Of big and small stars
Dear reader, At the end of the year we have an interesting mix of big and small stars of astronomy for you.
A large part of the issue is dedicated to the Andromeda galaxy, a kind of "big sister" of our Milky Way system. In the Local Group, these two spiral galaxies dominate a collection of around 50 galaxies due to their size and mass. From p. 70 we present Messier 31, as the Andromeda galaxy is also known, from the point of view of the astronomical observer and invite you to take a look at the "big sister" for yourself.
In terms of size, a radio telescope that was only put into operation in 2016 doesn't have to hide. We're talking about FAST, a giant telescope dish in China, about which you can find out more starting on p. 28.
In the fall of 2019, three greats in astronomy were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics. We introduce the award winners starting on page 18: the cosmologist James Peebles and the exoplanet discoverers Michel Mayor and Didier Queloz.
But the "little ones" of astronomy also have a lot to offer: Earth-sized exoplanets, for example, which were discovered in a not too distant star system (from p. 22), or small moons of Saturn, which can come up with a crazy history and shape (from p. 40).
We would like to thank all readers who have remained loyal to us in 2019 and also those whom we were able to win for SuW. We are pleased to be able to present you with the highlights of astronomy and space travel in 2020. The whole SuW team wishes you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Hush into the magazine! Yours
Andreas Müller
