Astronomy August 2004

Mauna Kea's colorful universe
The Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope atop Mauna Kea produces some of the most stunning astronomical images ever seen. Find out how the images are created, and experience the beauty of these celestial objects for yourself. JEAN-CHARLES CUILLANDRE

Seeking other Earths
More than one hundred extrasolar planets like Jupiter have been discovered, but what everyone really wants to find are "exo-Earths" orbiting other stars. Any day now, say astronomers. ROBERT ZIMMERMAN

Warm and not so fuzzy
NASA's fourth and final Great Observatory, the Spitzer Space Telescope, is opening astronomers' eyes to planets, stars, nebulae, and galaxies by zeroing in on the infrared radiation they emit. BRUCE DORMINEY

Barnard's Milky Way
A 1927 atlas and catalog by famed observer Edward Barnard helped astronomers discover that dark patches in the Milky Way are interstellar dust, not "holes in the sky." MICHAEL E. BAKICH

Extreme imaging
Braving the elements and high altitude, a pair of amateur astrophotographers journeyed to the summit of Mauna Kea in pursuit of dark skies and returned with spectacular images. LISA JOHNSTON WITH JOHN SEFICK

A League of its own
Since 1941, the Astronomical League has been the spearhead for amateur astronomers in the United States. Take a behind-the-scenes look with the organization's executive secretary - you might be surprised at the number of areas in which the League is active. JACKIE BEUCHER

Celestron's Advanced Series telescopes
The telescopes used by amateur astronomers today are as good as they've ever been. Can these telescopes really be made any better? Celestron says yes, and after testing their newest Newtonian and Schmidt-Cassegrain models, so do we. PHIL HARRINGTON