diff --git a/docs/Makefile b/docs/Makefile
index 03886de1..83059dcc 100644
--- a/docs/Makefile
+++ b/docs/Makefile
@@ -1,133 +1,25 @@
-# Makefile for Sphinx documentation
+# Minimal makefile for Sphinx documentation
 #
 
-# You can set these variables from the command line.
-SPHINXOPTS    =
-SPHINXBUILD   = sphinx-build
-PAPER         =
+# You can set these variables from the command line, and also
+# from the environment for the first two.
+SPHINXOPTS    ?=
+SPHINXBUILD   ?= sphinx-build
+SOURCEDIR     = .
 BUILDDIR      = _build
 
-# Internal variables.
-PAPEROPT_a4     = -D latex_paper_size=a4
-PAPEROPT_letter = -D latex_paper_size=letter
-ALLSPHINXOPTS   = -d $(BUILDDIR)/doctrees $(PAPEROPT_$(PAPER)) $(SPHINXOPTS) .
-
-.PHONY: help clean html dirhtml singlehtml pickle json htmlhelp qthelp devhelp epub latex latexpdf text man changes linkcheck doctest
-
-#This is needed with git because git doesn't create a dir if it's empty
-$(shell [ -d "_static" ] || mkdir -p _static)
-
+# Put it first so that "make" without argument is like "make help".
 help:
-	@echo "Please use \`make <target>' where <target> is one of"
-	@echo "  html       to make standalone HTML files"
-	@echo "  dirhtml    to make HTML files named index.html in directories"
-	@echo "  singlehtml to make a single large HTML file"
-	@echo "  pickle     to make pickle files"
-	@echo "  json       to make JSON files"
-	@echo "  htmlhelp   to make HTML files and a HTML help project"
-	@echo "  qthelp     to make HTML files and a qthelp project"
-	@echo "  devhelp    to make HTML files and a Devhelp project"
-	@echo "  epub       to make an epub"
-	@echo "  latex      to make LaTeX files, you can set PAPER=a4 or PAPER=letter"
-	@echo "  latexpdf   to make LaTeX files and run them through pdflatex"
-	@echo "  text       to make text files"
-	@echo "  man        to make manual pages"
-	@echo "  changes    to make an overview of all changed/added/deprecated items"
-	@echo "  linkcheck  to check all external links for integrity"
-
-clean:
-	-rm -rf $(BUILDDIR)
-	-rm -rf api
-	-rm -rf generated
-
-html:
-	$(SPHINXBUILD) -b html $(ALLSPHINXOPTS) $(BUILDDIR)/html
-	@echo
-	@echo "Build finished. The HTML pages are in $(BUILDDIR)/html."
-
-dirhtml:
-	$(SPHINXBUILD) -b dirhtml $(ALLSPHINXOPTS) $(BUILDDIR)/dirhtml
-	@echo
-	@echo "Build finished. The HTML pages are in $(BUILDDIR)/dirhtml."
-
-singlehtml:
-	$(SPHINXBUILD) -b singlehtml $(ALLSPHINXOPTS) $(BUILDDIR)/singlehtml
-	@echo
-	@echo "Build finished. The HTML page is in $(BUILDDIR)/singlehtml."
-
-pickle:
-	$(SPHINXBUILD) -b pickle $(ALLSPHINXOPTS) $(BUILDDIR)/pickle
-	@echo
-	@echo "Build finished; now you can process the pickle files."
+	@$(SPHINXBUILD) -M help "$(SOURCEDIR)" "$(BUILDDIR)" $(SPHINXOPTS) $(O)
 
-json:
-	$(SPHINXBUILD) -b json $(ALLSPHINXOPTS) $(BUILDDIR)/json
-	@echo
-	@echo "Build finished; now you can process the JSON files."
+.PHONY: help Makefile clean
 
-htmlhelp:
-	$(SPHINXBUILD) -b htmlhelp $(ALLSPHINXOPTS) $(BUILDDIR)/htmlhelp
-	@echo
-	@echo "Build finished; now you can run HTML Help Workshop with the" \
-	      ".hhp project file in $(BUILDDIR)/htmlhelp."
