vol. 121, no. 2€¦ · 60 deep-sky wonders by sue french s&t test report 52 celestron’s...

4 February 2011 sky & telescope FEATURES 22 New Scrutiny of the Sun’s Secrets The Solar Dynamics Observatory is taking continuous, fine-scale movies of every layer from the Sun’s surface up. By Monica Bobra 28 The Perfect Solar Superstorm Solar storms in 1859 wreaked havoc on telegraph networks worldwide and produced auroras nearly to the equator. What would a recurrence do to our modern technological world? By Daniel N. Baker & James L. Green 36 Great Winter Double Stars This season is as notable for its doubles, triples, and quadruples as for its nebulae and star clusters. By James Mullaney 66 Solar Radio Astronomy It’s relatively easy to observe the Sun at radio frequencies. By J. Kelly Smith, David L. Smith, & William L. Joyner 72 Catch the Nearest Star The Sun provides astro- photographers with a captivating target every clear day. By Greg Piepol THIS MONTH’S SKY 40 Northern Hemisphere’s Sky By Fred Schaaf 43 February’s Sky at a Glance 45 Binocular Highlight By Gary Seronik 46 Planetary Almanac 48 Sun, Moon, and Planets By Fred Schaaf 50 Exploring the Moon By Charles A. Wood 57 Celestial Calendar By Alan MacRobert 60 Deep-Sky Wonders By Sue French S&T TEST REPORT 52 Celestron’s 14-inch EdgeHD A 21st-century update transforms Celestron’s legendary telescope. By Dennis di Cicco 54 Quick Look: “Double-Stacked” P.S.T. By Sean Walker So Sol hav COVER STORY ALSO IN THIS ISSUE 6 Spectrum By Robert Naeye 8 Letters 10 50 & 25 Years Ago By Leif J. Robinson 14 News Notes 38 New Product Showcase 64 Telescope Workshop By Gary Seronik 76 Gallery 86 Focal Point By Chris Miller NASA / SDO / AIA SCIENCE TEAM SKY & TELESCOPE (ISSN 0037-6604) is published monthly by Sky & Telescope Media, LLC, 90 Sherman St., Cambridge, MA 02140-3264, USA. Phone: 800-253-0245 (customer service/subscriptions), 888-253-0230 (product orders), 617-864-7360 (all other calls). Fax: 617-864-6117. Website: SkyandTelescope.com. © 2011 Sky & Telescope Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Periodicals postage paid at Boston, Massachusetts, and at additional mailing offices. Canada Post Publications Mail sales agreement #40029823. Canadian return address: 2744 Edna St., Windsor, ON, Canada N8Y 1V2. Canadian GST Reg. #R128921855. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Sky & Telescope, PO Box 171, Winterset, IA 50273. Printed in the USA. KWON O CHUL On the cover: This not-to-scale composite of 2 SOHO images from different instruments shows a coronal mass ejection blasting outward. Find us on Facebook & Twitter February 2011 VOL. 121, NO. 2 43 22 ESA / NASA / EIT / LASCO TOC layout.indd 4 TOC layout.indd 4 12/1/10 2:08:53 PM 12/1/10 2:08:53 PM

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Page 1: VOL. 121, NO. 2€¦ · 60 Deep-Sky Wonders By Sue French S&T TEST REPORT 52 Celestron’s 14-inch EdgeHD A 21st-century update transforms Celestron’s legendary telescope. By Dennis

4 February 2011 sky & telescope

FEATURES

22 New Scrutiny of the Sun’s Secrets The Solar Dynamics Observatory is taking continuous, fi ne-scale movies of every layer from the Sun’s surface up. By Monica Bobra

28 The Perfect Solar Superstorm Solar storms in 1859 wreaked havoc on telegraph networks worldwide and produced auroras nearly to the equator. What would a recurrence do to our modern technological world? By Daniel N. Baker & James L. Green

36 Great Winter Double Stars This season is as notable for its doubles, triples, and quadruples as for its nebulae and star clusters. By James Mullaney

66 Solar Radio Astronomy It’s relatively easy to observe the Sun at radio frequencies. By J. Kelly Smith, David L. Smith, & William L. Joyner

72 Catch the Nearest Star The Sun provides astro- photographers with a captivating target every clear day. By Greg Piepol

THIS MONTH’S SK Y

40 Northern Hemisphere’s Sky By Fred Schaaf

43 February’s Sky at a Glance

45 Binocular Highlight By Gary Seronik

46 Planetary Almanac

48 Sun, Moon, and Planets By Fred Schaaf

50 Exploring the Moon By Charles A. Wood

57 Celestial Calendar By Alan MacRobert

60 Deep-Sky Wonders By Sue French

S&T TES T REPORT

52 Celestron’s 14-inch EdgeHD A 21st-century update transforms Celestron’s legendary telescope. By Dennis di Cicco

54 Quick Look: “Double-Stacked” P.S.T. By Sean Walker

So Sol

hav

COVERSTORY

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

6 Spectrum By Robert Naeye

8 Letters

10 50 & 25 Years Ago By Leif J. Robinson

14 News Notes

38 New Product Showcase

64 Telescope Workshop By Gary Seronik

76 Gallery

86 Focal Point By Chris Miller

SA /

O /

AIA

IEN

TEA

SKY & TELESCOPE (ISSN 0037-6604) is published monthly by Sky & Telescope Media, LLC, 90 Sherman St., Cambridge, MA 02140-3264, USA. Phone: 800-253-0245 (customer service/subscriptions), 888-253-0230 (product orders), 617-864-7360 (all other calls). Fax: 617-864-6117. Website: SkyandTelescope.com. © 2011 Sky & Telescope Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Periodicals postage paid at Boston, Massachusetts, and at additional mailing offi ces. Canada Post Publications Mail sales agreement #40029823. Canadian return address: 2744 Edna St., Windsor, ON, Canada N8Y 1V2. Canadian GST Reg. #R128921855. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Sky & Telescope, PO Box 171, Winterset, IA 50273. Printed in the USA.

O C

On the cover: This not-to-scale composite of 2 SOHO images from diff erent instruments shows a coronal mass ejection blasting outward.

Find us on Facebook & Twitter

February 2011VOL. 121, NO. 2

ESA

/ N

ASA

/ E

IT /

SCO

TOC layout.indd 4TOC layout.indd 4 12/1/10 2:08:53 PM12/1/10 2:08:53 PM

Legendary nights