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Your Guide to the Universe

StarDate magazine keeps you in touch with the universe with detailed skywatching information, in-depth features, the latest astronomy news, and more. Six issues per year, including the Sky Almanac issue in January! Subscribe today!

Current Issue: January/February 2023

Sky Almanac 2023
This year offers up some beautiful skywatching treats, including an annular solar eclipse in October. You can find all the details on these and many others in our 2023 Sky Almanac. The issue also kicks off our golden anniversary year, so we’ll recap the biggest discoveries and advances of the past 50 years of astronomy.
Text by Damond Benningfield

 

Merlin

Merlin takes a break this month, but he will return in March/April.

Pose your own questions for future issues.

Sky Highlights

All five of the planets that are visible to the unaided eye put in good appearances during winter’s long, cold nights. Venus is the prominent Evening Star, Saturn and Jupiter arc high across the sky, and Mars brings up the rear, remaining in view until the wee hours of the morning. Mercury adds a nice dawn appearance in late January and early February. Orion, perhaps the most beautiful of all constellations, is in its prime, followed by faithful Sirius, the Dog Star. And the subtle band of the Milky Way streams high overhead.

Miscellany

This feature will return in our next issue.

AstroNews

  • We'll have all the latest astronomy news in our next issue.

In the March/April Issue

Space weather threatens much of our technology, from power grids to the GPS satellite system, and our March/April issue will explain the threats and describe efforts to improve forecasting of these potentially dangerous events. We’ll also tell you how scientists are trying to preserve the findings of missions from the early Space Age.

Download a sample issue (PDF)
 

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StarDate January-February 2023 Cover