Trinidad & Tobago Astronomical Society

 A regular meeting of the Society will be held on Saturday 28 August at 7.00pm at the Sir Frank Stockdale Building, UWI, St Augustine.

We will continue with our programme for the year of getting to know the skies and hope the weather will be conducive to observing.

COSMOLOGY GROUP

The Cosmology Group met on Sunday 18 July at member Mark Mohammed’s home in Santa Cruz. Dr Campagne lectured on sub-atomic particles which was very interesting. Several questions and comments followed the lecture and ended with a delicious tea provided by Mrs Mohammed. This Group will not meet in August as several members will be away. However, on 11 September member Leonard Baldwin will give a talk on ‘Astronomy of Ancient Civilizations’.

MEETING OF JUNE 26

At this meeting the focus was on constellations Hercules and Lyra. Viewing was difficult due to the full moon. However, Mr Barrow used a projector to show the areas of the sky that were being discussed and gave exercises for the competition.

SKY PHENOMENA – August

7 Sat (1UT)                   Mercury at greatest elongation east 27.4° from Sun

8 Sat (7UT)                   Venus, Mars and Saturn within a circle of diameter 4.81°, 47°

                                    East of the Sun

         (11UT)                 Venus 2.7° SSW of Saturn (46° from Sun in evening sky)

10 Tue (16UT)               Perigee only 14.9 hours after New Moon; high tides expected

11 Wed                         First day of Ramadan, the month of fasting. Like other days in the

                                    Muslim calendar, it begins at the preceding sunset and like other months

                                    it can vary depending on when the Moon is first seen.

12 Thu                          Perseid meteors. Very favourable year for this major shower

13 Fri                            Supposed to be very unlucky. This year has only one Friday 13^th

            (2UT)                Moon 7.3° SSW of Saturn (42° from Sun in evening sky)

            (7UT)                Moon 4.2° SSW of Venus. About 45° from Sun in evening sky

            (14UT)              Moon 5.5° SSW of Mars (about 62° from Sun in evening sky)

29 Fri    (24UT)              Venus at greatest elongation east (46° from Sun)

31 Tue (12UT)               Venus, Mars and Spica within a circle of diameter 4.19°; 45° east

                                    of Sun. Closest trio of the year.

CONSTELLATIONS, STARS

Sagittarius now seen as a Teapot; with a teaspoon poised up-left from it. Anciently was seen as an archer pulling a bow: the zigzag north-south line of 5 stars at the right. Arrow (or spout of the teapot) supposed to be pointing at the Scorpion’s heart. Actually pointing at the Galactic Centre. Richest region of the Milky Way. The Summer Triangle: Vega, Deneb, Altair. Our Sun is flying toward Deneb in the Galaxy (at right angles to the galactic centre). Lyra supposed to be a Lyre, made of turtle shell. Looks more like a rattle, with Vega the handle. Draco curls back, around the north pole of the ecliptic (i.e. of the solar system). The Dragon’s head is also called the Lozenge.

Clear skies!!

Mona Rahamut

                                                                                                Secretary

                                                                                                274 Gopaul Circular Drive

                                                                                                Marabella

                                                                                                Tel 658-2527

Visit 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.