How do you determine what is true and what’s false about the universe? How do you know what really happened in the past? How many galaxies are out there? Why your cat suddenly seems dull and listless? What gave you that tremendous stomachache after...

I leave on an adventure with Astronomy readers this Saturday, bound for Hawaii and the transit of Venus . Joining me will be Alex Filippenko of the University of California, Berkeley, and Melita Thorpe of MWT Associates for a great week of adventure and...

I can recall many times standing at a big Dob at the Texas Star Party peering at Omega Centauri (NGC 5139), thinking, “God, I’m glad I don’t have to count the stars.” The same could be said of this extraordinary image sent by skyshooter...

“When you make the finding yourself — even if you’re the last person on Earth to see the light — you never forget it.” — Carl Sagan When I was 14, I fell in love with the universe. The discovery came with a one-time...

OK, we’ve reached the last film I shot at the Northeast Astronomy Forum (NEAF) and Northeast Astro Imaging Conference (NEAIC) last month. There were 16 in all, and I hope you enjoyed each of them, from manufacturers like Celestron and Meade to amateur...

I’ve been absolutely amazed this week at the crossover of folks who have been in touch from two separate but allied worlds — astronomy and mineralogy. You may have seen mineralogist John Veevaert’s blog about the eclipse a few days ago...

My friend Vic Maris of Stellarvue Instruments sent me this fantastic shot of a surprise guest appearance by Galileo Galilei at last weekend’s annular eclipse. The apparition occurred at Great Basin National Park in Nevada, where at first clouds...

One of the hottest new trends in using Photoshop to make digital astroimages their best is called “HDR Toning.” This is short for High Dynamic Range Toning, which pulls out significant details in an image and makes it the best it can be. You...

A heads-up from Jonathan Abbott of Certified Practicing Accounts (CPA) Australia alerted me to a really wonderful online feature I urge you to check out. CPA Australia has produced a terrific four-part interview with Neil Armstrong, and the whole thing...

Most of you know that Sheldon Reynolds — former guitarist and front man for Earth, Wind & Fire, member of the Commodores, and all-around good guy — is an astro enthusiast. He’s also a contributing editor of Astronomy magazine. Sheldon...

Many years ago, I had the good fortune to meet Robert Reeves of San Antonio, Texas. This high-energy astrophotography and astronomy enthusiast has been shooting the sky for as long as I can remember. He was an early contributor to Deep Sky and Astronomy...

One of the fun things I spend my time with on this little planet when not doing astronomy is collecting and studying minerals. You know, pieces of the planet. It‘s an interesting chapter of planetary geology to understand and celebrate the ways...

Check out yet another great video from the Northeast Astronomy Forum (NEAF), held in Suffern, New York, in late April. This one features Coleman Coates, marketing and sales manager of iOptron Corporation , talking about the company’s line of optical...

When I was a young teenager, I leaned in interest toward medicine — a physician’s career, I thought. Then, at 14, I went to a local star party and saw Saturn through a small scope. That moment changed my life. All other interests ceased; I...

Here’s an eclipse report from yesterday by Imelda Joson and Edwin Aguirre, two good friends and expert astroimagers. I’ll continue posting a few of these as they roll in from readers. It was mostly cloudy and disrupted here in Waukesha, Wisconsin...

Here’s an eclipse report from yesterday sent to the magazine by Bob Gent, former president of the Astronomical League. I’ll continue posting a few of these as they roll in from readers. It was mostly cloudy and disrupted here in Waukesha,...

If you’re at all into astroimaging, you really need to check out AstroTrac ’s TT320X–AG. It’s one of the hottest accessories in astronomy right now. The simple and elegant tracking mount makes taking wide-field images of the sky...

If you’re in the area of Cincinnati, Ohio, on June 5 for the incredible transit of Venus that is coming up, I urge you to check out the following event. Marsie Hall Newbold, director of publicity for the Astronomy Foundation, has coordinated a viewing...

I’ll be sharing the history of the magazine from time to time, a little at a time, in this blog. It’s a fascinating story that has witnessed astronomy grow in leaps and bounds as our understanding of the cosmos has deepened. And you can capture...

One of the world’s largest manufacturers of telescopes and accessories, Vixen Optics had a significant presence at the Northeast Astronomy Forum (NEAF) in Suffern, New York, three weeks ago. Many of their new and long-standing products were on hand...

You may remember hearing in 2008 about the remarkable 14-year-old New York observer Caroline Moore who then became the youngest person ever to discover a supernova. Caroline detected Supernova 2008ha in the galaxy UGC 12682 in Pegasus. A year later, she...

PlaneWave Instruments is well-known among astroimagers for its exceptionally produced, high-end corrected Dall-Kirkham telescopes, massive mounts, cameras, and accessories. Its products set a high bar for professional-level astroimaging for advanced amateurs...

Many of you know Scott Roberts for all of the incredible things he does for astronomy outreach. Others of you know him for being the main man at Explore Scientific, one of the largest manufacturers of telescopes and eyepieces in the world, and a major...

As you astroimager types know, Canon has just introduced a hot new camera designed specifically for astrophotography — the 60Da . “The EOS 60Da is a testament to the constant desire to meet the needs of every customer, including those in specialized...

A couple weeks ago at the Northeast Astro Imaging Conference (NEAIC) in Suffern, New York, I had the pleasure of hearing Christopher Go speak about planetary imaging. A resident of Cebu City, Philippines, Chris is an old friend and a longtime subscriber...