On the Cover: Hundreds of thousands of stars crowd the center of the Milky Way galaxy in this recent infrared image from Spitzer Space Telescope. A supermassive black hole inhabits the center of the galaxy, with billowing clouds of gas and dust stretching across hundreds of light-years. The image spans 640 light-years from top to bottom. Write for StarDate Magazine Writer's Guidelines (84K pdf -- free Adobe Acrobat software is required to view the document.)

No Trip Around the Block
What kinds of hazards will future astronauts face as they journey to the Red Planet, and what is NASA planning to do about them?

Heaven on Earth
Most of our studies of the heavens, by nature, are done from afar. But did you know that some objects on Earth can tell us about the Sun and stars? And itís more than just meteorites.

In Every Issue
• Skywatching highlights and star charts to help you keep tabs on the sky
• Merlin answers your most compelling questions about the universe
• The latest astronomy news

• Small Galaxies Jostle Milky Way's Edge
• Gas Follows 'Death Spiral' To Black Hole
• Elliptical Galaxies Rage Inside
• Andromeda's Satellites March to Single Drummer
• Telescope Ready to Listen for Cosmic 'Howdy-Do'
• Probe Will See 'New Horizons' at Pluto

Read archived news from StarDate magazine in the Resources section.

Every issue of StarDate also includes monthly star charts and stargazing highlights, plus stunning astronomical images.

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