Keep up to date with all things astronomy related with Astronomy Now magazine, which includes the UK's biggest and best night sky guide, an extensive news section, readers' astronomical images, book and equipment reviews, feature articles, a beginners' section and much more. For a sneak preview of this month's issue go to our magazine page.
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Shuttle Movies
The most complete source of video from the countdown, launch and mission of space shuttle Discovery is available here! Spaceflight Now's STS-121 archive includes more than 200 movies you can watch online or download to your computer. Video Collection
NASA's twin Mars rovers resume driving after storms
After six weeks of hunkering down during raging dust storms that limited solar power, both of NASA's Mars Exploration Rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, have resumed driving. FULL STORY
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter concern resolved
Diagnostic tests and months of stable, successful operation have resolved concerns raised early this year about long-term prospects for the powerful telescopic camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. FULL STORY
Spitzer marks anniversary with celestial fireworks
A newly expanded image of the Helix nebula lends a festive touch to the fourth anniversary of the launch of NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope. This spectacular object, a dying star unraveling into space, is a favorite of amateur and professional astronomers alike. Spitzer has mapped the expansive outer structure of the six-light-year-wide nebula, and probed the inner region around the central dead star to reveal what appears to be a planetary system that survived the star's chaotic death throes. FULL STORY
Astronomers find gaping hole in the universe
University of Minnesota astronomers have found an enormous hole in the universe, nearly a billion light-years across, empty of both normal matter such as stars, galaxies and gas, as well as the mysterious, unseen "dark matter." FULL STORY
Dark matter mystery deepens in 'train wreck'
Astronomers have discovered a chaotic scene unlike any witnessed before in a cosmic "train wreck" between giant galaxy clusters. NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and optical telescopes revealed a dark matter core that was mostly devoid of galaxies, which may pose problems for current theories of dark matter behavior. FULL STORY
What makes Mars magnetic?
If you could pick up a rock from the surface of Mars, then the chances are it would be magnetic. And yet, Mars doesn't have a magnetic field coming from its core. These rocks are clinging to the signal of an ancient magnetic field, dating back billions of years, to the times when Mars had a magnetic field like Earth's. FULL STORY
Astronomers spot brightest galaxies in distant universe
By combining the capabilities of several telescopes, astronomers have spotted extremely bright galaxies hiding in the distant, young universe. The newfound galaxies are intrinsically bright due to their large rate of star formation-1000 times greater than the Milky Way. However, much of that light is hidden by surrounding dust and gas, leaking out only in the infrared. FULL STORY
Space shuttle Endeavour returns to Earth
Shuttle Endeavour sailed into the Kennedy Space Center on Tuesday, touching down on Runway 15 at 12:32 p.m. EDT after traveling more than five million miles on its 20th spaceflight. FULL STORY PHOTOS:ENDEAVOUR'S LANDING MISSION STATUS CENTER
Endeavour pulls into port
at the space station
The space shuttle Endeavour docked to the international space station today, linking up at 2:02 p.m. EDT as the two craft flew 214 miles over the South Pacific. Endeavour's trip to the station will see installation a new truss spacer and the delivery of supplies. FULL STORY PREVIEW STORY DOCKING TIMELINE MISSION FLIGHT PLAN MISSION STATUS CENTER - live updates!
Largest extrasolar planet found around distant star
An international team of astronomers have announced the discovery of a new extrasolar planet in the constellation of Hercules. It is the largest known exoplanet and is about 70 percent bigger than Jupiter. FULL STORY
Shuttle Endeavour thunders back into space
The shuttle Endeavour, making its first flight since the 2003 Columbia disaster, blasted off Wednesday on a space station assembly mission carrying a crew of seven that includes teacher-turned-astronaut Barbara Morgan, Christa McAuliffe's backup in the original Teacher in Space program. FULL STORY STS-118 QUICK-LOOK LAUNCH WINDOWS CHART COUNTDOWN TIMELINE ASCENT TIMELINE IMAGES:GANTRY ROLLBACK
A monster galaxy pileup
Four galaxies are slamming into each other and kicking up billions of stars in one of the largest cosmic smash-ups ever observed. The clashing galaxies will eventually merge into a single, behemoth galaxy up to 10 times as massive as our own Milky Way. FULL STORY
Phoenix takes flight!
