Inside the June 2021 Issue

SUBSCRIBE TODAY | ISSUE INDEX

June’s Annular Solar Eclipse, Starlink, and Urban Deepscapes

In the June 2021 issue of Sky & Telescope, we’re getting ready for the annular solar eclipse over Canada and the North Pole this month. Joe Rao guides us on how and when to see the Moon’s shadow pass over the Sun. And we report how SpaceX is working with astronomers to mitigate the negative impact of their satellites on astronomy. However, individual companies’ amity won’t be enough to forestall the growing light pollution as tens of thousands of satellites hit the skies in the next few years. Also in this issue, Marybeth Kiczenski explains the “deepscape” technique she used to capture the image of Comet NEOWISE (C/2020 F3) over the Mackinac Bridge, featured in the November 2020 issue. While we enjoyed the comet’s show last summer, astronomers were studying comets in other star systems. We discuss their discoveries along with some interesting new information about the Milky Way’s largest satellite. Several discoveries over the past decade have forced scientists to revise our understanding of the history of the Large Magellanic Cloud.

FEATURE ARTICLES:

Alien Comets

Astronomers have detected signs of icy interlopers around faraway stars.

By Eleni Petrakou

 Beyond Starlink: The Satellite Saga Continues

SpaceX has engaged astronomers and made improvements, but with other companies set to launch their own satellite fleets, goodwill is not enough.

By Anthony Mallama & Monica Young

The Magellanic Giant

A combination of new data and tenacity has upended our understanding of the Milky Way’s largest companion.

By Nola Taylor Redd

Southerly Planetary Nebulae

We make a detour from our usual latitudes to visit a collection of exquisite celestial bubbles lying at lower declinations.

By Don Ferguson

June’s Sunrise Annular Eclipse

A fortunate few will enjoy the first solar eclipse viewable from North America since 2017’s epic event.

By Joe Rao

Urban Deepscaping

Here’s a different approach to recording deep-sky targets over natural and urban landscapes.

By Marybeth Kiczenski

Beyond the Printed Page:

Five Millennia of Solar Eclipses

View detailed maps of all the solar eclipses between 2000 BC and AD 3000.

Solar Eclipse Safety

Read our guide to safely viewing solar eclipses.

Minkowski’s Butterfly (M 2-9)

Watch this stunning nebula’s evolution between 1997 and 2010.

Images from Mars

Enjoy the first high-resolution panorama of Mars from NASA’s Perseverance rover as well as images from China’s Tianwen 1 spacecraft and the United Arab Emirates’ Hope probe.

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:

The Many Distinctions of Arcturus

The leading light of Boötes rides high in the June sky.

By Fred Schaaf

Enter the Twilight Zone

Enjoy dawn and dusk riches during the summer solstice.

By Bob King  

What’s in a Name?

A lot, which led to the reclassification of lunar craters.

By Charles Wood  

Working with What You Have

Before you purchase your dream astrophotography rig, consider what you can do with a basic setup.  

By Tony Puerzer

Table of Contents

See what else June's issue has to offer.