-
-qthelp:
-	$(SPHINXBUILD) -b qthelp $(ALLSPHINXOPTS) $(BUILDDIR)/qthelp
-	@echo
-	@echo "Build finished; now you can run "qcollectiongenerator" with the" \
-	      ".qhcp project file in $(BUILDDIR)/qthelp, like this:"
-	@echo "# qcollectiongenerator $(BUILDDIR)/qthelp/Astropy.qhcp"
-	@echo "To view the help file:"
-	@echo "# assistant -collectionFile $(BUILDDIR)/qthelp/Astropy.qhc"
-
-devhelp:
-	$(SPHINXBUILD) -b devhelp $(ALLSPHINXOPTS) $(BUILDDIR)/devhelp
-	@echo
-	@echo "Build finished."
-	@echo "To view the help file:"
-	@echo "# mkdir -p $$HOME/.local/share/devhelp/Astropy"
-	@echo "# ln -s $(BUILDDIR)/devhelp $$HOME/.local/share/devhelp/Astropy"
-	@echo "# devhelp"
-
-epub:
-	$(SPHINXBUILD) -b epub $(ALLSPHINXOPTS) $(BUILDDIR)/epub
-	@echo
-	@echo "Build finished. The epub file is in $(BUILDDIR)/epub."
-
-latex:
-	$(SPHINXBUILD) -b latex $(ALLSPHINXOPTS) $(BUILDDIR)/latex
-	@echo
-	@echo "Build finished; the LaTeX files are in $(BUILDDIR)/latex."
-	@echo "Run \`make' in that directory to run these through (pdf)latex" \
-	      "(use \`make latexpdf' here to do that automatically)."
-
-latexpdf:
-	$(SPHINXBUILD) -b latex $(ALLSPHINXOPTS) $(BUILDDIR)/latex
-	@echo "Running LaTeX files through pdflatex..."
-	make -C $(BUILDDIR)/latex all-pdf
-	@echo "pdflatex finished; the PDF files are in $(BUILDDIR)/latex."
-
-text:
-	$(SPHINXBUILD) -b text $(ALLSPHINXOPTS) $(BUILDDIR)/text
-	@echo
-	@echo "Build finished. The text files are in $(BUILDDIR)/text."
-
-man:
-	$(SPHINXBUILD) -b man $(ALLSPHINXOPTS) $(BUILDDIR)/man
-	@echo
-	@echo "Build finished. The manual pages are in $(BUILDDIR)/man."
-
-changes:
-	$(SPHINXBUILD) -b changes $(ALLSPHINXOPTS) $(BUILDDIR)/changes
-	@echo
-	@echo "The overview file is in $(BUILDDIR)/changes."
+clean:
+	rm -rf $(BUILDDIR)
+	rm -rf api
 
-linkcheck:
-	$(SPHINXBUILD) -b linkcheck $(ALLSPHINXOPTS) $(BUILDDIR)/linkcheck
-	@echo
-	@echo "Link check complete; look for any errors in the above output " \
-	      "or in $(BUILDDIR)/linkcheck/output.txt."
 
-doctest:
-	@echo "Run 'pytest' in the root directory to run doctests " \
-	@echo "in the documentation."
+# Catch-all target: route all unknown targets to Sphinx using the new
+# "make mode" option.  $(O) is meant as a shortcut for $(SPHINXOPTS).
+%: Makefile
+	@$(SPHINXBUILD) -M $@ "$(SOURCEDIR)" "$(BUILDDIR)" $(SPHINXOPTS) $(O)
diff --git a/docs/make.bat b/docs/make.bat
index aa930134..32bb2452 100644
--- a/docs/make.bat
+++ b/docs/make.bat
@@ -1,172 +1,35 @@
-@ECHO OFF
-
-REM Command file for Sphinx documentation
-
-if "%SPHINXBUILD%" == "" (
-	set SPHINXBUILD=sphinx-build
-)
-set BUILDDIR=_build
-set ALLSPHINXOPTS=-d %BUILDDIR%/doctrees %SPHINXOPTS% .
