Astronomy January 2007

COVER STORY
Top 10 astronomy stories of 2006
Cosmologists peered into the Big Bang, astronomers tallied 200 alien worlds, and planetary scientists captured a comet. FRANCIS REDDY

Hubble discovers 16 exotic planets
Egg-shaped planets with dazzling aurorae must be the norm for these new worlds that orbit within shouting distance of their parent stars. RAY VILLARD

Is the Orion Nebula as big as the Moon?
The Moon's apparent size provides a yardstick for comparing the sky's best-known targets. FRANCIS REDDY

Portraits from Mars
Images from Spirit and Opportunity turn raw science into artistic landscapes. JIM BELL

All about the Crab Nebula
A supernova blast seen in 1054 continues to shed light on stellar evolution. RAYMOND SHUBINSKI

Sun studio
Learn how to capture dazzling solar photos. GARY PALMER

Make Hubble shots your own dazzling photos
You can turn astronomical data into gorgeous images with the authors' Photoshop plug-in. ROBERT L. HURT AND LARS LINDBERG CHRISTENSEN

Celestron's Onyx 80EDF
Don't let this scope's compact size fool you - it's a high-quality workhorse. PHIL HARRINGTON