WELCOME

Issue 127

Martian tree stump

© ESA A Mars probe has snapped a

Prichal spacewalk

© NASA Cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anton Shkaplerov

HOW NASA’S JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE WILL GET READY FOR ITS FIRST COSMIC OBSERVATIONS

IN COOPERATION WITH W ith NASA’s newest space

EUROPEAN SUN PROBE FLEW THROUGH THE TAIL OF COMET LEONARD

A set of superimposed images captured by the

ASTRONOMERS DETECT A POWERFUL COSMIC OBJECT UNLIKE ANYTHING THEY’VE SEEN BEFORE

Astronomers have discovered a mysterious, flickering object in

BIZARRE ALIEN PLANET HAS A LAYERED ATMOSPHERE OF VAPORISED METALS

An artist’s depiction of the planet WASP-189

WATER ON MARS MAY HAVE FLOWED FOR A BILLION YEARS LONGER THAN THOUGHT

This image from NASA’s MRO shows the

AN ANCIENT SOLAR STORM SMASHED EARTH AT THE WRONG PART OF THE SUN’S CYCLE, AND SCIENTISTS ARE CONCERNED

IN COOPERATION WITH A very powerful solar storm

COMPLETE GUIDE TO NASA

IT’S AN ORGANISATION KNOWN THE WORLD OVER, WITH ITS AMBITIOUS GOALS INSPIRING OTHERS TO DREAM OF TRAVELLING AMONG THE STARS. HERE’S YOUR DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO THE HISTORY OF NASA

KANKOH-MARU

This ambitious reusable spacecraft will be capable of taking 50 people to and from orbit

“WE DO OCCASIONALLY STUMBLE INTO UNKNOWN COMETS”

Comet Leonard’s discoverer explains how the unusual object was found – and what it’s told us about these dirty snowballs

A GIANT ATOMIC CLOUD CALLED ‘MAGGIE’ LIVES IN THE MILKY WAY

Astronomers have discovered a giant filament stretching across our home galaxy

FINDING AND DEFINING EXOMOONS

As our catalogue of exoplanets grows, the hunt is on for moons around distant worlds

CHINA BUILDS AN ‘ARTIFICIAL MOON’ FOR GRAVITY EXPERIMENTS

The new experiment was inspired by a levitating frog

COLD, DAMP MARS MAY HAVE HOSTED AN ANCIENT OCEAN

Northern parts of the Red Planet could have supported bodies of liquid 3 billion years ago

EVERY THING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SATURN

WITH ITS MOON SYSTEM, RINGS OF DUST AND ICE AND OCCASIONALLY TEMPESTUOUS ATMOSPHERE, THERE’S MORE TO THIS GAS GIANT THAN MEETS THE EYE

WHAT DRIVES JUPITER’S POLAR CYCLONES?

The Juno spacecraft has solved the mystery of storm dynamics on the gas giant

WHAT DISTURBED A DISTANT STAR SYSTEM?

Astronomers are a step closer to understanding how our Solar System formed, all thanks to a chance encounter

PHYSICS PUZZLE ALMOST CRACKED USING DRUNKARD’S WALK

The three-body problem that’s plagued science since the days of Isaac Newton is closer to being solved

How do scientists study the atmospheres of exoplanets?

ASK Space Our experts answer your questions

Why can’t we put a space station on the Moon?

A space station on the Moon could be

PENTAGON LAUNCHES NEW UFO OFFICE

A new office in the Pentagon will investigate sightings of unidentified flying objects – but longtime extraterrestrial enthusiasts are sceptical

HOW TO SPOT THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION

© NASA TIME ON THE ISS The ISS

THE LARGE MAGELLANIC CLOUD

This nearby dwarf galaxy is a satellite in orbit around our own

WHAT’S IN THE SKY?

“COMET 22P/KOPFF WILL MAKE ITS CLOSE APPROACH TO

THIS MONTH’S PLANETS

Venus is a striking sight in the dawn sky, taking the morning watch with Mercury, Mars and Saturn

MESSIER AND MESSIER A

These two small craters are an intriguing sight through a telescope this month

NAKED EYE & BINOCULAR TARGETS

Take a tour of Leo, Cancer and Gemini this evening, without the need for a telescope

THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE

The spring constellations are teeming with galaxies for deep-sky enthusiasts

ASTROSHOTS OF THE MONTH

Get featured in All About Space by sending your astrophotography images to space@spaceanswers.com

COSMIC WATCH

A visually stunning and interactive app that allows users to experience Earth, the Solar System and clocks that expand your knowledge of the universe

IN THE SHOPS

The latest books, apps, software, tech and accessories for space and astronomy fans alike

NICOLAUS COPERNICUS

The astronomer changed our view of the universe forever

THE LION’S GALAXIES

The evenings of early spring are welcomed by the arrival of some lovely deep-sky objects