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Volume 56, No 1 2017 ISSN Page0049-1640 1 Royal Astronomical Society Southern of New Zealand (Inc.) Journal of the RASNZ Founded in 1920 as the New Zealand Astronomical Volume 56, Number 1 Society and assumed its present title on receiving the 2017 March Royal Charter in 1946. In 1967 it became a member body of the R oyal Society of New Zealand. P O Box 3181, Wellington 6140, New Zealand [email protected] http://www.rasnz.org.nz CONTENTS Subscriptions (NZ$) for 2017: An Observation of Messier 31, 32 and 110 from Otago Ordinary member: $40.00 Ian Griffi n ...... 3 Student member: $20.00 Affi liated society: $3.75 per member. Auckland Observatory Research in the First 25 Minimum $75.00, Maximum $375.00 - A Personal View Corporate member: $200.00 Stan Walker ...... 5 Printed copies of Southern Stars (NZ$): $35.00 (NZ) RASNZ Annual Report of Council for 2016 ...... 13 $45.00 (Australia & South Pacifi c) $50.00 (Rest of World) Council & Offi cers 2016 to 2018 President: John Drummond P O Box 113, Patutahi 4045. [email protected] FRONT COVER The Andromeda , M31 with M32 and M110 Immediate Past President: photographed from Central Otago, NZ. John Hearnshaw Dep’t Physics & , Image: Ian Griffi n University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch 8140. [email protected] Vice President: BACK COVER Nicholas Rattenbury The Department of Physics, On Thursday 23rd March 2017, an Air New Zealand The University of Auckland, Boeing 767 left Dunedin Airport about 9pm, heading as 38 Princes St, Auckland. far south as latitude 62º, into the auroral zone, before [email protected] returning early the next morning. Passengers got views Secretary: of the aurora for a total of about 4 hours. Nichola Van der Aa 32A Louvain St, Whakatane 3120. [email protected] Organiser Ian Griffi n says that the fl ight path zigzagged Treasurer: across the international date line four times, so people on Simon Lowther 19 Cape Vista Crescent, Pukekohe 2120. both sides of the aircraft could get a good view. [email protected] Members’ Councillors: Steve Butler 30 Hoffman Court, Invercargill 9810. [email protected] Bob Evans 15 Taiepa Rd, Otatara RD9, Invercargill 9879. [email protected] Sergei Gulyaev 120 Mayoral Drive, Auckland, 1010. [email protected] Orlon Petterson Dep’t Physics & Astronomy, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch 8140. [email protected] Glen Rowe 23 Stanhope Grove, Korokoro, Lower Hutt 5012. [email protected] Affi liated Societies’ Councillors: Peter Jaquiery 31 Wright St, Dunedin 9010. Top photo: Ian Griffi n. [email protected] Bottom two photos: Stephen Voss Gary Sparks 67 Meeanee Road, Taradale, Napier 4112. [email protected] Fellows’ Councillor: Karen Pollard Dep’t Physics & Astronomy, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch 8140. [email protected] Page 2 Southern Stars An Observation of Messier 31, 32 and 110 from Otago:- Ian Griffi n

An Observation of Messier 31, 32 and 110 from Otago

Ian Griffi n Astrophotography

The Andromeda Galaxy, is normally considered a northern hemisphere object. But it can be seen from New Zealand at its upper culmination. An expedition to Central Otago to photograph it is described.

As an amateur astronomer growing up in the UK, Messier 31 (also known as NGC 224 and perhaps more popularly the Andromeda galaxy) was almost always one of the fi rst objects at which I pointed my telescope when out observing. At a distance of 780 kiloparsecs (~2.50 million light years) it is the closest major galaxy to the Milky Way, and it is this relative proximity which makes it, together with its nearby companion Messier 32 (NGC 221) and Messier 110 (NGC 208), such magnifi cent sights through binoculars and small telescopes. As with any object, I always tried to make observations when M31 was high in the sky.

During a sidereal day, an astronomical object crosses the meridian twice: once at its upper culmination, when it is at its highest point, and once at its lower culmination, its lowest point.

With a Northern of approximately 41 degrees, M31 was actually circumpolar from my suburban home. At upper culmination its altitude reached almost 80 degrees and even though I lived in a very light polluted suburb I still remember obtaining some fi ne views of dark lanes in it’s spiral arms from my back garden.

