Astronomy May 2015

The little stars that couldn't
by Jesse Emspak
Brown dwarfs — objects that form like stars but without enough mass to fuse hydrogen — are shedding light on the births of both stars and solar systems.

A northerner's view of the southern sky
by Stephen James O'Meara
Contributing Editor Stephen James O’Meara weighs in: Does the Southern Hemisphere really have all the good stuff?

The fight to save Lick Observatory
by Eric Betz
As the University of California constructs the largest telescope the world has ever known, a group of astronomers is working to fund a century-old observatory.

Explore the Virgo Cluster
by Michael E. Bakich
Live large this month as you observe some of the biggest objects in the universe.

Stars, rock 'n' roll, and the meaning of life
by David J. Eicher
The 2014 Starmus Festival featured a spectacular lineup of notable scientists for a celebration of space, art, and the world's largest telescope.

Touring the Herschel Museum
by Ralph Wilkins
If you find yourself in Bath, England, take a walk through the well-preserved home of the astronomer who found Uranus.