A regular meeting of the Society will be held on Saturday 25 September at 7.00pm at the Sir Frank Stockdale Building, UWI, St Augustine. Vice President William Barrow ill continue conducting the programme for this year of getting to know the skies.

MEETING OF JULY 31

The meeting started at 7.15pm with a quiz on the constellations Hercules and Lynx. Star Maps were then distributed to those present. The group broke up into teams and each team was shown how to interpret and read the Star Map. Mr Barrow also gave a talk on different telescopes and their advantages and disadvantages.

Following this, Past President Dr Maura Imbert was presented with an ‘Honorary Life President Award’ in appreciation of her 38 years of serving as President of the Society. In presenting the Award, Mrs Bazie mentioned the highlights of Dr Imbert’s presidency – trips, camps, lectures, international liaison, Observatory - to mention a few. The meeting ended with light refreshments.

SKY PHENOMENA – September

1 Wed (2UT)                 Venus 1° SW of Spica (45° from Sun in evening sky). Mag -4.4 and 1.0

            (15UT)              The equation of time is 0

5 Sun (22UT)                 Mars 2.1° NNE of Spica (41° from Sun in evening sky). Mag 1.5 and 1.0

8 Wed (4UT)                 Moon at perigee. Distance 56.00 earth radii

            (10.29UT)         Moon new. High tides expected as perigee is only 6.4 hours before

                                    New Moon

9 Thu                            Sun’s north pole most inclined towards Earth. Rosh Hashanah, first day

                                    of the Jewish new year 5771AM. The Jewish year begins at the previous

                                    Sunset, traditionally when the sky is dark enough for 3 stars to be seen.

                                    The new year sunset is that of the young Moon’s appearance closest to

                                    the autumn equinox.

19 Sun (17UT)               Mercury at greatest elongation west 17.9° from Sun

21 Tue (11 UT)              Jupiter in opposition. Opositions of 2010 and 2011 are almost equally far

from Jupiter’s perihelion but 2010 is a bit closer. This month it will be a bit brighter and bigger than in will be next year

23 Thur (3.13 UT)          Autumn equinox

            (4UT)                Moon 6.5° NNW of Jupiter

27 Mon (15UT)              Venus brightest; mag -4.6

CONSTELLATIONS, STARS

Cygnus the Swan with long body crossed by wings; also called Northern Cross. Deneb ‘tail’ in Arabic; neck outstretched to Alberio. Flying straight along the Milky Way. Aquila the Eagle flying to meet him. Sagitta the Arrow flying across between them, shot by Hercules. Delphinus a small but perfect Dolphin. Capricornus supposed to be a Goat (with a fish hindquarters) shaped more like a boat. Horned at each end however. The ‘Plough’ (a British name for Big Dipper) plowing the northern landscape. Merak and Dubhe are pointers to the Pole.

Clear skies!!

Mona Rahamut

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