From London, at lower culmination, Messier 31 is less than three degrees above the horizon, and had anyone in my local astronomical society suggested I attempt to observe it, let alone The author’s 11” f/2.2 Rowe Ackerman Schmidt photograph it at that altitude, I would have simply laughed; Astrograph. At rear is Stephen Voss tending obstruction of the local horizon by buildings, light pollution his camera. Photo: Ian Griffi n and lack of transparency in the murky pollution of London’s suburbs would have made any attempted observation at such I knew this would be a challenging task, because, from my a low altitude impossible. However, as you will fi nd out, this chosen observing site, high on the Strath Taieri, close to the is exactly the task I set myself recently, albeit in New Zealand Rock and Pillar Range in Otago (Lat 45° 39’ 52”, Long E170° rather than the UK. 03’ 51”) assuming a fl at horizon, the peak altitude reached by M31 at upper culmination would be just over three degrees. In May 2013 I moved to Dunedin, and after settling into a new According to my calculations our target would be above the job, I had time to start dabbling in astrophotography again after horizon for just under four hours in total. a lapse of a number of years. The dark and transparent skies of Central Otago became my personal playground to explore I’d need absolutely perfect conditions with clear sky and a the many wonders of the south using a variety of cameras relatively fl at horizon to stand any chance of success. and telescopes. In late 2016 I acquired an 11 inch f/2.2 Rowe Ackerman Schmidt Astrograph, and after a few nights of Along with my good friend Stephen Voss, I arrived at the testing, the prospect of a clear sky in southern New Zealand on observing site before sunset on the night of 21st October, the night of 21/22 October made me decide it was time to test and proceeded to set up and calibrate my telescope. Polar the telescope at a dark sky site (even though the moon would alignment was successful, and I turned on the drive system rise at approximately 1am). Even with a waning gibbous before carefully focusing the astrograph on a bright . On moon, I would still have a few hours of dark sky to test the this particular night I used two camera systems; a Sony A7S2 telescope. In addition to taking images of the “usual” southern working at ISO 25,600 and a Canon 5 DSLR Camera, operating hemisphere objects, I decided to try and see if I could obtain at ISO 6400. an image of Messier 31 as an extreme test of the new system.

56, 1, 2017 March Page 3 An Observation of Messier 31, 32 and 110 from Otago:- Ian Griffi n

The western sky from the site 50 minutes after Sunset (trying to show how transparent the sky was) with the planet Venus (centre), Zodiacal Light (oriented 45º to the right in front of Venus) and of course the Milky Way. Photo: Ian Griffi n

The evening was remarkably transparent, with excellent views To the best of my knowledge, these are the southern-most of both Venus and the Zodiacal light after sunset. images of M31 published in the literature. They certainly bear testament to the clear transparent sky in Central Otago. When locating M31 it was noted that from the chosen observing site we were observing towards the ridge of the Rock and I’d be interested in hearing from anyone who has photographed Pillar Range, whose altitude relative to a nominal fl at horizon M31 from a site further south than 45º 39’ 52”. I note in appeared to vary considerably along the line of sight towards passing that from the northernmost point of New Zealand M31. However, using the telescope’s computerized pointing (Surville Cliffs, Latitude 34º 23’ 44”) M31 reaches a peak system, M31 was located and was easily visible through the altitude of over 14 degrees at upper culmination whilst at the fi nder. Once we knew where to look, the galaxy could just be South Island’s southernmost point (Slope Point in Southland, seen using the naked eye. Latitude 46º 27’ 50”) its highest altitude is just over 2 degrees.

The fi rst image of M31 was obtained at 23:43 on 21st October I’d like to acknowledge Stephen Voss for his help in making with the galaxy at a calculated altitude of 2 degrees 46 minutes the observations described in this paper possible. and for the next hour a number of images were obtained through both cameras as the galaxy and its companions culminated and moved across the ridge of the Rock and Pillar Range. Exposures between 10 seconds and 90 seconds revealed a surprising amount of detail for an object at such low altitude; as Portobello, New Zealand can be seen from the accompanying photograph (front cover); Ian.Griffi [email protected] the dust lanes in M31 were certainly easily visible.

Moonrise at 00:52 on the 22nd brought an end to the observing session when moonlight began to wash out and brighten the background sky.

Page 4 Southern Stars Auckland Observatory Research in the First 25 Years - A Personal View:- Stan Walker Auckland Observatory Research in the First 25 Years - A Personal View

Stan Walker History

The opening of the Auckland Observatory in March, 1967, heralded an interesting change in astronomical research in this country. With the exception of the recently opened Mt John Observatory by the University of Canterbury, almost all research prior to that date had been visual, largely dominated by the RASNZ Section. The Edith Winstone Blackwell 50cm Cassegrain telescope became the largest in this country and, with no preconceptions, the way was open to develop and use new photoelectric techniques in any project which appealed to the users. This review, in two parts, describes many of the most interesting and successful research projects up until the early 1990s as seen by the author. Many people, both in the Auckland group and elsewhere in New Zealand contributed to its success, and advice and generous help was provided by a wide range of overseas professional astronomers. Whilst the main theme was variable star observing and analysis we were at all times ready to participate in projects in other fi elds; a wide range of occultations, monitoring of the mutual eclipses of ’s satellites, determining periods of minor planets, transient events like novae, supernovae, even the return of Halley’s in 1987. Introduction A Historical Perspective On 21st March, 1967, on a rather cloudy night with the odd The concept of a home for the Auckland Astronomical Society shower, the Auckland Observatory was formally opened by and a suitable telescope goes back many years. I played golf the Governor General, Sir Bernard Fergusson. It housed the with a person whose father had been associated with a group 50cm Edith Winstone Blackwell Telescope which, over the with these goals in the early 1900s, then the present society next two decades, played a major role in the development of was formed in the early 1920s and became reasonably active in astronomical research in New Zealand. the 1930s through to the 1950s. A major bequest from James Bostock, displays at the Auckland Birthday Carnivals and It did not involve just the Auckland group: ideas and support other events were valuable but the dream was still only that. came from many people throughout New Zealand and Australia, from the USA and England. We comprised a group with a good Then Edith Winstone Blackwell came onto the scene. telescope and, quite quickly, a state of the art photoelectric Affectionately know as ‘Auntie’ by the young relatives to observing system and the people who could use it, and many whom she spent hours describing astronomy and its wonders, astronomical professionals seemed interested in ensuring that she contacted Ronald McIntosh, President of the AAS, and the telescope and equipment was used to its full potential. requested a meeting to discuss the purchase of a telescope. In Ron’s own words he expected her to offer a 60mm refractor We who were fortunate enough to enjoy almost unrestricted use but was amazed when she described a much larger telescope of the country’s largest telescope and most modern equipment housed in a real observatory doing real research. Ron turned to owed a lot to these people and also those who set it all up. So the Director of the Auckland Birthday Carnivals, his employer, let’s look at how this came to be. Lawrence Nathan, who advised and organised the setting up

