Astronomy August 2000

Europe's Science Machine - The four 8-meter mirrors of the Very Large Telescope make it Earth's biggest -- and an impressive scientific instrument that also delivers stunning images.

Rounding the Earth - Although members of the Flat Earth Society might argue, learned people have known our planet to be a sphere for thousands of years

Unveiling the Flat Universe - New observations of the cosmic background radiation suggest that we live in a flat universe that is expanding at an ever-increasing rate.

Painting the Contours of Space - Armed with nothing more than a paintbrush, Ludek Pesek created vivid panoramas of the planets that helped inspire a generation of space enthusiasts