View the full issue in the Magazine Archive Milky Way over Straker Lake. Photo © Steven Russell Smith. The Milky Way is a very ordinary-sounding name for an extraordinary subject. It describes the...
Galaxies
Galaxy Night
I jumped out of bed before I could change my mind, and stumbled sleepily outside to set up my telescope in the corner of the yard.
Triangulum and Aries
riangulum and Aries are a pair of small constellations that lie south of Andromeda, between the Great Square of Pegasus and the Pleiades.
Cetus
A guide to finding deep-sky objects in Cetus.
Pegasus
View the full issue in the Magazine Archive M15. Photo © Hubble and NASA. Pegasus is one of the most familiar autumn constellations. The most prominent part of the constellation is a large square of...
Binocular Observing
I always carry my binoculars when I’m out under the stars, even when I’m primarily using a telescope. Over the years, I’ve discovered that even a modest handheld binocular like the Vortex Viper HD 10×42 I use can reveal a wide range…
Draco
Draco isn’t heavily populated with great telescopic targets, but the double stars and deep sky objects that do lie within the constellation’s boundaries are widely varied…
Eastern Hydra and Corvus
The eastern part of Hydra doesn’t hold quite as many outstanding deep-sky targets as the western half of the constellation, but there are several objects here that are worth taking the time to find…
Favorite Focus, November 2024
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Cepheus
View the full issue in the Magazine Archive Cepheus, the King, sits high in the northern sky between Polaris and the W-shaped constellation Cassiopeia. It lies near enough to Polaris that it is...
A Gravity Lens
View the full issue in the Magazine Archive A magnifying glass does its job by the curvature of its lens. Light passing through a curved lens will be redirected. A magnifying glass can be used to...
One Autumn Night
View the full issue in the Magazine Archive Western Veil Nebula. Photo © Kevin and Adrian Shank. Rain was in the forecast, and clouds began to creep up out of the west. But as the sun sank behind...
Andromeda
Andromeda Galaxy, M31. Photo © Shaphan Shank. Andromeda is one of those ideal constellations that is easy to find, and that contains a wide variety of outstanding telescopic targets. The main part...
Distant Starlight
Leo Triplet. Photo © Morris Yoder. As always when we learn more about God’s wonderful creation, we face mysteries that are hard to explain. It reminds us that the larger the sea of knowledge, the...
Creating a Milky Way Panorama
There are few things more beautiful than a breathtaking landscape or nightscape—especially one that includes the Lord’s incredible Milky Way! A panorama enhances everything we love about landscapes,...