmoothContinue reading "Find cool products this hot month"

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