July 2012
Volume 8.  Number 5.  Issue 62

COVER STORY

Early Australian Observations of Centaurus A
The galaxy Centaurus A (NGC 5128) occupies an important place in Australian astronomical history.
By Peter Robertson et al

NEWS & FEATURES 

News Notes

• Giant Telescope Construction
• Rectangular Galaxy
• Eta Carinae's Light Echo

and more...

5 Years Ago
By Greg Bryant

Cosmic Relief
Days of Powder and Planets
By David Grinspoon

Starscape
Hot Views of the Universe

The Remarkable Case of Comet Lovejoy
Against the odds, Comet Lovejoy survived its swing by the Sun and became one of the most spectacular comets of the past few decades.
By John E. Bortle

Finding the Sun's Lost Nursery
Astronomers are trying to understand the cluster where the Sun was born 4.6 billion years ago.
By Robert Zimmerman

PRODUCTS & REVIEWS

New Product Showcase

AS&T Test Report: The Vixen Polarie
This pocket-size, go-anywhere tracking platform makes long-exposure constellation astrophotography easier than ever.
By Richard Tresch Fienberg

OBSERVING & EXPLORING

Binocular Highlight
Messier 25
By Les Dalrymple

Tonight's Sky
The Heart of the Scorpion
By Greg Bryant

Sun, Moon, and Planets
A Pre-Dawn Gathering in Taurus
By Greg Bryant

Celestial Calendar
Scorpion Eyes
By Steve Kerr

Celestial Calendar
R Normae
By Alan Plummer

Celestial Calendar
Twilight Views of Comet Machholz 1
By David Seargent

Exploring the Moon
Discover the Moon
By Charles A. Wood

Double Star Notes
Between Serpents and the Scorpion
By Ross Gould

Targets
Mad for the Night
By Sue French

Going Deep
Off the Beaten Path in Southern Hercules
By Ken Hewitt-White

Deep Sky Delights
A Globular Workout in Ophiuchus
By Les Dalrymple

ACTIVITIES & PEOPLE

Telescope Workshop
A Beauty of a Binoscope
By Gary Seronik

Spectroscopy for Everyone
With inexpensive equipment, you can easily reveal the spectral signatures of everything from nearby planets to distant quasars.
By Tom Field

Going Against the Grain
Simple techniques will produce big improvements in your astrophotos.
By Ruben Kier

Gallery

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

Spectrum
Bold Visions
By Greg Bryant

Subscription Offer
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Manufacturer & Dealer Directory

Index to Advertisers

Focal Point
My Part in the Discovery of a Globular Cluster
By Steve Crouch