March 2006
Volume 2. Number 2
COVER STORY
Who Owns the Moon?
Private companies want to sell you pieces of other worlds, but is it legal? Can anyone claim ownership of the planets?.
By Jonathan Nally
NEWS & FEATURES
News Notes
• Next Stop, Pluto
• Stardust Returns
• Titan's Mysteries
and more...
Spotlight On...Monoceros' Many Wonders
Behind NGC 2264's seemingly timeless beauty is a tale of unceasing change.
By Gisela Telis
A Comet Tale
After observing comets up close, scientists are finally unraveling the mystery surrounding these ghostly wanderers.
By Paul Weissman
Frosting Saturn's Moons
With each close encounter, NASA's Cassini spacecraft is revealing more and more about Saturn's mysterious moons.
By David Tytell
Deciphering the Globular Cluster Code
Do globular star clusters hold the secret to galaxy birth?
By Christine Pulliam
Survival in Space
Researchers are coming to grips with the dangers posed to astronauts by space radiation.
By Colin Burgess
OBSERVING & EXPLORING
Southern Binocular Highlights
IC 2391: A Cluster in Search of a Name
By Les Dalrymple
Sun, Moon, and Planets
Planets Aplenty
By Jonathan Nally
Tonight's Sky
An Enjoyable Latitude
By Greg Bryant
Deep Sky Delights
Fishing for Galaxies
By David Frew
Exploring the Moon
Looking Between Craters
By Charles A. Wood
Celestial Calendar
The Drought Continues
By David Seargent
Celestial Calendar
Occultations are Shaping Up
By Steve Kerr
Celestial Calendar
Two Challenging Showers
By Adam Marsh
Targets
Orion's Splendid Sword
By Sue French
PRODUCTS & REVIEWS
AS&T Test Report - Celestron's Revamped 20cm SCT
Celestron's venerable Schmidt-Cassegrain optics team up with state-of-the-art Go To technology in the new line of CPC scopes.
By Adrian R. Ashford
Books & Beyond
• Riddle Me This
• Digital Cameras Exposed
ACTIVITIES & PEOPLE
Ask AS&T
• Martian Mellow Yellow Blues
• The Truth About "True Colour"
• Going Deep
The Astronomy Scene
The Federation Telescope
By Judith Bailey and Barry Adcock
Amateur Telescope Making
A Modern Long-Focus Newtonian
By Michael Lockwood
First Light: For Beginners
Caring for Your Optics
By Alan Macrobert
Activities
By Greg Bryant
Gallery
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE
Spectrum
Step Right Up
By Jonathan Nally
Letters
• Timor Skies
• DVD a hit
• Gobsmacked
• Breaking free
and more...
Subscription Offer
FREE! Star Chart, see our offer
Data Pages
Focal Point
A Concrete Effort
By Marc Bradshaw
Index to Advertisers