Sky and Telescope - July 2015 - 4

July 2015

O B S E RV I N G J U LY

On the cover:
New Horizons will
buzz Pluto in July,
giving us our ﬁrst
up-close look at
this frozen, chemically complex
world.
NASA / JHU APL / SWRI /
STEVE GRIBBEN

COVER
STORY

45 Binocular Highlight
By Gary Seronik

46 Planetary Almanac

Pluto at Last

50 Celestial Calendar

By Fred Schaaf
By Alan MacRobert

54 Exploring the Solar System
By Thomas Dobbins

Planck Upholds
Standard Cosmology

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56 Deep-Sky Wonders
By Sue French

59 Going Deep
By Ken Hewitt-White
S &T T E S T R E P O R T

Celestial Frontispieces
of the Golden Age

66 Deep-Sky Planner 6
By Rod Mollise
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

6 Spectrum
By Peter Tyson

TIPS FOR BEGINNERS

New to astronomy? Here's
everything you need to jump
into the fun.
SkyandTelescope.com/letsgo
FIND PRODUCTS & SERVICES

Our easy-to-use directory will
help you ﬁnd what you need.
SkyandTelescope.com/directory

8 Letters

The Backyard Sky: Summer
Stretch your observing skills to spot
these seasonal sensations. By Rod Mollise

10 75, 50 & 25 Years Ago

Done in One

12 News Notes

Today's one-shot color cameras can take
world-class astrophotos. Here's how to do it.
By Warren Keller

There's more to find online @

48 Sun, Moon & Planets

After a 9½-year ﬂight, NASA's New
Horizons spacecraft is making a longawaited visit to Pluto and its moons.
By Emily Lakdawalla

Astronomy-themed art and allegory
reached an early peak as illustrators
sought to outdo one another.
By Nick Kanas

44 July's Sky at a Glance

By Fred Schaaf

The latest analysis of the universe's
oldest light provides an exquisite look
at the cosmos. By Camille M. Carlisle

43 In This Section

47 Northern Hemisphere's Sky

F E AT U R E S

VOL. 130, NO. 1

74 Telescope Workshop

By Roger W. Sinnott

By Gary Seronik

76 New Product Showcase
77 Gallery
86 Focal Point
By Alan Hirshfeld

MONTHLY SKY PODCAST

Listen as we guide you through
this month's celestial sights.
SkyandTelescope.com/podcasts
ASTRONOMY EVENTS

Check out our events calendar
for upcoming museum exhibits, star parties, and more -
or add your own event to our
listings!
SkyandTelescope.com/
astronomy-events
SKY ON THE GO

ABOVE: JOHANNES HEVELIUS / FIRMAMENTUM SOBIESCIANUM SIVE URANOGRAPHIA

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July 2015 sky & telescope

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Sky and Telescope - July 2015

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Sky and Telescope - July 2015