Astronomy December 2003

Hubble’s dazzling decade
With nearly 130,000 images to its credit, the Hubble Space Telescope’s Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2 has opened our eyes to the universe. — Richard Talcott

Ghostbusting the Universe
Neutrinos have been called the tiniest bits of reality ever imagined by human beings " but astronomers are discovering they’re essential for understanding how the universe works. — Alison Boyle and Ken Grimes

The black cloud
A cold, dark mass of gas and dust lurks nearby, blocking all light behind it. Find out what this pulsating blob may be spawning within. — Ken Croswell

The rise and fall of Tycho Brahe
Working before telescopes were invented, Tycho Brahe made thousands of meticulous observations that helped transform astronomy into the hard science it is today. — Dan Falk

Octans, Chamaeleon, and Volans
At first glance, the southerly estates of the Octant, Chameleon, and Flying Fish may not appear to possess many riches, but observers who look closely at these humble constellations will find plenty of deep-sky rewards. — Tom Polakis

The lure of meteorites
Bits of rock and metal - some large, some small - fall to Earth every day. Some of this material is collected and offered for sale. Want to own a "piece of the sky"? Will that be cash, check, or charge? — Raymond Shubinski

Build an astro library
Build your own astronomical library with tips from a collector who’s amassed several thousand titles. — Michael E. Bakich

Imaging with webcams
Many of today’s webcams produce quality images of bright objects such as the Moon or planets. Learn how to modify short-exposure webcams to capture images of deep-sky objects. — Keith Wiley