The SPA Quarterly Magazine

October 2007

In this Issue:

Features:
6 Strange words among the planets / Jeffrey Barham
8 Only just right? / Tabitha Davies
13 The Space Race's opening shots / Peter Grego
19 Marvel at mysterious Mars / Michael Hezzlewood

Regulars:
4 AstroNews / Alan Longstaff
10 Telescope Topics / Ian Morison
   Thoughts about eyepieces
14 Amateur Scene / Peter Wade
18 The Astro Historian / Stuart Williams
   Dig up dead astronomers in your own backyard
22 Young Stargazers / Emily Baldwin
24 Space Exploration / Dave Tipper

28 Reviews:
The Cosmos: A Beginner's Guide
The Comet Sweeper
Philip's Pocket Star Atlas
The Sky at Night
Stardust From Space
The Monthly Sky Guide
The Sun Kings
Oxford Dictionary of Astronomy
Astronomy: DK Eyewitness Companions

32 Letters:
A new planetarium to be proud of
Poem: Greeting an old friend
Daisies, daisies give us an answer, they do

34 At the Forum by Joe Cummings

35 The Society Pages:
July's meeting report: In search of alien life Patrick Houghton

37 Autumn Stars:
Constellation of the season: Fornax / Peter Grego

38 Deep Sky Notes:
My autumn asterisms / Dave Fletcher

39 Sky Diary by Peter Grego:
Lunar occultations - Jon Harper
Meteor showers - Alastair McBeath

42 SPA contacts and meetings

43 Showcase
SPA members' images and observations

Prime Space:
Phoenix blasts off for Mars / Emily Baldwin
Stars in your eyes / Margaret Penston
Prize crossword / Judy Humphrey
Zoom in on the zodiac / Chris Dignan