Aylesbury Astronomical Society
Registered Charity Number 276313
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AYLESBURY ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY
What’s Up?! MARCH 2011
Aylesbury Astronomical Society Newsletter Issue No. 515
Stop Press! This Sunday (6th) sees the 700th edition of BBC’s “The Sky at Night”. Patrick Moore says he’s not sure for how long he can continue – Applications to the BBC please! www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12580474
This Sunday also sees the start of a new series “Wonders of the Universe” BBC1 9 pm with Brian Cox on life, the universe and everything.
Newsletter and website
Please forward any newsletter contributions to the Editor. (See link at end.)
Newsletters will be forwarded by email to as many members as possible saving postage, printing and, you can usually have this newsletter sooner. Please forward your email address to the Editor (details at end) as not all email addresses seem to be accurate.
I appreciate that many still prefer a hard copy which will be available at the monthly meeting or by post. Please tick your name at monthly meetings to save posting hard copies.
Visit the AAS web site at www.aylesbury-astronomy.org.uk and if you have any comments or suggestions, email the Webmaster.
OBSERVING:
Observing nights Friday 11th Mar and Friday 25th Mar – please check with a committee member before attending to save a wasted journey.
Visitors to Observatory:
11th March, Princes Risborough Young Farmers.
The Winchendon Observatory is available at any time to keyholders. Keys are available from Steve Edwards, 01296 427098 or steven.l.edwards@ntlworld.com.
We ask that you check clashes with visiting groups (or come to help!) and attend with at least one other person in case of mishap.
FORTHCOMING EVENTS
All at 7.30 pm and at Scout Hut, Oakfield Road, Aylesbury unless otherwise stated.
Monday 7th March: Gordon Rogers speaking on his observatory and ongoing achievements of some very gifted British astronomers. Please see article at end of this newsletter.
Sunday 27th March from 10 am: Working party to clear weeds near the entrance to the observatory. Please bring tools to Winchendon Observatory from 10 am.
Friday 8th April: Note, not a Monday! At Winchendon Observatory with Winslow and Edgcott Young Farmers in attendance.
May 9th: AGM plus Steve Edwards speaking on the Twins paradox.
Monday 6th June: Visiting Speaker to be confirmed.
Saturday 9th July: BBQ at Winchendon Observatory.
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT?
Moon’s Phases: 4th – New; 12th – First quarter; 19th – Full; 26th - Last quarter.
Moon will be close to: 6th & 7th – Jupiter; 11th - Pleiades & Hyades; 20th - Saturn.
Mercury is visible in the western sky just after sunset at magnitude -0.97 from the middle - end of the month. Jupiter will be close to this rapidly moving planet on 15th and 16th.
Venus is very bright at magnitude -4 in the south eastern sky before dawn. Now very low to the horizon, but still easy to see. Now showing as a small gibbous disc through a telescope.
Mars is not visible this month.
Jupiter is rapidly slipping into the evening twilight and will be lost from view by the end of the month.
Saturn is visible after midnight in Virgo, moving slowly retrograde. The fine detail of the rings and cloud belts best seen pre-dawn. The white storm is now stretching round the planet, so batten down the hatches.
Uranus and Neptune are not visible this month.
Andromeda and Perseus are now much lower in the north western sky. Orion is now getting much lower in the western sky and will soon be lost from view. Leo is taking centre stage in the southern sky giving great hunting grounds for galaxies. The front paws of Ursa Major lies overhead. See if you can find M81 and M82 near the bears head. Two great galaxies of contrasting shape visible in the same low powered field of view. Arcturus, the brightest star in the northern hemisphere is now visible rising in the east.
Algol – This easy to follow naked eye variable stars fades from its usual magnitude of 2.1 to 3.4 at the following times: 25th 3:50; 28th 0:30; 30th 21:1.
This month’s speaker
is amateur astronomer Gordon Rogers who has an impressive telescope set up at home.
Check out his observatory and photos at www.gordonrogers.co.uk
Resources
Book: How to build your own Spaceship Piers Bizony HB about £13
This is basically a conversation from the author about how to go about building your own spaceship. Bizony gives all the options and ways to raise the money – it helps to be a friend of Richard Branson! It is a fun read and gives a good insight. Basically it’s difficult, expensive and no perfect solution exists. However the book lacks technical detail so I won’t be disappearing to my shed preparing for a “grand day out” just yet.
Book: It’s ONLY Rocket Science Lucy Rogers PP
Ever been infuriated by the retort, “Well, it’s not rocket science is it?” Read this and you will able to state what rocket science is and be ready for Lucy’s talk to us in September.
Current price appears to be £19 but you it is cheaper by using other options in Amazon.
www.lucyrogers.com/1/Who.html
Website: Skymaps.com
www.skymaps.com/downloads.html
Monthly star guides available for free (no copyright) though you can make a donation. Various posters for sale.
Cases for your telescope or camera equipment:
Maplin have some special offers at present.
www.maplin.co.uk/flight-case-with-foam-36796
CONTACTS www.aylesbury-astronomy.org.uk
Chairman:
Ralph Campbell 81 Narbeth Drive, AYLESBURY, HP20 1NY 01296 421328 chairman@aylesbury-astronomy.org.uk
Secretary:
Sue Macdonald 107 Willis Road, Haddenham, AYLESBURY, HP17 8HG 01844 299031 secretary@aylesbury-astronomy.org.uk
Editor:
Simon Leach 28 Vicarage Road, Winslow, Bucks, MK18 3BE 01296 713061 editor@aylesbury-astronomy.org.uk
