COVER
Bound for the Ringed Planet
The launch of Cassini heralds a new era in the exploration of Saturn, its rings, and its retinue of moons. Josh Rogan.
Destination Titan
Piggybacking an the Cassini spacecraft will be Huygens, a probe designed to study the atmosphere and, if only briefly, the surface of Saturn's cloud-shrouded moon. Steve Mirsky.
Ask Astro
The editors of Astronomy answer your questions about the science and hobby.
Yerkes at 100
A century ago, a Chicago transit magnate financed George Ellery Hale's dream of a great American observatory — the home of the largest refractor in the world. William Sheehan.
Into the Moon's Shadow
Glorious totality awaits eclipse chasers in South America or the Caribbean next February, but a nice partial eclipse is in store for those who stay in North America. Richard Talcott.
Seeing Double
Tired of the same old two-dimensional astrophotos? Then maybe you should try recording the sky in three dimensions. Larry Landolfi.
Intensify the Night
Night-vision scopes excel at showing large features along the Milky Way, but don't expect them to render crisp images of faint deep-sky objects. Gregory Terrance.
A Stairway to the Stars
When the Inca built their capital in Peru, they used the surrounding hills as an agricultural calendar. AnthonyAveni.