July 2009
Volume 5.  Number 5.  Issue 38

COVER STORIES

One Giant Leap
NASA's Apollo program delivered 12 astronauts to the Moon's surface. It was an incredible period in our history.
By Greg Bryant

Parkes and Apollo 11
Did you know that Australia played a crucial role in broadcasting Man's Moon landing to the world?
By John Sarkissian

NEWS & FEATURES 

News Notes

• Meteorites from Asteroid Impact 
• 6dF Galaxy Survey 
• Lost Siblings of the Sun 

and more...

Mission Update
By Jonathan McDowell

Insight
Ten things you may not know about the Helix Nebula

Cosmic Relief
Monkeying with the World
By David Grinspoon

Discoveries
Around the Neighbourhood
By David Ellyard

The Mystery of the Million-Mass Cloud
An extragalactic cloud of hydrogen gas is headed for the Milky Way.
By Govert Schilling

Spotlight On...The Moon's North Pole
In 1992, the Jupiter-bound Galileo spacecraft gave us a different view of the Moon.
By Gary Seronik

Lunar Fireworks
If all goes as scheduled, in late August two NASA spacecraft will slam into the Moon in the hope of finding water there. Meanwhile, a NASA lunar orbiter will set the stage for future astronauts.
By Greg Redfern

Ice Worlds of the Ringed Planet
NASA's Cassini mission has solved long-standing mysteries about Saturn's icy moons, but raised new ones in their place.
By Emily Lakdawalla

PRODUCTS & REVIEWS

New Product Spotlight

• SBIG's SG-4 Stand-Alone "Smart" Autoguider 
• Farpoint's Dovetails 
• iOptron's CubePro 

Books & Beyond

• In Defense of the Stars 
• Stressing the Fundamentals 

AS&T Test Report
A 12-inch Star Cruiser
This scope's collapsing tube design teaches the ol' Dob a new trick.
By Sean Walker 

OBSERVING & EXPLORING

Binocular Highlight
The Butterfly
By Les Dalrymple

Tonight's Sky
Winter's Bright Stars
By Greg Bryant

Sun, Moon, and Planets
Stellar Conjunctions
By Greg Bryant

Celestial Calendar
The Toughening Pluto Challenge
By Alan MacRobert

Celestial Calendar
Observing under a Full Moon
By Steve Kerr

Celestial Calendar
The Unusual Comet Christensen
By David Seargent

Exploring The Moon
Tempting Tranquillity
By Charles A. Wood

Suburban Star-Hop
Star Cluster Wars
By Ken Hewitt-White

Deep Sky Delights
Messier's Sagittarius Globulars
By Les Dalrymple

Double Star Notes
Bright Doubles in Scorpius
By Ross Gould

Targets
The Galactic Dark Horse
By Sue French

ACTIVITIES & PEOPLE

Telescope Workshop
A Travelscope Challenge
By Gary Seronik

Observing Asteroids: Video Makes An Impact
Amateurs with video cameras can now help better pinpoint the orbits of fast-moving Near-Earth asteroids
By Rob McNaught

Great Imaging Tools for Eclipse Chasers
New software makes it easier than ever to create stunning total eclipse images
By Sean Walker

Community News

Portrayals of our Universe
To celebrate the International Year of Astronomy in 2009, the National Gallery of Victoria is presenting two exhibitions.
By Maggie Finch, Stephen Gilchrist, and Allison Holland

Gallery

Ask AS&T

• Night Colours 
• Putting A Spin On It
• and more... 

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

Spectrum
40 Years On
By Greg Bryant

Subscription Offer
Subscribe and receive a free Moon Chart CD! See our offer

Manufacturer & Dealer Directory

Focal Point
A Changing Point of View
By Dawn Baird-Chleborad

Index to Advertisers