August 2017

– The Full Moon – there’s plenty to see and image in the Moon’s fuller phases

– Sunrise at Stonehenge – retrace the steps of Sir Patrick Moore in search of a solstice rising over the Neolithic monument

– It is Rocket Science – how private enterprises are leading the charge in rocket development

– America counts down to Totality – discover how the US is preparing for the total solar eclipse

– 50 years of Pulsars – look back at the discovery of the first ‘pulsating radio star’

– Skye at Night– chasing down the Northern Lights on the remote and rugged Isle of Skye

Equipment reviews

National Geographic 90mm automatic telescope

Vixen Polarie Star Tracker mount with upgrade kit

Altair Astro Hypercam IMX183 USB 3.0 camera

Online Bonus Content

We speak to ESA astronaut Paolo Nespoli about life in microgravity and the prospect of his first steps outside the space station

A classic episode of The Sky at Night in which Patrick reveals the life and legacy of astronomer William Herschel

Pete Lawrence and Paul Abel guide us through August’s night skies in the Virtual Planetarium.

Download a PDF and audio chapter of The American Eclipse, a new book by eclipse-enthusiast David Baron

Also this month

Getting to grips with equatorial mounts in The Guide

How to build a low-cost tripod

Image processing – introduction to planetary imaging with PIPP

Monthly Bulletin pages bring you up to date with all the latest astronomical news, as well as Cutting Edge revealing the highlights from brand new research

Our August Sky Guide featuring Perseids in moonlight, Venusian encounters and the partial solar eclipse

Our Scope Doctor answers your technical kit questions

Interactive: your letters, tweets, forum posts and readers’ scopes

Gear – a round up of the latest astronomical accessories

What’s On listings – find out what astronomy events are on near you

Hotshots – this month’s pick of your very best astrophotos

Beautiful new images from space in Eye on the Sky

The latest astronomy books reviewed