Astronomy July 2011

Spitzer’s galaxy show
By Robert Benjamin
NASA’s orbiting infrared scope has changed our understanding of individual galaxies, galaxy formation, and the universe’s evolution.
pg. 22

The search for more Plutos
By Dean Regas
Astronomer Mike Brown discovered the largest known solar system object beyond Pluto. Now he and his colleagues have expanded their search for distant worlds to the southern sky.
pg. 30

Illustrated: Fixing the twinkle of stars
By Liz Kruesi, Roen Kelly
Adaptive optics helps ground-based telescopes take crystal-clear images. Here’s how it works.
pg. 28

Discover summer’s hidden deep-sky wonders
By Michael E. Bakich
This select group of 10 summer gems boasts everything from colorful nebulae to ultra-faint galaxies.
pg. 46

Visit Northern California’s top astronomy sites
By Yvette Cendes
From mountaintop observatories exploring the distant cosmos to long tunnels probing matter’s heart, Northern California has sites for any astronomy buff.
pg. 50

Shoot the Sun, Moon, and planets
By Michael A. Covington
Surprisingly simple cameras will let you capture the solar system.
pg. 54

Astronomy tests QSI’s 583 CCD camera
By Bob Fera
Quantum Scientific Imaging’s compact CCD camera produces high-quality images.
pg. 58