Trinidad & Tobago Astronomical Society

A regular meeting of the Society will be held on Saturday 27 February at 6:30pm at the Sir Frank Stockdale Building, UWI, St Augustine. Consistent with the programme for this year, we will continue learning the skies.  Members are reminded to log their observances. Committee Member William Barrow will conduct a workshop on telescopes at 6:00pm preceding the meetings. Members who own telescopes are invited to bring them along.

The Cosmology group will hold its first session on Sunday 21 February from 5:00pm. Interested members are asked to contact the Secretary.

Subscriptions are now due and members are reminded to meet their obligation as soon as possible.

MEETING OF 28 NOVEMBER

At 7:05 the President welcomed the 16 members and 3 guests who attended. She explained that the change of date for the Christmas Party from December 12th to the 13^th was due to CARINA having their Star Party on the 12^th. The speaker for the evening, Committee Member Mr William Barrow, was then introduced.

Mr Barrow described the reflecting and refracting telescopes, types of mounts – equatorial, azimuth and Dobsonian – with which you get a relatively large aperture and light gathering power for the money spent. He explained how they worked (the bigger the aperture, the better), focal length, focal ratio, magnification etc. He advised on guidelines for choosing a telescope, consideration to be given to seeing conditions and subject matter. He also gave examples of prices of telescopes suitable for starters, intermediate and advances observing. On behalf of the Society, Mr Barrow produced an instructive booklet ‘Galileo and the Telescope – Follow in his Footsteps’.  Copies were supplied to members who had not received them before. Mr Barrow’s lecture was very coherent and was greatly appreciated by all.

DECEMBER 13 – CHRISTMAS PARTY

The Christmas party was held at Top of the Mount. The Society hosted 20 overseas professors and students who came to T&T on an International Year of Astronomy 2009 project. A sumptuous dinner was enjoyed by all. Fortunately the skies were clear and many delighted in naked eye and telescopic viewing. The evening turned out to be very enjoyable and guests expressed their surprise and appreciation.

SKY PHENOMENA

February

4 Feb    (21UT)  Moon 7.5°SSW of Saturn (about 129° from sun in morning sky)

4 Thu    (20UT)  Mars 3.2° NNE of Beehive cluster (M44) 129° from sun in morning sky.

Watch with naked eye or binoculars

8 Mon               Alpha centaurid meteors. Favourable year for this sometimes major shower.

12 Fri    (3UT)    Moon 2.3°NW of Mercury. 21° from sun in morning sky

Constellations and Stars

Orion’s belt points SE to Sirius. Canis Major, dog following at Orion’s heels. Procyon, because of the slope of the horizon, rises before Sirius hence its name “before the dog”. Pollux is due North of Procyon. Propus means “forefoot” of the Twins on the Milky Way. Orion, Auriga, Taurus and Gemini meet at the summer solstice point where the ecliptic is highest north. The “Water Circle” or hexagon: Capella, Aldebaran, Rigel, Sirius, Procyon, Pollux & Castor.

Clear skies!

Mona Rahamut

                                                                                                Secretary

                                                                                                274 Gopaul Circular Drive

                                                                                                Marabella

                                                                                                Tel 658-2527

Note: Information in the above SKY PHENOMENA is taken from Astronomical Calendar 2010 by Guy Ottewell. Printed in USA.