Features
17 From cogs to flops: Sarah Jaffa
computers have changed how we do astronomy
20 Reaching for the skies with Adam Goodchild
Mancunian Balloonian
26 The Tarantula’s giant eyes Nisha Beerjeraz-Hoyle
34 The Bovedy / Sprucefield meteorite James D. Robinson
Regulars
4 Editorial Osnat Katz
4 AstroNews Amber Hornsby
The Sun probably didn’t put a ring on Saturn Alice Booth
Speedy pulsar on track to escape the Milky Way Amber Hornsby
Habitable Zone Planet Finder: the most precise hunter Emma Foxell
for rocky planets in the near-infrared
The Universe has a new standard candle Rebecca Brown
Finding Earth’s oldest rock on the Moon Nicholas House
9 Citizen Science Alice Sheppard
Exoplanets
10 Telescope Topics Ian Morison
Everything about refractors: Part 3 – why they give the
highest contrast images
12 Amateur Scene Peter Wade
IAU begins centenary celebrations / Moon in the shade /
Cheadle remembers pioneering selenographer /
Worcester’s warm welcome / Out and about
14 How to observe Noctilucent Clouds Sandra Brantingham
22 Young Stargazers Cardiff University
From the Chief Stargazer Lucie Green
Remote observatories Faulkes Telescope Project /Pete Williamson
30 Space Exploration Nisha Beerjeraz-Hoyle
Farewell Oppy /
Juno starts its 2019 flybys
35 Book Reviews
The Cosmic Mystery Tour Osnat Katz
Life on Mars: What To Know Before We Go Katrin Raynor-Evans
36 Section Reports
Solar Geoff Elston
Variable Star Matthew Barrett
Planetary Alan Clitherow
Deep Sky David Finnigan
42 The Society Pages
AstroFest / SPA meetings /
Meteorites and the ingredients for life / Robin Scagell
The Victorian Origins of Deep-Sky Photography Keith Moseley
44 Sky Diary
Moon data Mandy Bailey
Occultation notes / Meteor notes Mell Jeffery / Paul Sutherland
Planets / Variable Star notes Alan Clitherow / Matthew Barrett
46 SPA contacts
47 Showcase