NASA's Phoenix spacecraft has embarked on its 10-month, 420-million-mile cruise from Earth to Mars, departing aboard a Delta 2 rocket Saturday morning bound for the Red Planet to examine the frozen water in the northern plains that could be a habitable zone for life. FULL STORY MISSION STATUS CENTER - updates! VIDEO:COVERAGE OF PHOENIX PODCAST:WATCH | FREE SUBSCRIPTION
Mars lander set to launch Saturday
NASA's Phoenix spacecraft is poised for launch early Saturday to begin a 10-month, 420-million-mile cruise from Earth to Mars. Liftoff of the Delta 2 rocket from Florida's Cape Canaveral remains targeted to occur at 5:26 a.m. EDT. MISSION STATUS CENTER - updates!
Cassini finds possible origin to one of Saturn's rings
Cassini scientists may have identified the source of one of Saturn's more mysterious rings. Saturn's G ring likely is produced by relatively large, icy particles that reside within a bright arc on the ring's inner edge. FULL STORY
Planet orbiting a giant red star discovered
A planet orbiting a giant red star has been discovered by an astronomy team led by Penn State's Alex Wolszczan, who in 1992 discovered the first planets ever found outside our solar system. The new discovery is helping astronomers to understand what will happen to the planets in our solar system when our Sun becomes a red-giant star, expanding so much that its surface will reach as far as Earth's orbit. FULL STORY
Michio Kaku is professor of theoretical physics at City College New York. He is a best-selling author and TV presenter. Two of his most recent programs were shown on BBC Four and his latest book Physics of the Impossible (Allan Lane) is on sale now. Astronomy Now's Kulvinder Singh Chadha talks to the man who dreams about the impossible.READ MORE
2008 Yearbook This 132-page special edition features the ultimate observing guide for 2008, a review of all the biggest news stories, in depth articles covering all aspects of astronomy including astrophotography, the future of the Sun and space missions for 2008, and much, much more. U.K. STORE E.U. STORE U.S. & WORLDWIDE STORE Take the tour! A 100-page special edition from the creators of Astronomy Now magazine, The Grand Tour of the Universe takes readers from one end of the Universe to the other and, in doing so, asks the question "just how big is the Universe?" U.K. STORE E.U. STORE U.S. & WORLDWIDE STORE Infinity Rising This special publication features the photography of British astro-imager Nik Szymanek and covers a range of photographic methods from basic to advanced. Beautiful pictures of the night sky can be obtained with a simple camera and tripod before tackling more difficult projects, such as guided astrophotography through the telescope and CCD imaging. U.K. STORE E.U. STORE U.S. & WORLDWIDE STORE Guide to the Constellations
Astronomy Now presents
this 100-page, full-colour guide to the 68 constellations visible from the British
Isles by Neil Bone, the respected amateur astronomer and writer. U.K. STORE E.U. STORE U.S. & WORLDWIDE STORE Exploring Mars Astronomy Now is pleased to announce the publication of Exploring Mars. The very best images of Mars taken by orbiting spacecraft and NASA's Spirit and Opportunity rovers fill up the 98 glossy pages of this special edition! U.K. STORE E.U. STORE U.S. & WORLDWIDE STORE
Michio Kaku is professor of theoretical physics at City College New York. He is a best-selling author and TV presenter. Two of his most recent programs were shown on BBC Four and his latest book Physics of the Impossible (Allan Lane) is on sale now. Astronomy Now's Kulvinder Singh Chadha talks to the man who dreams about the impossible.
This 132-page special edition features the ultimate observing guide for 2008, a review of all the biggest news stories, in depth articles covering all aspects of astronomy including astrophotography, the future of the Sun and space missions for 2008, and much, much more.
A 100-page special edition from the creators of Astronomy Now magazine, The Grand Tour of the Universe takes readers from one end of the Universe to the other and, in doing so, asks the question "just how big is the Universe?"
This special publication features the photography of British astro-imager Nik Szymanek and covers a range of photographic methods from basic to advanced. Beautiful pictures of the night sky can be obtained with a simple camera and tripod before tackling more difficult projects, such as guided astrophotography through the telescope and CCD imaging.
Astronomy Now presents
this 100-page, full-colour guide to the 68 constellations visible from the British
Isles by Neil Bone, the respected amateur astronomer and writer.
Astronomy Now is pleased to announce the publication of Exploring Mars. The very best images of Mars taken by orbiting spacecraft and NASA's Spirit and Opportunity rovers fill up the 98 glossy pages of this special edition!