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| May 2010 Newsletter |
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Trinidad & Tobago Astronomical Society
A regular meeting of the Society will be held on Saturday 29 May at 6:30pm at the Sir Frank Stockdale Building, UWI, St Augustine. The Society’s Constitution will be addressed and suggestions for amendments or additions are invited. We will continue with our programme for the year of learning to use the telescopes and learning the skies.
Many members have not yet paid their subscriptions for 2010. Those members are kindly reminded to pay by this month’s meeting (May)..
The Cosmology group met at the home of member Mark Mohammed on Sunday 11 April. Dr Stephan Gift gave a talk ‘An Alternative to the Big Bank Theory’ which proved to be very interesting for those who attended.
Thirteen members of the Society visited the Lee King’s Ranch in Valencia for a viewing session. The sky was favourable for some hours which permitted good telescopic, binocular and naked eye viewing. An atmosphere of camaraderie pervaded and the occasion was enjoyed by all. SKY PHENOMENA – May3 Monday (5UT) Venus 6.4° N of Aldebaran (about 27° from Sun in evening sky; mag -3.9 and .99 Sunday (12UT) Moon 5.9° NNW of Jupiter (about 53° from Sun in morning sky12 Wednesday (12UT) Moon 7.4° NNW of Mercury (19° from Sun in morning sky)16 Sunday (9UT) Moon 62°W of Venus (30° from Sun in evening sky)20 Thursday (7UT) Moon 4.9° SSW of Mars (about 81° from Sun in evening sky)22 Saturday (18UT) Venus at greatest declination north for this year (25.0°)*26 Wednesday (2UT) Mercury at greatest elongation west (25° from Sun)27 Thursday (23.07UT) Moon full28 Friday (3UT) Moon 2.0° NNW of Antares (about 175 ° from Sun in midnight sky) NOTE Venus keeps appearing higher at each dusk following sundown by about 2 hrs 40 mins by month’s end. On May 1 it is only 14’ from Kappa Tauri and on May 14 lies between the two horn tip stars of Taurus, Zeta and Beta Tauri. *Although Mercury is well placed for viewing in the southern hemisphere, the planet is unusually dim for this position shining at 0.6 because only 39 percent lit. Constellations and StarsComa was once a tuft on the Lion’s tail; flattering priests then pretended it was Queen Berenice’s hair. Coma is a cluster of stars, and far beyond it a cluster of galaxies. The richest areas in the sky for galaxies extends from Ursa Major down through Coma into Virgo. Spica is an ‘ear of wheat’ Virgo the maiden holds in her left hand. Hydra continues under the little constellations of Sextant, the Cup (Crater) and the Crow (Corvus). Clear skies!! Mona Rahamut Secretary 274 Gopaul Circular Drive Marabella Tel 658-2527Visit us at www.tt-astrosociety.com Note: Information in the above SKY PHENOMENA is taken from Astronomical Calendar 2010 by Guy Ottewell. Printed in USA.
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