FOLLOW ASTRONOMY
http://www.twitter.com/AstronomyMag
http://www.facebook.com/AstronomyMagazineFROM THE EDITOR
Time is one constant we can all count on here on our
planet. Not even my friend and Starmus collabora-
tor Stephen Hawking could find a solution to time
travel, or stop the inevitable movement of the hands of a clock.
When I came to work on March 2 of this year, it marked
the first day in 34 years that our friend and editor Rich Talcott
was not sitting in an office nearby. It was a strange feeling, but
Rich retired after an illustrious career at Astronomy maga-
zine, and we wish him well in his new pursuits. Rich was an
engine of productivity like few others in the history of the
magazine. He handled many of the frontline science stories,
helped enormously with acquiring great articles, produced
most all of the maps and charts you saw in the magazine,
edited and produced the monthly sky observing sections, and more.
In a world of nearly continual change, Rich was a constant.
Whatever chaos might have been happening outside his office, there
was Rich, happily focused and cranking away, day in and day out,
a tireless engine in suitable lockstep with his mathematical interests
and background.
Not only did Rich retire this year,
but our other senior editor, another
engine of productivity, did, too. Our
pal Michael Bakich left us last fall, and
has happily set up shop in Tucson.
After a 16-year career at the magazine,
Michael is pleased to be under a dark
sky once again. He helped to oversee
and produce a vast amount of mate-
rial, chief ly leaning toward the hobby
side of astronomy — observing,
telescopes, astroimaging, and much
more. Michael’s unique and infec-
tious sense of humor, and powerful productivity, will be missed.
More than once, he has been called the “Rodney Dangerfield of
amateur astronomy.”
This would be a sad tale of woe for us survivors of Astronomy
magazine if not for two things. First, we will be adding two editors
this spring. Second, Rich and Michael will be gone, but not really.
They will still be actively contributing lots to the magazine.
This big change in our personnel makes me the last survivor of
the longtime staff members of our brand. I’m not yet ready for
retirement — I’ll still be here a while. But, like Stephen, I can’t halt
the passage of time, and so I will enjoy a late era in my tenure before
I contemplate the end. For me, this is the 451st issue of the magazine
I’ve worked on, over 37½ years. Why stop now?Yo u r s t r u l y,David J. Eicher
EditorOn the passage of time
Editor David J. Eicher
Design Director LuAnn Williams Belter
editorial
Senior Editor Richard Talcott
Production Editor Elisa R. Neckar
Senior Associate Editor Alison Klesman
Associate Editor Jake Parks
Copy Editor McLean Bennett
Editorial Assistant Hailey McLaughlin
art
Contributing Design Director Elizabeth Weber
Illustrator Roen Kelly
Production Specialist Jodi Jeranek
contributing editors
Michael E. Bakich, Bob Berman, Adam Block,
Glenn F. Chaple Jr., Martin George, Tony Hallas,
Phil Harrington, Korey Haynes, Jeff Hester, Alister Ling,
Stephen James O’Meara, Martin Ratcliffe, Raymond Shubinski
science group
Executive Editor Becky Lang
editorial advisory board
Buzz Aldrin, Marcia Bartusiak, Jim Bell, Timothy Ferris,
Alex Filippenko, Adam Frank, John S. Gallagher lll,
Daniel W. E. Green, William K. Hartmann, Paul Hodge,
Edward Kolb, Stephen P. Maran, Brian May, S. Alan Stern,
James Trefil
Kalmbach Media
Chief Executive Officer Dan Hickey
Senior Vice President, Finance Christine Metcalf
Senior Vice President, Consumer Marketing Nicole McGuire
Vice President, Content Stephen C. George
Vice President, Operations Brian J. Schmidt
Vice President, Human Resources Sarah A. Horner
Senior Director, Advertising Sales and Events David T. Sherman
Advertising Sales Director Scott Redmond
Circulation Director Liz Runyon
Director of Design & Production Michael Soliday
Managing Design Director Lisa A. Bergman
Retention Manager Kathy Steele
Single Copy Specialist Kim Redmond
advertising department
Phone (888) 558-
Ad Production [email protected]
Dina Johnston, [email protected]
retail trade orders and inquiries
Selling Astronomy magazine or products in your store:
Phone (800) 558-
Outside U.S. and Canada (262) 796-8776, ext. 818
Fax (262) 798-
Email [email protected]
Website http://www.Retailers.Kalmbach.com
customer sales and service
Phone (877) 246-
Outside U.S. and Canada (903) 636-
Customer Service [email protected]
contact us
Ad Sales [email protected]
Ask Astro [email protected]
Books [email protected]
Letters [email protected]
Products [email protected]
Reader Gallery [email protected]
Editorial Phone (262) 796-
For reprints, licensing, and permissions:
PARS International at http://www.parsintl.com
Copyright © 2020 Kalmbach Media Co., all rights reserved. This publication may not be reproduced in any form without permission. Printed in the U.S.A.
Allow 6 to 8 weeks for new subscriptions and address changes. Subscription rate: single copy: $5.99; U.S.: 1 year $42.95; 2 years $79.95; 3 years $114.95.
Canadian: Add $12.00 postage per year. Canadian price includes GST, payable in U.S. funds. All other international subscriptions: Add $16.00 postage per
year, payable in U.S. funds, drawn on a U.S. bank. BN 12271 3209 RT. Not responsible for unsolicited materials.Richard TalcottMichael E. BakichFollow the
Dave’s Universe blog:
http://www.Astronomy.
com/davesuniverse
Follow Dave Eicher
on Twitter:
@deicherstar