Astronomy December 2004

COVER STORY
Killer impact
If you think NASA has a plan to save Earth in case an asteroid is discovered on a collision course, you’re in for a surprise. BILL COOKE

ASTRONOMICAL HISTORY
The golden age of star maps
Today, amateur astronomers use detailed and accurate star maps to locate celestial objects. Four hundred years ago, charts were less accurate, but they were much more beautiful. WIL TIRION

Astrology: fact or fiction?
How’s this for a horoscope? This article may cause you to doubt fortune-tellers. MICHAEL E. BAKICH

A DEEP-SKY YEAR
Wander the winter sky
A deep-sky universe of galaxies, nebulae, colorful stars, and beautiful clusters is accessible with a small telescope and this seasonal guide. IAN RIDPATH

AMATEUR ASTRONOMY
Wartime astronomy
An amateur astronomer in Iraq masters a technique for observing the night sky amid blackouts and bombings. MATTHEW QUANDT

Polar Moon
Scattered across the Moon’s nearside, craters carry names associated with the mid-1800s Franklin expedition, Arctic exploration’s grimmest disaster. Tour these lunar features by telescope. ROBERT A. GARFINKLE

PROFILE
Drawing the universe
Many of us sketch nightly observations in logbooks. One California-based artist uses his sketches as starting points for unique drawings of the cosmos. HUNTER DROHOJOWSKA-PHILP

EQUIPMENT ROUNDUP
25 great accessories
If you want to enhance your observing dramatically, nothing beats a few well-chosen telescope extras. MICHAEL E. BAKICH