Darkness Unveiled: Photographing the Eclipse, the Mother of Dark Matter, and Lord Byron's Star

Certainly there are many "dark" phenomena to explore in the world of astronomy. On August 21st, darkness will cover some parts of the US in the middle of the day as the Moon casts its shadow on Earth — and we'll give you tips to get the best photos. Learn about what form dark matter may take — be it hot or cold. Discover the story of Vera Rubin, the "mother of dark matter". Uncover the mystery of Lord Byron's "star", and also find a test report on a tabletop Dob, an exploration of resolution, lighting, and actual changes to lunar features, a DIY solar projection guide, and more, in the August 2017 issue of Sky & Telescope.

Feature Articles

Nibble and a big crumb
You never know what kind of bonus sights will accompany a solar eclipse. Giant sunspot region 2192 was one of the highlights of the Oct. 23, 2014 partial solar eclipse. Bob King

How To Shoot a Solar Eclipse
A little advance planning can help make your pictures memorable.
By Dennis di Cicco

The Eclipse Megamovie Project
Join a citizen-science campaign on August 21st to record 90 minutes of the Sun's changing corona.
By Hugh Hudson & Mark Bender

Eyes of the Dragon
Look the fiery beast in the face as you track down these binocular doubles in Draco.
By Mathew Wedel

In the Dark About Dark Matter
Astronomers' favorite candidate for the universe's invisible matter is running out of place to hide. Maybe we should be looking for something else.
By Leonidas Moustakas

Vera Rubin's Universe
By looking at things others didn't think were interesting, the astronomer often labeled the "mother of dark matter" forever changed our picture of the cosmos.
By Ashley Yeager

"The Moon Is Up... A Single Star Is at Her Side"
Lord Byron's famous evening yields up its mystery: He wrote what he saw.
By Donald W. Olson

Beyond the Printed Page

Cassini at Saturn
An artist's conception of NASA's Cassini spacecraft on it's final ring grazing orbits.
NASA/JPL/Cassini

Cassini Playlist
Listen to the debris Cassini encountered as it dove through Saturn's rings.

Draco Doubles
Enjoy hunting down double stars in Draco? Find these!

Solar Eclipse Near You?
Use this interactive map to find the exact time the solar eclipse will (or won't!) begin near you.

Lunar Librations and Phases of the Moon
Librations and other lunar data for August 2017.

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

Neal Simpson

Eclipse, At Last
The "Great American" total solar eclipse is this month's star attraction.
By Fred Schaaf

The Solar Eclipse for the Rest of Us
Totality watchers get the best show, but a far greater number of people will be in partial-only territory. Here's how to make the most of it.
By Alan MacRobert

Changes Real and (Mostly) Imagined
Even renowned lunar observers have sometimes been fooled by tricks of lighting and resolution
By Charles A. Wood

Overlooked Wonders of Summer
Take some time to explore these lesser-known deep-sky sights.
By Sue French

Table of Contents
See what else August's issue has to offer.

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