Figures 1 & 2: On the left is shown a view of the 50cm Edith Winstone Blackwell telescope and its dome, whilst the second fi gure shows a 2015 picture of Auckland Observatory and the surrounding area with the obelisk on One Tree Hill visible. The red roofed structure, the entry at the right and a small structure to the left of the entry were added in the 1990s.

56, 1, 2017 March Page 5 Auckland Observatory Research in the First 25 Years - A Personal View:- Stan Walker of the Auckland Observatory & Planetarium Trust with Ron Auckland were also heavily involved in testing of the electronic as Secretary. equipment before it was fi nally installed.

Planning took some time; where it would be located, the size and shape of the building, what type of telescope and who did Early Misadventures they purchase it from? The site came fi rst; an offer from the We then had to use it effectively. There were few guides as to One Tree Hill Borough on the southern slopes of Maungakiekie, how back then and certainly no Internet. Two misadventures One Tree Hill. The building was designed and fi nanced by held us back; even led us to think at one stage that it was all the Winstone and Blackwell families and Carl Zeiss of Jena a waste of time. One visitor who claimed electronic expertise was approached by Arthur Partridge, then President of AAS, decided to separate the resistors in the voltage chain a little to provide the telescope. Wishing to establish a southern more widely. This led to fractures in the end caps which presence the price for a 50cm Cassegrain refl ecting telescope created noise. It took a while to isolate this problem. Then on an offset German equatorial mount was very friendly. there was the petrolatum exercise. The Canterbury AS people used this as extra insulation and persuaded us to emulate the Kurt Gottleib of Mt Stromlo Observatory set it all up, with idea. In Auckland’s warm nights this goo dripped all over the some assistance from Trevor Rounthwaite, and it has operated dome fl oor and seemed to get everywhere. Turned out that the effectively for a half century. It’s a superb instrument, very Canterbury people had had a number of problems in applying easy to use, and suffi ciently robust to withstand the handling of it and had boiled it a dozen times before fi nally using it, so all generations of AAS members who operated it in a wide variety the volatiles had long since been burned off and it was almost of activities. like cold toffee once it had cooled in place. Luckily we had a spare base so a new resistor chain and air as an insulator resolved the noise issue. As well, we then tracked down the How Should it be Used? tube specifi cations and adopted the recommended operating Initially it created a problem for the Auckland Astronomical voltage: not the 2000 volts used in Christchurch for extra Society which was expected to operate it effectively. How signal gain! did a society of 89 members, many rather elderly with little knowledge of contemporary astronomy, make the best use Then we received a letter from Harold Johnson by way of the of it? Advice came from everywhere but perhaps the most RASNZ VSS indicating that we could not emulate the standard useful once more came from Ron McIntosh, who was also a system at sea level, particular in the U fi lter band. So we noted lunar and planetary amateur astronomer, and suggested calibrated the B-V and V responses but ignored U. But we variable stars as this seemed to be an active area. failed to mention this to a pair of students, Grant Christie and Roger Feasey who, uninformed, ran some calibration checks All very good, but the three Directors were reluctant to allow before embarking on their own project and came up with a widespread use of the telescope. Which takes us back to the perfectly usable U-B transformation. So much for that advice. opening event where, after none of them could operate the Whilst not part of this story, in 2009 Variable Stars South was telescope effectively, I took over its operation and located similarly advised by a professional astronomer that DSLR enough objects to impress all present, myself included, with cameras could not possibly give reliable BVR measures of any the capabilities of this superb instrument. So we all had to pass star. Events have proven that advice incorrect as well. capability tests. But on to the real research!

Bruce Slee of the CSIRO was our fi rst professional contact. We made visual measures of fl are stars whilst he observed these at radio wavelengths with the Parkes 210 foot telescope. But was what we were seeing real? How reliable were these measures? Even a comparison with Mt John’s simultaneous photometry at a meeting as part of the RASNZ 1968 conference was confusing. This led to a decision to build a photoelectric photometer, a project in which many people from around New Zealand were involved.

