Inside All About Space issue 135, on sale now, take an in-depth look at our nearest neighbor with All About Space’s complete guide to the moon.Â
Learn more about how the moon formed and discover the similarities between our home planet and our rocky companion. Take a lunar world tour and explore iconic locations that have featured in missions such as Surveyor 1 and Apollo 11.Â
The latest issue also includes a Q&A feature with Astronomer Royal Martin Rees about his contributions to the Big Bang theory and life on other planets. Â
Related: How to photograph the moon using a camera: techniques, kit, and settingsÂ
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Elsewhere in the issue, you can find out how the biggest stars in the universe — cosmic monsters up to a million times brighter than the sun — supergiant and hypergiant stars, push the limits of astrophysics. Â
All About Space also takes an electrifying look at lightning superbolts. They’re 1,000 times more powerful than typical lightning, yet scientists still don’t fully understand how they pack such a punch.Â
The latest issue also investigates the feasibility and practicality of 3D printing moon bases, rockets and even food to facilitate lunar settlement.Â
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You can also find a detailed stargazer section filled with useful information on what to look out for in the night sky. This issue also includes 15 tips you need to be a better astronomer, from planning ahead to improving your observing skills, and learning how to make your time outside with the night sky more efficient and enjoyable. Â
Complete guide to the moonÂ
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Because we can easily discern features on the moon with the naked eye, it’s been a source of wonder to us since ancient times. The moon is the brightest object in our sky after the sun and influences everything from our oceans to our calendars. It’s always been ‘the moon’ because we didn’t know that there were any others. Once Galileo discovered in 1610 that Jupiter had satellites, we’ve used the word ‘moon’ to describe celestial bodies that orbit larger bodies, which orbit stars. Since the moon has always been so present it might not seem worth studying, yet there’s a reason why we continue to return to it — we still have plenty to learn from our satellite.Â
Read the full feature in the latest All About Space (opens in new tab).Â
What causes lightning superbolts?Â
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Lightning strikes are something to fear. Around 2,000 people are killed by them each year, and aside from causing many more injuries, lightning has the power to destroy objects too. But there’s a type of lightning you wouldn’t want to encounter. Called superbolts, they don’t happen all that often, “yet they’re 1,000 times more powerful than typical lightning,” says Jean-Francois Ripoll, senior scientist at the Commissariat à l’Énergie Atomique (CEA) in Paris. “Superbolts are also potentially very destructive.” But their cause and nature remain unknown decades after being discovered.
Read the full feature in the latest All About Space (opens in new tab). Â
Space factories Â
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Every kilogram that must be hauled into space for a human crew represents one kilogram less that can be used for science experiments or instrumentation. More capable rockets is one solution to this problem. But what about actually making the components and food you need on site? The idea isn’t as far-fetched as it sounds. The European Space Agency (ESA), NASA and others are testing out 3D printing as a way to manufacture structures, rocket parts and even pizza. Looking ahead, the ESA has suggested that 3D printing could reduce the cost and complication of future lunar bases. “3D printing offers a potential means of facilitating lunar settlement with reduced logistics from Earth,” said Scott Hovland, head of the Facilities and Technology Unit at the ESA. The first step is to find a structure that works.
Read the full feature in the latest All About Space (opens in new tab).Â
