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AI for Astronomy, Binary Stars, and Astro-travel
In the April 2026 issue of Sky & Telescope, we’re feeling a bit overwhelmed with the enormous amount of data coming in from the latest telescopes and sky surveys. There’s no way astronomers can process it all. Will AI be the answer to this data explosion? While we’re on the topic of things that blow up, we’re covering the other “Star Wars” — a story of how the discovery of star death ended a friendship. But don’t let that get you down, because we have a selection of BFF stars and an assortment of astronomy travel destinations for you and your telescope to enjoy together.
FEATURE ARTICLES:
Star Wars: The Chandrasekhar-Eddington Clash
How ego, genius, and modern physics combined to help us realize how stars die.
By Ajay Manuel
A Tour of Short-Period Binary Stars
Explore a selection of close binaries for backyard telescopes.
By Mark McCarthy
Selective Processing in PixInsight
Here’s how to modify areas of an astrophoto without affecting the entire picture.
By Ron Brecher
From New Mexico to Namibia, the world offers an array of options for those seeking extraordinary night skies.
By Megan Eaves
Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing our world — and how we interpret the heavens above us.
By Monica Young
Beyond the Printed Page:
See sparks of lightning on Mars.
Use Stellarium to get occultation timings for your area.
Check out the U.S. Naval Observatory’s catalog of visual binary stars.
Read more of Mark McCarthy’s observing adventures.
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:
The Beehive Cluster and the Tears of Ra
This bright star cluster in Cancer is absolutely buzzing.
By Stephen James O’Meara
April offers three chances to watch bright stars briefly disappear behind the Moon.
By Bob King
Revising the Timeline of the Early Moon
Newly acquired samples are changing our understanding of lunar history.
By Charles A. Wood
Here’s an easy way to capture Earth turning beneath our feet.
By Sarah Mathews
Table of Contents
See what else April’s issue has to offer.
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