The Mark I Photometer Clive Rowe of Canterbury in effect wrote the prescription for this device. A modern, low noise, EMI photomultiplier tube, a current to frequency converter providing pulses detectable Figure 3: This is the original version of the Mark I by a digital frequency meter with a visual numerical output. photometer, circa 1970, with Roger Feasey looking Brian Marino and I then specifi ed what it was to do, what through the main fi eld eyepiece with a fl ip mirror to allow fi lters would be used and other optical aspects which Harry light to pass when in use. The retractable aperture Williams then translated into a design which was modifi ed a inspection eyepiece is near his forefi nger which is on the few times during construction. This became the Observatory’s fi lter selector, apertures of 104, 62, 31, 20,15 arcseconds. main research instrument about mid-1969 and was still in use Photomultiplier tube housing is at the lower left with the in 1991. Bob White and Alec Chisholm of the University of A/D converter below. Light controls are under at the front.

Page 6 Southern Stars Auckland Observatory Research in the First 25 Years - A Personal View:- Stan Walker

But all of this had one advantage. We became self-suffi cient Watching the Nixie Tube in this fi eld and also obtained a far better understanding of Digital frequency meters have changed their display how things worked and what you could and couldn’t do. This presentations over the years but one that we remember in contrasts with many of today’s CCD observers who buy a Auckland is the Nixie tube. This uses ten cathodes, each in the camera, get some prewritten software, make some observations shape of a numeral, and each pulse changes the display by one and think they’re astronomers. The results often show they are unit. In ten seconds we would typically record 500 pulses— not. each of which was fl eetingly visible.

Flare Stars An aspect of the change was that the display seemed to rotate This was our fi rst project and carried on for almost a decade, and we could swear that the numbers at times were going mainly in conjunction with Bruce Slee and the CSIRO but also around faster. But reality, in the form of the ten second total, as part of a world network of optical and radio telescopes. Pep destroyed such illusions. This total was displayed for a second monitoring was usually with a B fi lter which enhanced the or two to allow recording, after which it began again. contrast as the stars themselves were quite red. Analysing the Data I met and talked with some of the participants, including Sir That was in the 1970s and on-line recording wasn’t even a dream Bernard Lovell of Jodrell Bank, at a meeting of the Flare at that time. So we were getting around 300 or so numbers an Star Working Group at the IAU General Assembly, Sydney, hour which a team would plot manually on millimetre graph 1973. It was clear from this discussion the Parkes radio paper under the bright lights needed. All took a hand but telescope, which I later had the pleasure of climbing all over the teams mainly comprised lady AAS members: June Sale, and inspecting in detail, was well ahead of Jodrell Bank at that Jean Aldiss, Kathy Barrow and Lynn Duff, Fay Williams, time in its capabilities. Toni Parrish and others

Flare stars are all low cool stars with emission features. Observing They included UV Ceti which seemed the most active, Once the star was found the main task was recording. Half YZ Canis Minoris, V645 Centauri - Proxima, and a dozen or so an hour or so staring at the display to ensure no numbers were others. The fl ares are similar in to those of the but missed was enough. I remember June Sale setting a midnight appear more pronounced due to the dimness of the deadline before she went home and we had to report to her that star. a half fl are came at 12 25! Then Brian and I were plotting when loud yells from the dome announced a good fl are Many of these stars are also BY Draconis objects, a form of of about two magnitudes. We rushed up but after two hours variability discovered as a by-product of the fl are projects. under fl uorescents we could hardly see the telescope, let alone Like many cool stars they are spotty and this allows rotation see the star fl aring in the guide telescope. But all participants periods to be determined. Periods range from a day to months. did manage to see fl ares with quick interruptions during longer Members of Variable Stars South, an RASNZ section, have events. They were real! recently become involved in a project to study some aspects of these in more detail. Sequences for Miras and Others One of the most important areas of research was, perhaps, the least glamorous: the measuring of comparison stars for visual observers. These measures were organised by Barry Menzies, as requested by Frank Bateson, Director of the RASNZ, Variable Star Section. Peter Gordon joined with Barry after a or two. They were helped by many other observers, recorders and analysts.

The measures were made in B and V to allow for correct determination of values but it was largely the V measures which were of interest. These were rounded to a single decimal place, appropriate for visual measures.

Figure 4 & 5: These graphs display some fl ares obtained during the international programme of 1969 October. They typically lasted a few minutes and the two bright ones at the right increased the star’s brightness by about 30 times, even though originating in a relatively small area on UV Ceti itself.

56, 1, 2017 March Page 7 Auckland Observatory Research in the First 25 Years - A Personal View:- Stan Walker

Prior to fi ltered photoelectric photometry it was impossible to fi nd reliable visual values for use in measuring long term variable stars. Probably the most reliable was the Cordoba Durchmusterung catalogue, dating back in part to the nineteenth century. All stellar magnitudes were initially obtained visually, based on the naked eye stars to sixth magnitude, with extrapolation in this case to about ninth magnitude. But extrapolation needs linearity and the eye is not good in that area.

