Description:

Astrophotography enthusiasts will want to get their hands on this as Mark Sibole, recipient of Meade's "Astrophotographer of the Year" award, is featured in the member spotlight along with a collection of his images. Also of interest to photographers is the second part of Vincent Trigili's feature article about image processing. From the observing side, journalist Michael Wall shows how to find and observe deep-sky objects from the Messier catalog in three summer constellations, and he also shares a fun crossword puzzle. One of earliest important figures in the history of astronomy, Ptolemy, is profiled by Vincent J. Petaccio. Journalist Jon Zander provides an inside look at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and continues his discussion about the proposed future missions to the Moon, and he recalls his visits to Lowell Observatory and Meteor Crater in Arizona. Additional contributors to this issue are editor Kristi Trigili and graphic artist Steve Ellwood.