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The Ghost Comet, the Kuiper Belt, and Kosovo’s New Observatory
In the June 2025 issue of Sky & Telescope, we’re following the path Comet ATLAS (C/2024 G3) took around the Sun with incredible images from our readers. Long before this comet shot past Earth, it passed through the Kuiper Belt, the frigid home of most of the known dwarf planets such as Pluto and Eris. We review what we’ve learned about this far-off icy plain. Pluto and Eris might seem like distant relatives of our solar system, but this month we feature some binary stars in long-distance relationships that put the Sun’s gravitational grasp on the Kuiper Belt to shame. Finally, Editor in Chief Diana Hannikainen covers the grand opening of Kosovo’s first national observatory and planetarium.
FEATURE ARTICLES:
An icy visitor flames out in dramatic fashion.
By Sean Walker
The last decade has upended our simple picture of the distant, dark region where Pluto lies.
By Emily Lakdawalla
Two stars can maintain a long-term relationship over surprisingly large distances.
By Ken Croswell
A young country inaugurates its first astronomical facility.
By Diana Hannikainen
Few sights are more exciting than an eyepiece field containing multiple “island universes.”
By Mario Motta
Beyond the Printed Page:
Read Steve Gottlieb’s observing notes for every non-stellar object in the NGC.
Listen to meteors from your own computer live.
Check out Sarah Mathews’ astrophotography YouTube channel.
Visit our Astronomy Event Calendar to find star parties near you.
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:
Corona Borealis: A Castle in the Sky
See if this tale of Corona Borealis doesn’t leave your head spinning.
By Stephen James O’Meara
Some meteor showers are best enjoyed indoors.
By Bob King
Revisit lunar regions whose names have been abandoned.
By Charles A. Wood
There are many ways to add a camera to your telescope to create pleasing astrophotos.
By Sarah Mathews
Table of Contents
See what else June’s issue has to offer.
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