The race is really on in the search for life beyond Earth
In the three decades since the first planet outside our Solar System was discovered, the pace of progress has been astonishing – so much so that astronomers are closer than ever to finding alien life. We have the tools to make this pivotal discovery and, with the coming of big data astronomy, we’ll soon have masses of useful new information to apply them to. On page 68, astronomer Adam Frank tells us how the race is progressing, with eight incredible facts we now know about where life could exist in the Universe.
In our feature on page 34, Stuart Atkinson takes us back to a time that seems alien to us today, as he drops in on a star party circa 1984. It wasn’t only the cars and the clothing that were different back then. Go-To technology didn’t exist, telescopes were different and astrophotography was still film-based. It’s fascinating to read what has changed, and heartening to remember the crucial things that have remained the same.
I wonder what amateur astronomers of 1984 would make of the Seestar S50 smart telescope we’re reviewing this month. Coming from a company whose astro cameras have gained a strong reputation among imagers, the Seestar has caused much excitement. Read what we thought about it on page 86.
Finally, to mark Mental Health Awareness week (13–19 May), on page 66 Amy Arthur explores the positive boost we can get from being out looking up at the stars.