SPACE CLOUDS: TAKE A 3D LOOK INSIDE NEBULAE p. 44 MAY 2020 The world’s best-selling astronomy magazine Why the Big Bang is still stumping astronomers p. 20 EXPLORE EDGE-ON AND FACE-ON GALAXIES p. 56 www.Astronomy.com How V.M. Slipher BOB BERMAN PLUS BONUS Vol. 48 ONLINE discovered on backyard • • CHARTING the Issue 5 the expanding astronomy p. 16 19th-century heavens p. 52 CONTENT universe p. 30 • WE TEST Canon’s CODE p. 4 new astrocamera p. 62 A Family of Quality Products, From a Family Business, For Your Family to Enjoy! With over forty years of design- ing and building our vision for eyepiece and refractor perfor- mance, along with photo/visual accessories to match, Tele Vue continues its mission to make your observing ”...even better than you imagined.” Call for expert and accurate technical advice. ® Tele Vue 32 Elkay Dr., Chester, New York 10918 (845) 469-4551. televue.com Visionary ASTRO-CAMERAS For beginners and more advanced users: astro-cameras for auto-guiding, deep-sky and planetary photography Highly sensitive CMOS sensors: high quantum efficiency and low readout noise – for cleaner astrophotos Wide range: whether monochrome or colour, you will find the perfect pixel and sensor size for your telescope INDI and ASCOM compatible: control the camera using the image capture software of your choice Julian Zoller, veTEC 16000 C, 200/1200 Newton veTEC Julian Zoller, Price from Price from Price from $ $ $ 159Art. Nr. 61032 299Art. Nr. 61037 899Art. Nr. 61045 Art. Nr. 61031 – 61036 Art. Nr. 61037 – 61044 Art. Nr. 61045, 63068 - 63070 AR0130, IMX290 IMX178, IMX385, IMX224, IMX290, IMX287 MN34230, IMX432 Compact autoguider: the ideal Professional level planetary Large sensors: wide field of view for add-on for a deep-sky camera photography: USB3.0 and the breathtaking deep-sky images innovative Region of Interest function ensure a super-fast frame rate – freeze the seeing! Thermoelectric cooling: minimal thermal noise and complete control Uncomplicated auto-guiding without headaches: thanks to the ST4 port over the sensor temperature and PHD2 compatibility Neither condensation nor freezing: Well-thought-out design: owing to the compact 1.25" eyepiece format, the thanks to a dew heater and a robust anodised aluminium body fits every telescope rechargeable desiccant cartridge You can connect various accessories: the adaptor included offers a CS- and USB hub: two USB ports for an C-mount thread as well as a 1.25" filter thread. Astronomical filters, CCTV autoguider, filter wheel or focus lenses or mini guide scopes – they all fit! motor. Astrophotography without cable clutter! Open Astronomy Instrumentation Omegon is part of nimax GmbH. Price changes and errors excepted. All rights reserved All excepted. errors and changes Price GmbH. nimax of part is Omegon ASCOM & INDI compatible Recommended for PHD2 & N.I.N.A. Order online at www.omegon.com Online Content Code: ASY2005 Enter this code at: www.astronomy.com/code MAY 2020 to gain access to web-exclusive content VOL. 48, NO. 5 ON THE COVER Some 13.8 billion years ago, the Big Bang commenced a process that filled the universe with galaxies like M31. But we’re still CONTENTS 44 trying to determime how it all happened. TONY HALLAS COLUMNS FEATURES Strange Universe 16 BOB BERMAN 20 38 56 For Your Consideration 18 Is the Big Bang in crisis? Star Dome and Target edge-on and JEFF HESTER Stubborn problems with Paths of the Planets face-on galaxies dark matter, dark energy, RICHARD TALCOTT; Hunting pins and needles in Observing Basics 64 and cosmic expansion have ILLUSTRATIONS BY ROEN KELLY the deep sky will give your GLENN CHAPLE some astronomers rethinking observing some pizzazz. Binocular Universe 66 what we know about the early 44 STEPHEN JAMES O’MEARA PHIL HARRINGTON universe. DAN HOOPER Cosmic clouds 3D A glimpse behind the dusty 62 30 veil of nebulae reveals the We test Canon’s new 9 V.M. Slipher’s chemistry of the universe. astrocamera QUANTUM GRAVITY expanding universe DAVID J. EICHER AND BRIAN MAY; With 30 megapixels of Everything you need to The Lowell Observatory STEREO IMAGES BY resolution, a full-frame sensor, know about the universe J.-P. METSÄVAINIO astronomer’s revolutionary and a mirrorless body, the EOS this month: an asteroid- findings include the expansion Ra camera can help you reveal strike crater found, a of the universe and the 52 the night sky in all its glory. second repeating FRB discovery of the interstellar Charting the TONY HALLAS tracked, new astronauts medium. DAVID J. EICHER 19th-century heavens introduced, and more. Schools and colleges 68 36 throughout America regarded Ask Astro Sky This Month The Geography of the Heavens Stellar collisions. IN EVERY ISSUE as a valuable tool for teaching Venus meets Mercury. From the Editor 6 astronomy. MICHAEL E. BAKICH MARTIN RATCLIFFE AND Astro Letters 8 ALISTER LING Advertiser Index 65 New Products 67 Reader Gallery 70 Breakthrough 74 ONLINE FAVORITES Astronomy Go to www.Astronomy.com Picture of Sky This My Science Trips and (ISSN 0091-6358, USPS 531-350) the Day Week Shop Tours is published monthly by Kalmbach Media for info on the biggest news and Co., 21027 Crossroads Circle, P. O. Box 1612, Gorgeous A daily digest Perfect gifts for Travel with Waukesha, WI 53187–1612. Periodicals postage observing events, stunning photos, photos from of celestial your favorite the staff of paid at Waukesha, WI, and additional offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to informative videos, and more. our readers. events. science geeks. Astronomy. Astronomy, PO Box 8520, Big Sandy, TX 75755. Canada Publication Mail Agreement #40010760. 