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The Oberver's Handbook for 1956

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The Oberver's Handbook for 1956 THE OBSERVER’S HANDBOOK FOR 1956 PUBLISHED BY The Royal Astronomical Society of Canada C. A. CHANT, E ditor RU TH J . NORTHCOTT, A s s is t a n t E ditor DAVID DUNLAP OBSERVATORY FORTY-EIGHTH YEAR OF PUBLICATION P rice 50 C e n t s TORONTO 13 Ross S t r e e t Printed for th e Society By th e University of Toronto Press THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY OF CANADA The Society was incorporated in 1890 as The Astronomical and Physical Society of Toronto, assuming its present name in 1903. For many years the Toronto organization existed alone, but now the Society is national in extent, having active Centres in Halifax, N.S., Montreal and Quebec, P.Q.; Ottawa, Toronto, Hamilton, London, Windsor, Ont.; Winnipeg, Man.; Edmonton, Alta.; Vancouver and Victoria, B.C. As well as nearly 1500 members of these Canadian Centres, there are nearly 500 members not attached to any Centre, mostly resident in other nations, while some 300 additional institutions or persons are on the regular mailing list of our pub­ lications. The Society publishes a bi-monthly “Journal” and a yearly “Ob­ server’s Handbook”. Single copies of the Journal are 50 cents, and of the Handbook, 50 cents. Membership is open to anyone interested in astronomy. Annual dues, $3.00; life membership, $50.00. Publications are sent free to all members or may be subscribed for separately. Applications for membership or publications may be made to the National Secretary, 13 Ross St., Toronto 2B. CALENDAR 1956 Jan. Feb. Mar. April S M T W T F S S M T W T F S S M T W T F S S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 ..................... 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 ...................... 26 27 28 29 ............... 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 29 30 ............................ May June July Aug. S M T W T F S S M T W T F S S M T W T F S S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 27 28 29 30 31 ......... 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 29 30 31 ...................... 26 27 28 29 30 31 .... Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. S M T W T F S S M T W T F S S M T W T F S S M T W T F S .... 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 2 . 3 .4 .5 6 7 8 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 2 3 4 .5 6. 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 28 29 30 31 ............... 25 26 27 28 29 30 .... 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 .................................. 30 31 ........................... Now Available in Canada BAUER & RICHTER MARK 40-88X 60mm refracting telescope. Includes 4-power finder, 9mm Ramsden 88-power and 20mm Huygens 40-power eye­ pieces, and sunglass. Interchangeable star-diagonal and terrestrial prism systems. Rack and pinion fine adj. Highly corrected coated objective. Complete with 6 ft. extension tripod and hardwood cabinet $ 110 Write for prices on 3", 3½ ", and 4" refractors. 10% courtesy discount to R.A.S.C. members. W. CARSEN & CO., LTD. RE 6101 88 TYCOS DRIVE, TORONTO 10, ONTARIO THE OBSERVER’S HANDBOOK FOR 1956 PUBLISHED BY The Royal Astronomical Society of Canada C. A. CHANT, E ditor RUTH J. NORTHCOTT, A s s is t a n t E ditor DAVID DUNLAP OBSERVATORY FORTY-EIGHTH YEAR OF PUBLICATION P rice 50 C e n t s TORONTO 13 Ross S t r e e t Printed for the Society By the University of Toronto Press CONTENTS PAGE Calendar - Cover p. ii P r e f a c e ........................................................................................................ 3 Anniversaries and F e s t i v a l s ................................................................. 3 Symbols and A b b r e v ia tio n s................................................................. 4 The C onstellation s.....................................................................................5 Miscellaneous Astronomical D a t a ........................................................6 Ephemeris of the S u n .....................................................................7 Solar and Sidereal T i m e .....................................................................8 Julian Day C a l e n d a r ........................................................................... 