Photography came on the scene but early fi lms were blue sensitive, not all that linear in response, and there were substantial errors in the values derived for red and blue stars. More red sensitive panchromatic fi lms added to the confusion. Corrections for atmospheric extinction were largely unknown. Attempts were made to derive a standard system: SPv and SPg, standard photovisual and standard photographic, but even these values had inconsistencies of up to several tenths of a magnitude.

Cousins and Stoy, of the Cape Observatory, described their attempts to standardise this photographic system in several Royal Observatory Bulletins in the 1960s. In 1970 Stefan Mochnacki persuaded us to standardise our pe system which we did using a sequence in IC 1665. This was too far north to be satisfactory but Norman Rumsey of the DSIR came to the rescue by introducing us to an excellent set of UBV values by the Cape observers in ROB 64. Later the publication of UBVRI measures in the E and F regions by these astronomers produced a superb system for determining the magnitude and colours of any southern hemisphere stars. Much more reliable than the use of cluster standards adopted in the north.

All of this set the scene for the sequence programme and the publication of visual observers’ charts with reliable values. Barry and Peter, with their assistants, measured comparisons for hundreds of Miras and other long period variable stars, LPVs, semi-regular stars - SRs, and a few others of interest. Each usually involved measures of selected stars on fi ve or six nights over a period of some months. This extended measuring allowed the dropping of stars of unsuitable colours, or suspected variable objects.

Where charts already existed these sequences replaced the Figure 6, 7 & 8: The top illustration shows measures lettered values and in due course revised charts were issued. of the Mira star RR Sagittarii plotted in Julian date order This project, to draw charts and provide comparison sequences (JD -2400000). They were then plotted as a phase for all LPVs south of -30° declination had the backing and diagram which shows a reasonably repetitive curve. support of the International Astronomical Union. These charts Finally an O-C diagram showing the cumulative variations were prepared with care by experienced observers and are in days from the mean period over more than 120 years, still used by many visual observers of Variable Stars South. ~ 140 cycles. They are much more user friendly than the computer generated process and largely impractical. ones favoured by some groups, which suffer from a variety of problems which can be overcome only by personal attention to Results for existing charts were published in the circulars of the suitability of comparisons. the RASNZ VSS but for new stars the work was acknowledged on the chart itself. Charts are unsuitable illustrations for this The limiting magnitude determined in this manner was about review but the graphs above show how they were used. magnitude 14 but there were no catalogues then to allow preparation of charts to that level so 12 to 13 was more Cataclysmic Variables practical. This also coincided with the ability to identify THE PROJECT GOALS and place stars in the focal plane aperture of the photometer. This differed from some of our projects in that there were no Translating photographs into hand drawn charts was a tedious preconceptions of where our observing would take us. The

Page 8 Southern Stars Auckland Observatory Research in the First 25 Years - A Personal View:- Stan Walker

fi eld was quite new. It was only a decade or so earlier that Joy The missed opportunity related to the similar appearing humps had shown that they were all binary systems and we thought during the superoutbursts. Here the difference between that the accuracy of PEP, coupled with the use of UBV fi lters, amateurs and professionals makes itself felt. Brian Warner of might lead to some measures of value. the SAAO considered the effect of an enhancement of supply of material to the disc in these and came up with the proposal We had earlier begun looking at three stars visually, EX Hydrae that the disc became brighter and somewhat eccentric, as well which George Mumford was also studying in the hope of seeing as changing size during the outburst. Thus these were two gravitational effects on the relatively short 98 minute period, similar appearing but completely different phenomena. More BV Centauri which Frank Bateson thought he’d seen eclipses explanation was needed. on and VW Hydri which had relatively frequent outbursts. So these became the primary targets. VW HYDRI FROM AN ASTROPHYSICAL VIEWPOINT We then began looking at the physical aspects of this star. VW HYDRI - SUCCESSES AND A MISSED OPPORTUNITY Detailed photometry of the initial outburst stages was Brian Marino and I began looking at the dwarf nova VW Hydri published in the December, 1974, issue of Southern Stars and a in 1967 in an attempt to fi nd eclipses and determine its paper was presented at a Paris symposium on CV stars in 1976 , then unknown. First visually, then from 1969 covering the complete outburst in detail with UBV measures at photoelectrically. But there were no eclipses, only orbital important points. The written version of this was published in humps resulting from the impact of a gas stream on a disc the Publications of the RASNZ VSS in July, 1978. around the component. Were these periodic? Perhaps. Back in those days without personal computers observations were diffi cult to analyse.

With its minimum at V~13.5 the star was not bright in our photometer but even so we collected many hours of unfi ltered measures, also colour measures during the outbursts. As expected from the models based on the few other pe observers’ data, the humps we could measure at minimum disappeared during the normal outbursts but to make things confusing seemed to reappear during the superoutbursts.

