October 2017

This month's issue comes with a Dark Skies map, revealing the best locations for avoiding light pollution across the UK and Ireland.

This month's features:

- Sputnik: Spark of the Space Age - The story behind the silver orb that lifted off 60 years ago and launched the Space Age

- The Wonder Satellites - the moving targets that make great astrophotos

- Aurora Hunting: A Traveller's Guide - all you need to plan an aurora trip

- Chasing The Moon's Shadow - our 3,000km road trip to view the US eclipse

- Imaging for Science: Part 1 - how to take scientifically useful images

Equipment reviews

Celestron CGX-L EQ 1100 EdgeHD

ALtair Astro GPCAM2 290C colour camera

Deep Sky Planner 7

Online Bonus Content

Maggie and Chris explore the cosmic debris that lands on our planet

We speak to ESA scientist Johannes Benkhoff about the new mission to study Mercury

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

View the winning, runner-up and highly commended images from this year's Insight Astronomy Photographer of the Year award

Also this month

Getting to grips with Dobsonians in The Guide

How to make an outdoor autofocuser for your camera lens

Image processing - Perfect your planetary pics 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 October Sky Guide featuring The Orionids, October comets and Venus and Mars in conjunction

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