Inside the July 2022 Issue

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Planet X, Summer Globulars, and Real Tatooines

In the July 2022 issue of Sky & Telescope, we explore a set of lesser-known globular clusters. Then we take a dive into worlds with more than one Sun — once the stuff of science fiction, astronomers now know of hundreds of these potential real-life Tatooines. While some scientists examine planets around far-off stars, other astronomers are still hunting for planets in the distant edges of our solar system. Does a ninth planet exist? The search for Planet X continues as astronomers pluck more and more Kuiper Belt objects out of the murk. Finally, if building a telescope to pick out those distant stars and galaxies isn’t enough of a challenge, it’s time to grab some grit and start grinding: We’re pushing glass to new horizons with a guide to the basics of mirror grinding.

FEATURE ARTICLES:

The Elusive Planet X

Some astronomers suspect that a ninth planet lurks in the most distant reaches of the solar system.

By Christopher Crockett

NGC Globulars for Summer Nights

Go beyond the Messiers and explore a collection of lesser-known clusters.

By Ted Forte

Charles Greeley Abbot and the Epic Hunt for the Solar Constant

Unlocking the Sun’s secrets is an ongoing challenge that got its start in the 19th century.

By Douglas MacDougal

The Real Tatooines

Astronomers now know of more than 200 alien worlds orbiting one or both stars in a binary system.

By Javier Barbuzano

Pushing Glass

Grinding your own mirror can be great fun – and result in an excellent telescope.  

By Jerry Oltion

Beyond the Printed Page:

Get Involved with Venus

Upload your images of Venus’s clouds to the Planetary Virtual Observatory & Laboratory database.

Deep-Sky Objects

Learn about the histories behind many of the NGC objects.

Telescope Making

Build your own telescope with these detailed instructions from the Springfield Telescope Makers.

Mirror Testing

Use this guide to perfect your hand-ground mirror.

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:

The Dragon’s Head

A fine summer asterism glides overhead.

By Fred Schaaf

Pluto at Opposition

Scope the dwarf planet while it’s at its best for 2022.

By Bob King

Saturn’s Seeliger Effect

Watch the planet’s rings brighten at opposition.

By Thomas A. Dobbins

Tiny Treasures in Sagitta

The celestial Arrow guides us to treasures both simple and subtle.

By Ken Hewitt-White

Table of Contents

See what else July’s issue has to offer.