Figure 10: There are many illustrations of CVs but this is one of the few that match the observations at minimum or quiescence. Figure 9 shows by the amplitude of the light variations from 120 to 180 that about 35% of the light comes from the hot spot. The B-V colours of +0.1 suggest that the cool mass-losing star probably contributes about 15%, leaving 50% for the other three components: the stream between the two stars, the disc and the white dwarf. The amplitude of the fl ickering requires about Figure 9: A 3.5 hour run on VW Hydri showing two distinct 10% in the stream leaving about 40% for the disc and orbital humps. the white dwarf. Most of this is in the remainder of the disc which overall, excluding the accretion impact point, By 1972 we had collected timings of many of these humps but is similar in brightness to this point. were confused as they were not regular as we would expect for an orbital period. We later separated them into those In 1976 Bateson had published an analysis of VW Hydri’s observed at minimum and those during the superoutbursts. superoutbursts in which he identifi ed eight different types. The ones at minimum were periodic but could not be fi tted to This seemed unnecessarily complex and not based upon any those when the star was bright, nor did these latter show much physical explanation. We believed that there would be an periodicity. So how could we be measuring an orbital period? identifi able signature of a single event associated with these The variations in orbital times were not physically possible! outbursts, but it would need some fortuitous observing as it probably would be visible for only a day or so each six months. Finally we decided that the humps at minimum defi ned the This signature is shown in the events of Figures 11 and 12. orbital period of 0.0742711 days (106.95 minutes), even if the star was non-eclipsing, and published these fi ndings in IBVS Putting all of this together was the one other explanation 864, in early 1974. Using the time and phase of the hot spot required. At IAU Colloquium 46 in 1978 we presented our humps to determine a period was a new technique which noone ideas on how the superoutburst was triggered by an ordinary had tried up until then. The same paper also presented a list of outburst which; instead of being a brief collapse of the disc the ‘non-orbital’ humps during superoutbursts. around the white dwarf star, at intervals could trigger a mass

56, 1, 2017 March Page 9 Auckland Observatory Research in the First 25 Years - A Personal View:- Stan Walker

Figure 11: White light (unfi ltered) monitoring of VW Hydri for ~7.2 hours on 1977 May 12. The normal orbital hump times are indicated at the top. With the star’s magnitude at 9.3 these humps are 30 times brighter than the normal orbital humps: indication of a substantial increase in mass fl ow and the consequent accretion heating. The vertical Figure 14: A composite of the events shown in Figures scale is intensity in units of 1000 photons per second. 11-13. These are explained in the text. The markers on the horizontal scale are cycles of 106.95 fl ow for 10 or more days which drove the superoutburst. minutes. Figure 14 shows steps in these events, similar to that originally published in the proceedings of that colloquium

The normal outburst begins with a substantial reddening of the B-V colour, probably caused by obscuration of the very hot white dwarf as the disc collapses but there is a swift recovery as the system brightens and the hot spot on the disc is drowned out by the increased light from accretion onto the white dwarf. But since most time series photometry is unfi ltered the colour changes will not be seen without fi lters. U-B/B-V plots show interesting colour/colour loops.

If the system is due for a superoutburst to occur then the normal outburst will initiate this by causing a large increase in the mass fl ow rate from the cool, mass losing star. This is seen in the enhanced orbital humps of Figure 11. This mass fl ow causes a slowing in the decline from the normal outburst.

The full details were not observed but two events follow Figure 12: Observations on 1977 May 13 during the from this; the disc becomes massively heated due to accretion rise to supermaximum. These are the similar appearing heating and it also becomes distorted, resulting in the onset of humps which had puzzled us years before. They are just superhumps. At this stage the is showing aspect beginning to form as the system brightens by ~20% over variations of an elliptical light emitter, not the appearance and 5 cycles or ~9 hours. Normal hump times are indicated. disappearance of a fi xed point. So a discontinuity between the The period is clearly longer. It has not evolved from the two types of hump is expected. Superhumps observed during humps of Figure 11 as the interval was only 16 hours and the fi rst few hours of the 1977 May superoutburst are shown the phases do not fi t. Note the change in scale as the in Figure 12. star brightens. Scales are as for Figure 11. The initial brightening appears to be in the disc but all this extra material must eventually end up being accreted by the white dwarf although a tiny percentage may be lost from the system. This is seen in the superhumps which gradually decline in amplitude

Sometimes the onset of the superoutburst is too quick for the enhanced orbital humps to be seen but normally there will be a period of 12 to 48 hours when these can be seen with an amplitude of 30-40 millimags. As the amount of material in the disc declines the superhumps become smaller.

Figure 13: This aligns the onset of the superoutbursts This presentation caused a reinspection of monitoring by in Bateson’s 8 different categories. There are some several groups. A group at ESO found that the enhanced orbital overlaps. This can be regarded as two events: a humps were present in several of the normal outbursts close to superoutburst which is always similar in amplitude and the superoutburst in time. This might also explain the visual duration and a precursor event which seems to be of observations which show the amplitude of outbursts increasing varying durations. as this time approaches.