-if NOT "%PAPER%" == "" (
-	set ALLSPHINXOPTS=-D latex_paper_size=%PAPER% %ALLSPHINXOPTS%
-)
-
-if "%1" == "" goto help
-
-if "%1" == "help" (
-	:help
-	echo.Please use `make ^<target^>` where ^<target^> is one of
-	echo.  html       to make standalone HTML files
-	echo.  dirhtml    to make HTML files named index.html in directories
-	echo.  singlehtml to make a single large HTML file
-	echo.  pickle     to make pickle files
-	echo.  json       to make JSON files
-	echo.  htmlhelp   to make HTML files and a HTML help project
-	echo.  qthelp     to make HTML files and a qthelp project
-	echo.  devhelp    to make HTML files and a Devhelp project
-	echo.  epub       to make an epub
-	echo.  latex      to make LaTeX files, you can set PAPER=a4 or PAPER=letter
-	echo.  text       to make text files
-	echo.  man        to make manual pages
-	echo.  changes    to make an overview over all changed/added/deprecated items
-	echo.  linkcheck  to check all external links for integrity
-	echo.  doctest    to run all doctests embedded in the documentation if enabled
-	goto end
-)
-
-if "%1" == "clean" (
-	for /d %%i in (%BUILDDIR%\*) do rmdir /q /s %%i
-	del /q /s %BUILDDIR%\*
-	del /q /s api
-	del /q /s generated
-	goto end
-)
-
-if "%1" == "html" (
-	%SPHINXBUILD% -b html %ALLSPHINXOPTS% %BUILDDIR%/html
-	if errorlevel 1 exit /b 1
-	echo.
-	echo.Build finished. The HTML pages are in %BUILDDIR%/html.
-	goto end
-)
-
-if "%1" == "dirhtml" (
-	%SPHINXBUILD% -b dirhtml %ALLSPHINXOPTS% %BUILDDIR%/dirhtml
-	if errorlevel 1 exit /b 1
-	echo.
-	echo.Build finished. The HTML pages are in %BUILDDIR%/dirhtml.
-	goto end
-)
-
-if "%1" == "singlehtml" (
-	%SPHINXBUILD% -b singlehtml %ALLSPHINXOPTS% %BUILDDIR%/singlehtml
-	if errorlevel 1 exit /b 1
-	echo.
-	echo.Build finished. The HTML pages are in %BUILDDIR%/singlehtml.
-	goto end
-)
-
-if "%1" == "pickle" (
-	%SPHINXBUILD% -b pickle %ALLSPHINXOPTS% %BUILDDIR%/pickle
-	if errorlevel 1 exit /b 1
-	echo.
-	echo.Build finished; now you can process the pickle files.
-	goto end
-)
-
-if "%1" == "json" (
-	%SPHINXBUILD% -b json %ALLSPHINXOPTS% %BUILDDIR%/json
-	if errorlevel 1 exit /b 1
-	echo.
-	echo.Build finished; now you can process the JSON files.
-	goto end
-)
-
-if "%1" == "htmlhelp" (
-	%SPHINXBUILD% -b htmlhelp %ALLSPHINXOPTS% %BUILDDIR%/htmlhelp
-	if errorlevel 1 exit /b 1
-	echo.
-	echo.Build finished; now you can run HTML Help Workshop with the ^
-.hhp project file in %BUILDDIR%/htmlhelp.
-	goto end
-)
-
-if "%1" == "qthelp" (
-	%SPHINXBUILD% -b qthelp %ALLSPHINXOPTS% %BUILDDIR%/qthelp
-	if errorlevel 1 exit /b 1
-	echo.