9 Map of Standard Time Z o n e s ...........................................................9 Times of Sunrise and S u n s e t ...........................................................10 Times of Beginning and Ending of Twilight - - - - 17 Times of Moonrise and M o o n s e t ......................................................18 The Planets for 1956 - 24 Eclipses, 1956 29 The Sky and Astronomical Phenomena Month by Month - - 30 Phenomena of Jupiter's S a t e l l i t e s ......................................................54 Lunar Occultations, 1956 ...........................................................- 56 Ephemeris for the Physical Observation of the Sun - - - 57 Principal Elements of the Solar S y s t e m ............................................58 Satellites of the Solar S y s te m ................................................- - 5 9 Variable S t a r s ............................................................................................ 60 Double and Multiple S t a r s ............................................................... 62 The Brightest Stars, their magnitudes, types, proper motions, distances and radial velocities and navigation stars - - 64 Table of Precession for 50 Y e a r s ......................................................75 Meteors, Fireballs and M e te o r it e s ..................................................... 76 Clusters and Nebulae: Star C l u s t e r s ...................................................................................77 Galactic N e b u l a e .........................................................................78 Extra-Galactic N e b u l a e ............................................................... 79 Four Circular Star M a p s .........................................................................80 PRINTED IN CANADA PREFACE The H a n d b o o k for 1956 is the 48th issue and its circulation is 6000. The Officers of the Society appreciated the increase in advertisements which will help to meet our mounting expense. In this issue the number of pages has been increased by eight, and a number of changes have been made: predictions are given for the dates of maxima of representative variable stars; the material on meteor showers has been completely revised; the table of precession again appears; the table of the brightest stars has been completely revised, giving more information than before. Celestial distances given herein are based on the standard value of 8.80" for the sun’s parallax, not on the more recent value 8.790" determined by Sir Harold Spencer Jones; and the calculations for Algol are based on the epoch 2434576.5110 and period 2.86731 days as published in the 1954 International Supplement, Kracow Observatory. We are indebted particularly to Dr. Daniel L. Harris of Yerkes Observatory for his compilation of the photometric data for the table of the brightest stars; to Dr. W. W. Morgan, also of Yerkes Observatory, and Prof. R. v. d. R. Wooley of the Australian Commonwealth Observatory, for spectral classifications for the same table. Special thanks are due Mrs. Margaret W. Mayall, A.A.V.S.O. Recorder, for the predictions of times of maxima of the long-period variables. Cordial thanks are tendered to all those who assisted in preparing this volume, especially to the following: Gustav Bakos, Marion Burgess, Charles M. Good, Bernard Jones, John Morrison, Donald Morton, Arlyne Rosenblat, Isobel K. Williamson, G. Marcy Wiseman and Dorothy Yane. Our deep indebtedness to the British Nautical Almanac and the American Ephemeris is thankfully acknowledged. C. A. Chant David Dunlap Observatory, Richmond Hill, Ont., June 1955. ANNIVERSARIES AND FESTIVALS, 1956 New Year’s Day......... .Sun. Jan. 1 Trinity Sunday....................... May 27 Epiphany..................... Fri. Jan. 6 Corpus Christi.............. Thu. May 31 Septuagesima Sunday. • Jan. 29 St. John Baptist (Mid­ Accession of Queen summer Day)............Sun. Tune 24 Elizabeth (1952). Mon. Feb. 6 Dominion D ay..............Sun. July 1 Quinquagesima (Shrove Birthday of Queen Mother Sunday).................... Feb. 12 Elizabeth (1900).... Sat. Aug. 4 Ash Wednesday.......... Feb. 15 Labour Day...................Mon. Sept. 3 St. D avid..................... Thu. Mar. 1 Hebrew New Year St. Patrick................... Sat. Mar. 17 (Rosh Hashanah)... .Thu. Sept. 6 Palm Sunday.............. Mar. 25 St. Michael Good Friday................ Mar. 30 (Michaelmas Day) . .Sat. Sept. 29 Easter Sunday............ Apr. 1 All Saints’ D ay.............Thu. Nov. 1 Birthday of Queen Remembrance Day. .Sun. Nov. 11 Elizabeth (1926). .Sat. Apr. 21 St. Andrew.................... Fri. Nov. 30 St. George.................... Mon. Apr.
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