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ISSUE 137 SCAN HERE TO GET OUR DAILY

Webb’s Pillars of Creation

© NASA, ESA James Webb Space Telescope scientists

Dancing to a galactic death

© ESA/Hubble & NASA These galaxies may look

A cosmic keyhole

© ESA/Hubble & NASA, ESO It’s not every

NASA-ASI X-ray observator y reveals how black holes swallow and spit out stars

KEEP IN TOUCH /AllAboutSpaceMagazine @spaceanswers space@spaceanswers.com The Cygnus

A 2014 meteor is Earth’s first known interstellar visitor

Astronomers have confirmed that a suspicious space rock

Hubble spies a cosmic ‘spider web’ containing clues to a dark secret

Galaxy cluster Abell 611 lies roughly 3.2 billion

Milky Way stars photobomb a spiral galaxy in a stunning Hubble photo

Hubble captured the sight of a beautiful spiral

SKY-WATCHER EXPLORER 130 WORTH £299

This brilliant reflector will provide stunning high-definition views both day and night

GLITCH IN THE UNIVERSE

HAVE THE LAWS OF PHYSICS BEEN COMPLETELY REVERSED IN SPACE AND TIME?

SPACES TIME'S NUMBER

The six fundamental constants that shape the universe and allow life to exist on Earth

UNIVERSE'S GLITCH

The cosmos might look completely different the further you move from Earth

WHY DOESN'T UNIVERSE MAKE SENSE?

Astrophysicists reveal what could be causing the glitch

MICROBOT EXPLORERS

This new generation of all-access planetary probes will delve further than ever before

“We’ve probably been detected by extraterrestrials”

Messaging Extraterrestrial Intelligence’s vice president Dr Florence Raulin-Cerceau reveals why if intelligent alien civilisations have located us, we should be talking back, and how we need to communicate

ULTRA-HARD DIAMONDS IN THE SKY

Scientists probing a set of space rocks have found lonsdaleite, and it's helping solve the mystery of how these rare diamonds are formed

CHARON

The secrets of Pluto’s largest moon

50 AMAZING FACTS ABOUT BLACK HOLES

Few things are as universally awe-inspiring and terrifying as black holes. These invisible behemoths are the great architects and the great destroyers of the universe

ASTRONOMERS SPOT THE MOST POWERFUL FLASH OF LIGHT EVER SEEN

The gamma-ray burst was also the nearest ever detected

10 INCREDIBLE ROCKETS

Take a look at the biggest, best and most prolific launch vehicles to have reached space, from the early days of space exploration to the modern day

A BLACK HOLE IS BURPING OUT A STAR IT DEVOURED YEARS AGO

The aftermath of the star being spaghettified is like nothing astronomers have ever seen

WHAT HAPPENED BEFORE THE BIG BANG?

Could there have been a time before the birth of the universe?

What creates gravitational waves, and can we feel them?

Gravitational waves are vibrations in space-time itself. They

How did Saturn get its rings?

Saturn’s rings consist of mostly ice, rock and

Given the universe’s acceleration, could it end in a Big Rip?

We are currently living in a universe in

Why do we use radio to observe the universe?

There’s particular science that can only be done

Why don’t all stars eventually turn into black holes?

The deciding factor in a star’s future is

Why do stars have different masses?

© ESO Stars have different masses because they

Would it be possible to survive on a planet around a double-star system?

Tatooine-like planets, those orbiting around double or binary

WHAT’S IN THE SKY?

What to look out for during this observing period

PLANETARIUM

THIS MONTH’S PLANETS

Mars reaches opposition, glowing like a ruby in the sky

MARE HUMBOLDTIANUM

Great views of the northeastern limb make this elusive lunar sea an intriguing target this month

NAKED EYE AND BINOCULAR TARGETS

As Christmas looms on the horizon, relax by enjoying these celestial treats

TACKLE THE GREAT TREASURES OF ORION

Turn your telescope to the Hunter for a splendid selection of deep-sky targets

THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE

The December constellations offer an impressive array of targets to enjoy

ASTROSHOTS OF THE MONTH

Wide-angle view of nebulae in Orion ANTOINE AND

CELESTRON ASTRO FI 102 TELESCOPE

Its reasonable price, motorised functionality and SkyPortal app make this a good telescope for beginners

ALL ABOUT SPACE

Future PLC Quay House, The Ambury, Bath, BA1

GORDON COOPER

Cooper flew a solo mission in space and set flight endurance records