What’s inside

Editor’s Report: A question of time

Managing editor Allendria Brunjes writes about putting together this special 25th anniversary edition of SkyNews.

SkyNews celebrates 25 years

From Comet Hale-Bopp to Pluto’s demotion, here are some of the biggest astronomy and space stories from the past 25 years.

A shot in the dark

A wave of new instruments and observatories is about to take on the biggest mystery in the universe. Ivan Semeniuk reports.

Exploring the Red Planet

New missions give us the best chance yet of finding microbes on the Red Planet. Elizabeth Howell and Nicholas Booth explain.

Cell-estial scanner

Celestron has introduced a remarkable new technology to the world of backyard telescopes. Alan Dyer tests the equipment.

Summer’s coming

Peek into the bounty of the summer night sky with Nicole Mortillaro‘s piece, focusing on Cygnus and Lyra.

Stars of the west

Canada’s west is steeped in astronomical history. Vincent McDermott explores three important sites that continue to draw stargazers.

The times they are a-changin’

Astronomer and serious stargazer Brian Ventrudo has taken over the flagship column, “Exploring the Night Sky.” In his first instalment, he writes on how bright planets and close encounters will prevail in the evening and morning skies.

Bonus ENS event: Eta Aquariids sprinkle early May skies

While it’s a better meteor shower for Southern Hemisphere observers, the Eta Aquariids might reward Northern Hemisphere early risers with a few fast-moving meteors as May begins.

Night sky dawn

Canadian teens share their own images of astronomical objects, and the stories of why they started shooting for the Moon and stars.

Life, the universe and everything

SkyNews interviewed Dr. Sara Seager, astrophysicist and planetary scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and honourary member of The Royal Astronomical Society of Canada; and Dr. Katie Mack, theoretical astrophysicist and assistant professor of physics at North Carolina State University. They spoke about the past, the future, and how they inform the present.