4 ASTRONOMY • MAY 2020 HOME-DOME AND PRO-DOME OBSERVATORIES Dedicated to Craftsmanship! Absolute Encoders Mach2GTO Power & Go Auto-Adjusting Gear Mesh 12-24V DC PROFESSIONAL DESIGN - AMATEUR PRICE 6, 10, & 15 ft. Diameter Stand-alone or On Building All Fiberglass Easy Assembly Manual/Computer Automated Full Height/Handicap Access Priced from $3,995 CloudWatcher Low cost, accurate system to detect FORXGFRYHUOLJKWOHYHOVDQG¿UVWWUDFHV of rain. With DDW Interface. www.clouddetection.com Connectivity: GTOCP5 Phone: 407-601-1975 www.astro-physics.com Machesney Park, IL USA www.homedome.com Ph: 815-282-1513 WWW.ASTRONOMY.COM 5 FROM THE EDITOR Editor David J. Eicher Design Director LuAnn Williams Belter EDITORIAL Galaxies, the Big Bang, Senior Editor Richard Talcott Production Editor Elisa R. Neckar Senior Associate Editor Alison Klesman Associate Editor Jake Parks Copy Editor McLean Bennett and existence Editorial Assistant Hailey McLaughlin ART Contributing Design Director Elizabeth Weber When I talked with my friend Dan Illustrator Roen Kelly Hooper at Fermilab a few months ago, Production Specialist Jodi Jeranek CONTRIBUTING EDITORS we decided that it was high time to do Michael E. Bakich, Bob Berman, Adam Block, a “state-of-the-art” story on where we stand with Glenn F. Chaple Jr., Martin George, Tony Hallas, Phil Harrington, Korey Haynes, Jeff Hester, Alister Ling, dark matter. When Dan started writing the story, Stephen James O’Meara, Martin Ratcliffe, Raymond Shubinski however, he evolved it into a summary of a much SCIENCE GROUP Executive Editor Becky Lang bigger dilemma: “Holes” in the Big Bang theory Design Director Dan Bishop of the origin of the universe are increasingly leav- EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD ing some astronomers unsettled. So his story, “Is Buzz Aldrin, Marcia Bartusiak, Jim Bell, Timothy Ferris, Alex Filippenko, Adam Frank, John S. Gallagher lll, the Big Bang in crisis?” describes the problems Daniel W. E. Green, William K. Hartmann, Paul Hodge, Edward Kolb, Stephen P. Maran, Brian May, S. Alan Stern, astronomers must yet overcome. James Trefil When the universe began to assemble matter, it preferred to lump it into galaxies — huge clouds Kalmbach Media The blue light in this Chief Executive Officer Dan Hickey and wheels of stars, gas, and dust. As I was grow- Senior Vice President, Finance Christine Metcalf image of MACS ing up — when we weren’t even sure that the Big Bang was the Senior Vice President, Consumer Marketing Nicole McGuire J0717.5+3745 shows Vice President, Content Stephen C. George the arrangement of correct model of the universe — one of my favorite books was Tim Vice President, Operations Brian J. Schmidt dark matter in this Ferris’ classic Galaxies. Since its publication in 1980, what we know Vice President, Human Resources Sarah A. Horner galaxy cluster. Despite Senior Director, Advertising Sales and Events David T. Sherman the ubiquity of dark about galaxies, the basic units of matter in the cosmos, has been Advertising Sales Director Scott Redmond matter in the universe, completely revolutionized. I’ve written my own book, Galaxies: Circulation Director Liz Runyon Director of Design & Production Michael Soliday astronomers still have Inside the Universe’s Star Cities, to explain exactly what we know Managing Design Director Lisa A. Bergman no good idea what it New Business Manager Cathy Daniels is made of. NASA/ESA/ about these majestic structures now. You can order copies of this Retention Manager Kathy Steele D. HARVEY (ÉCOLE POLYTECHNIQUE new book, just out, from MyScienceShop.com. Single Copy Specialist Kim Redmond FÉDÉRALE DE LAUSANNE)/ This issue features stories on galaxies, too. Veteran observer Steve ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT R. MASSEY (DURHAM UNIVERSITY)/ Phone (888) 558-1544 H. EBELING (UNIVERSITY OF O’Meara describes how you can observe face-on and edge-on galax- Ad Production [email protected] HAWAII)/J.-P. KNEIB (LAM) ies, and lists challenging objects in each category to target. We have Dina Johnston, [email protected] a historical story I’ve done on the great astronomer V.M. Slipher, RETAIL TRADE ORDERS AND INQUIRIES Selling Astronomy magazine or products in your store: who discovered in 1912 that the universe is expanding.