October 2005
Volume 1. Number 10
COVER STORY
The Day The Earth Stands Still
Are we alone in the cosmos, or is the universe teeming with life? And what will happen on the day we make contact?
By Seth Shostak
NEWS & FEATURES
News Notes
• Saturn's Second Atmosphere
• Black Hole Burps
• Moon Muck
• Seeing Triple
• Next Stop Venus!
and more...
Spotlight On...Ice and Dust
By Jonathan Nally
Mystery Worlds
The outermost giant planets are big, blue and full of secrets.
By Jonathan Nally
Deep Impact's Hammer Throw
Scientists are confident that the Deep Impact mission will revolutionise our understanding of comets
By David Tytell
Catch the Green Flash!
A brief solar spectacle marks the end of daylight with a burst of colour.
By Fred Schaaf
OBSERVING & EXPLORING
Southern Binocular Highlights
M75: The Loneliest Globular
By Les Dalrymple
Tonight's Sky
Contrasts in Capricornus
By Greg Bryant
Sun, Moon, and Planets
Meet Mars
By Jonathan Nally
Deep Sky Delights
Cloudy Nights, Part 1
By David Frew
Exploring the Moon
The Straight Story on Linear Rilles
By Charles A. Wood
Celestial Calendar
Remembering Ikeya-Seki
By David Seargent
Celestial Calendar
October's Lunar Eclipse
By Jonathan Nally
Celestial Calendar
The Moon Meets the Sisters
By Steve Kerr
Celestial Calendar
Moons of Mars and Saturn
By Roger W. Sinnott
PRODUCTS & REVIEWS
AS&T Test Report
Deep Sky Imaging for Everyone
Meade's new line of DSI cameras brings the world of deep sky imaging to beginners.
By Johnny Horne
Books & Beyond
• Return to the Moon
• An Old Favourite Updated
ACTIVITIES & PEOPLE
The Other Blue Planets
Neptune and Uranus are visible in the spring sky. We show you how to find them.
By J. Kelly Beatty
Ask AS&T
• Neighbour Star
• Saturn's Spokes
and more...
Astrophotography
Planetary Masters - how some of the best planet imagers do their thing.
By Sean Walker
Obituary
John Louis Perdrix
Observer's Log
Winking Stars
By Dave Gault
Activities
Gallery
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE
Spectrum
First Contact?
By Jonathan Nally
Letters
• Icy Rocks
• More Bad Astrology
• Aussie Flavour
and more...
Mission Update
By Jonathan McDowell
Subscription Offer
FREE! 18 Moon Phase Maps or a NASA DVD, see our offer
Data Pages
Focal Point
Casting a Spell
By Forrest Lockhart
Index to Advertisers