-	echo.Build finished; now you can run "qcollectiongenerator" with the ^
-.qhcp project file in %BUILDDIR%/qthelp, like this:
-	echo.^> qcollectiongenerator %BUILDDIR%\qthelp\Astropy.qhcp
-	echo.To view the help file:
-	echo.^> assistant -collectionFile %BUILDDIR%\qthelp\Astropy.ghc
-	goto end
-)
-
-if "%1" == "devhelp" (
-	%SPHINXBUILD% -b devhelp %ALLSPHINXOPTS% %BUILDDIR%/devhelp
-	if errorlevel 1 exit /b 1
-	echo.
-	echo.Build finished.
-	goto end
-)
-
-if "%1" == "epub" (
-	%SPHINXBUILD% -b epub %ALLSPHINXOPTS% %BUILDDIR%/epub
-	if errorlevel 1 exit /b 1
-	echo.
-	echo.Build finished. The epub file is in %BUILDDIR%/epub.
-	goto end
-)
-
-if "%1" == "latex" (
-	%SPHINXBUILD% -b latex %ALLSPHINXOPTS% %BUILDDIR%/latex
-	if errorlevel 1 exit /b 1
-	echo.
-	echo.Build finished; the LaTeX files are in %BUILDDIR%/latex.
-	goto end
-)
-
-if "%1" == "text" (
-	%SPHINXBUILD% -b text %ALLSPHINXOPTS% %BUILDDIR%/text
-	if errorlevel 1 exit /b 1
-	echo.
-	echo.Build finished. The text files are in %BUILDDIR%/text.
-	goto end
-)
-
-if "%1" == "man" (
-	%SPHINXBUILD% -b man %ALLSPHINXOPTS% %BUILDDIR%/man
-	if errorlevel 1 exit /b 1
-	echo.
-	echo.Build finished. The manual pages are in %BUILDDIR%/man.
-	goto end
-)
-
-if "%1" == "changes" (
-	%SPHINXBUILD% -b changes %ALLSPHINXOPTS% %BUILDDIR%/changes
-	if errorlevel 1 exit /b 1
-	echo.
-	echo.The overview file is in %BUILDDIR%/changes.
-	goto end
-)
-
-if "%1" == "linkcheck" (
-	%SPHINXBUILD% -b linkcheck %ALLSPHINXOPTS% %BUILDDIR%/linkcheck
-	if errorlevel 1 exit /b 1
-	echo.
-	echo.Link check complete; look for any errors in the above output ^
-or in %BUILDDIR%/linkcheck/output.txt.
-	goto end
-)
-
-if "%1" == "doctest" (
-	%SPHINXBUILD% -b doctest %ALLSPHINXOPTS% %BUILDDIR%/doctest
-	if errorlevel 1 exit /b 1
-	echo.
-	echo.Testing of doctests in the sources finished, look at the ^
-results in %BUILDDIR%/doctest/output.txt.
-	goto end
-)
-
-:end
+@ECHO OFF
+
+pushd %~dp0
+
+REM Command file for Sphinx documentation
+
+if "%SPHINXBUILD%" == "" (
+	set SPHINXBUILD=sphinx-build
+)
+set SOURCEDIR=.
+set BUILDDIR=_build
+
+%SPHINXBUILD% >NUL 2>NUL
+if errorlevel 9009 (
+	echo.
+	echo.The 'sphinx-build' command was not found. Make sure you have Sphinx
+	echo.installed, then set the SPHINXBUILD environment variable to point
+	echo.to the full path of the 'sphinx-build' executable. Alternatively you
+	echo.may add the Sphinx directory to PATH.
+	echo.
+	echo.If you don't have Sphinx installed, grab it from
+	echo.https://www.sphinx-doc.org/
+	exit /b 1
+)
+
+if "%1" == "" goto help
+
+%SPHINXBUILD% -M %1 %SOURCEDIR% %BUILDDIR% %SPHINXOPTS% %O%
+goto end
+
+:help
+%SPHINXBUILD% -M help %SOURCEDIR% %BUILDDIR% %SPHINXOPTS% %O%
+
+:end
+popd