Page 10 Southern Stars Auckland Observatory Research in the First 25 Years - A Personal View:- Stan Walker

Other stars show these features. Z Chamaeleontis is an eclipsing dwarf nova of similar type; its eclipses are visible in both the precursor and superoutburst but differ markedly in shape between the two types of event.

OTHER DWARF NOVAE We measured many others of these stars. WX Hydri was one where we were fi rst to detect superhumps but its inclination does not allow an orbital period to be determined.

Photoelectric photometry has one large disadvantage when compared with CCD cameras; the observer needs to be able to centre the object in a 31” focal plane aperture. This is limited by how faint you can see. This was usually about V = 14 but Figure 16: These CCD measures were made by we did manage to measure V442 Centauri through a complete Bill Allen at Vintage Lane on 2 August 1998. An eclipse minimum at V = 16.25 or so by offset photometry. So we were is detectable at JD .8559 and spin maxima at JD .8674, limited to less than 10 observable dwarf novae at minimum, .9095 and .9497. The fl ickering in the mass stream is perhaps double that during outbursts. pronounced and the interplay of the two periods makes

for a confused plot. BV Centauri turned out to have a very long orbital period so that explained the lack of success even with more than a A true polar has evolved to a state where the rotation of the hundred hours of measures. white dwarf star has been slowed to match the revolution period of the system. EX Hydrae has not reached that stage yet and shows two periods; 98.26 and 67.03 minutes, the former EX HYDRAE the orbital period, the latter the spin rate of the white dwarf. This was the fi rst CV looked at from the observatory and it was done visually. It was a known eclipsing star with a period We collaborated with Bill Allen from 1998 to 2000 in updating of 98.3 minutes. So we had several people observing it just the periods. Earlier in 1988 Bond and Freeth had made to see what CVs were all about. We had trouble seeing the measures from Auckland Observatory and presented these as eclipses at times but did detect brightening which, with our well as summarising all the available measures. These dated fl are star project background, we identifi ed as ‘fl ares’. They from 1962 and in 2000 had reached cycle 300752. were actually real but that’s part of the next section. One question related to the changing period of this intermediate Chris Stercken with Brian Warner’s help set up a project to polar: was this parabolic in nature or did it shorten in a series resolve the puzzling periodicity of this star. Chris observed of abrupt changes, perhaps associated with the infrequent and from Rhodesia, Nicholas Vogt from Chile and amateurs from erratic outbursts. Unlike the other SU Ursae Majoris stars Australia and New Zealand were included. This was one of the similar to VW Hydri it does not have two types of outbursts, fi rst world wide collaborations to look at a single star. It is a just a brief and unpredictable event. Figure 17 shows the polar as shown in Figure 15. results. It is 17 years since this last review—perhaps time for another? Polars are CVs with such strong magnetic fi elds that accretion discs do not form. Instead, the accreted material falls onto the poles of the star and accretion heating takes place there. Similar to the solar wind and our own aurorae. Rotation brings the impact point into sight once each period.

Figure 17: This shows four O-C treatments of the EX Hydrae data: Vogt et al’s original linear ephemeris, two successive Figure 15: An artist’s idea of how a star like EX Hydrae, parabolic fi ts and Walker and Allen’s abrupt change would appear. Notice the contrast to Figure 10. No disc! approach. The errors become less with time.

56, 1, 2017 March Page 11 Auckland Observatory Research in the First 25 Years - A Personal View:- Stan Walker

The PEP Conference Series On to Hanmer,15-18 July., 1993, and PEP 4. This was the These began in 1976 at the instigation of Murray Lewis, the fi rst conference not at an observing venue but was still very new Director of the Carter Observatory. A one day affair, it successful. attracted most of the few active photometrists in New Zealand and others, about 15 in total. It was an opportunity to meet Then PEP 5 at Toowoomba in 1996 where Arthur Page and the and show what each group was doing and their plans. Very University of South Queensland acted as hosts. A little diffi cult enjoyable and the ‘Banquet’ was lunch time fi sh and chips of access but a great success. Apart from a visit to the newly from the Kelburn Takeaways. developed Mt Kent Observatory we visited the Molonglo radio telescope array and Siding Springs. PEP 2 was at Auckland on 10-12 May, 1982, and Ed Nather, of the Department of Astronomy, University of Texas, was Pep 6 was intended for Auckland in 2000 but the on-site the featured speaker. This was sponsored by The Royal organiser could not cope with the changed research scene and Astronomical Society of New Zealand, the Carter Observatory the event was cancelled—effectively ending the series. and the Auckland Observatory. The IAPPP was also involved. Support was strong from both amateurs and professionals in Two questions arise from the PEP series: why were they New Zealand, particularly from the University of Canterbury. so successful and why don’t we see more of these pro-am There were also some Australian participants. All papers conferences today? appeared in Southern Stars Volume 30 (1) in December 1982. Perhaps the same answer applies to both. At the time The sequence was interrupted by the ‘Small Telescope New Zealand astronomy was working in fi elds that many Conference’ organised by the University of Canterbury in professionals were and the standard of observing by the 1985 but continued with PEP 3 in Blenheim in 1989. This amateurs was suffi ciently high to encourage them to help us. was even more successful than PEP 2 with strong support with There were also three active observatories at that time, all with professionals from USA, Australia and elsewhere. It included an outgoing attitude which involved the general public in local a visit to Black Birch which was operating well at that stage. astronomy. The papers were many and varied and were published by the IAPPP as the conference proceedings. One amusing Today the scene is different. We still have some good amateur episode, and a sign of the times, was that our conference was astronomers but most are part of overseas collaborations which mistakenly linked to the Waihopai Listening Station GCSB do not understand that they need to put something back in the Our US visitors suffered a little harassment as a result but took areas that the observations originate. Then two of the three it all in good part. main observatories of the 1970s and 80s are no longer involved in observational research and whilst Mt John in Canterbury might be engaged in leading edge research we do not hear much about it.

