Interstellar wildfire

WELCOME

Issue 126

A room with a view

© ESO The appropriately named VISTA (Visible and

Ancient Martian riverbed

© NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona This image of the

JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE HAS ENOUGH FUEL FOR MORE THAN TEN YEARS OF SCIENCE

© CERN NASA’s newest flagship space observatory should

COMETS’ HEADS MAY BE GREEN, BUT NEVER THEIR TAILS

Comet ISON exhibiting a green glow on

‘COSMIC MONSTER’ STAR SPITS ENERGY WITH THE FORCE OF A BILLION SUNS

These dense objects emit powerful flares across

IMAGINARY NUMBERS COULD BE NEEDED TO DESCRIBE REALITY

IN COOPERATION WITH SPACE.COM Schrödinger wasn’t a

WHITE HOUSE DIRECTS NASA TO EXTEND INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION OPERATIONS THROUGH 2030

NASA will continue to operate the ISS

ROCKET SCIENTISTS AREN’T ANY SMARTER THAN THE REST OF US, SCIENCE SAYS

The new study tested the minds of

COMPLETE GUIDE TO EXOPLANETS

OUR KNOWLEDGE OF WORLDS BEYOND THE SOLAR SYSTEM HAS EXPLODED IN THE LAST THREE DECADES

MILLIONAIRE MOON TOURISM

Fancy a trip around the Moon? That’s what Space Adventures is offering to anyone able to afford the multimillion-dollar price tag

“WE WILL SEE IDEAS AND PRODUCTS WE CAN’T IMAGINE TODAY”

Axiom Space’s chief technology officer Matt Ondler on life after the International Space Station

ERUPTION SEEN ON ALIEN STAR FOR FIRST TIME

The outburst is about ten times more powerful than anything similar seen from our Sun

GOING BACK O THE MOON

THIS YEAR, NASA WILL TAKE THE FIRST STEP IN RETURNING ASTRONAUTS TO THE LUNAR SURFACE

BLACK HOLE IN MILKY WAY’S SATELLITE DEFIES EXPLANATION

Dwarf galaxy Leo I’s giant central area seems too big for such a small host

WHAT IS A LIGHT YEAR?

How we measure vast distances across the universe

GENERAL RELATIVITY PASSES ITS TOUGHEST TEST YET

The theory, which Albert Einstein published in 1915, remains undefeated

THE BIG BANG THEORY

IT’S OUR BEST MODEL OF HOW THE UNIVERSE WORKS, BUT WHERE DID IT COME FROM?

STAR PROFILE RIGEL

Orion’s brightest star is a powerful blue supergiant

WHAT IS DARK MATTER MADE OF?

The phenomena may have come from quantum bags that got squished together in the early universe

GEOCENTRIC MODEL

THE EARTH-CENTRED VIEW OF THE UNIVERSE

NEW ROCKY EXOPLANET HAS A YEAR LESS THAN EIGHT HOURS LONG

The iron-rich planet orbits very close to its host and exhibits scorching temperatures

THE PLANET THAT SHOULDN’T EXIST

This two-star system with a mass six times that of our Sun emits extreme radiation, yet somehow a planet has still managed to form

NASA ORDERS MORE MEGABOOSTERS FOR MOON MISSIONS

The new contract will support Space Launch System (SLS) missions through Artemis 9

ASK SPACE

Our experts answer your questions

WHAT’S IN THE SKY?

In this issue… 78 What’s in the sky?

THIS MONTH’S PLANETS

Observe before dawn and you’ll be able to catch dazzling Venus, Mercury and Mars in all their glory

COPERNICUS

Early 2022 allows us to pay our respects to ‘the Monarch of the Moon’

NAKED EYE & BINOCULAR TARGETS

February’s sky is a treasure trove of bright stars and glittering star clusters

THE KING’S JEWELS

One of the least famous constellations offers keen-eyed observers some fascinating and beautiful sights

THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE

Plenty of objects are available to observers using the unaided eye, binoculars or a telescope

ASTROSHOTS OF THE MONTH

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

CELESTRON UPCLOSE G2 10x50 BINOCULAR

Large objective lenses and 10x magnification help this affordable piece of kit appeal to anyone wanting to start stargazing

IN THE SHOPS

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

HEROES OF THE SPACE

From CAPCOM to moonwalker, Duke was a pivotal figure in the Apollo program