[email protected]

Figures 18-20: Above, the author at front with Derek Robinson, Director of the USNO Black Birch Station in Marlborough, Jim Hughes, Scientifi c Director of the USNO, Mike Bessell of Mt Stromlo Observatory and Ed Budding of the Carter Observatory during the PEP 3 Conference in Blenheim. The central photo shows Col Bembrick from Victoria , Ken Mottram from Mt Kent, Queensland, Arthur Page, the organiser of PEP 5 at Toowoomba and Norman Rumsey who helped the Auckland Photometrists in the early days.

A happy and relaxed pair on the right, Mike Zeilik from USA and Brian Warner of the South African Astronomical Observatory: another astronomer who helped the Auckland group for many years, particularly in the CV fi eld where he was the leading fi gure and is still active there.

Page 12 Southern Stars RASNZ Annual Report of Council for 2016

Royal Astronomical Society of New Zealand (Inc) Annual Report of Council for 2016

President’s Report for 2016 During the non-contact times of the conference the RASNZ 2016 was a productive year for the Royal Astronomical Society Council were busy with council business, recapping on of New Zealand. Behind the scenes the RASNZ Council has what’s been working and how to better our game so as to been busy discussing and voting on motions, granting funds, draw more people into astronomy and how to better serve planning for the Society’s future and more. you, our members. As the newly installed president during this conference, I was impressed with the considerable range The RASNZ conference in Napier from Friday 20th to of experience and wisdom that the councillors brought to the Sunday 22nd May was a smashing success. The venue was well table at meetings. The RASNZ is in sound hands. chosen and the talks nicely presented. As usual it was great to catch up with many astronomy friends that are seen only once The conference was followed by the RASNZ Astrophotography a year in this latitudinally long country. The conference has Section workshop held at the Holt Planetarium (Napier Boys always been an ace card for the Society and was well attended. High School). We were very fortunate to have a leading The keynote speaker was Dr Michele Bannister, a planetary New Zealand astrophotographer, Rolf Olsen, running a series scientist who specialises in small worlds. Her Sunday afternoon of talks on PixInsight, the most revered astrophotography talk on to the public drew a full house and was very software program in the world. Rolf is known internationally well received. In addition to the more regular speakers it was for his extremely deep and fantastic exposures, some of which excellent to see a number of younger presenters, in particular are of the longest duration on Earth. the SWAPA (‘Students with a Passion for Astronomy’) giving talks. Brian Loader presented the Fellow’s Lecture on the 2016 saw the implementation of a new-look RASNZ website 2015 occultation of Pluto on Friday night. The poster-papers (www.rasnz.org.nz). It is more user-friendly and aesthetically were also very illuminating and insightful. It’s such a pleasure appealing. Thanks to our webmaster Peter Jaquiery for doing to see a small country like New Zealand making contributions this. to international astronomical research. Late in 2016 I initialised a YAHOO Group for RASNZ The theme of the Saturday night banquet was ‘The members. This group is, as the blurb states, ‘…for members Electromagnetic Spectrum’. Some of the costumes brewed of the Royal Astronomical Society of New Zealand (RASNZ) with photons! Jennie McCormick was announced as a new to interact, discuss RASNZ topics, ask for help regarding local Fellow of the RASNZ by the (then) president John Hearnshaw. astronomical societies, provide a heads-up for a forthcoming Jennie has made a number of signifi cant contributions to New sky event, public lectures, etc.’ People can join the group and Zealand astronomy over the years, including the discovery then discuss anything related to RASNZ. Sometimes new local of an (2009 SA1), contributing to the detection of society committees want advice on running meetings, what the 19 by microlensing, being amongst lead authors RASNZ rules state, need encouragement, advice on how to in 29 journal papers including the prestigious journal Science, grow, get younger members involved and so on. Members are and more. Jennie now joins the ranks of 12 fellow Fellows. encouraged to join. The address is https://groups.yahoo.com/ neo/groups/RASNZ/info Also at the conference, Professor Gerry Gilmore had the status of Honorary Member of the Society conferred upon One very favourable wind that’s fi lling RASNZ sails in recent him at the banquet. Gerry wasn’t in New Zealand to receive years is the desire to get younger people involved in and this award but the citation read by Professor John Hearnshaw contributing to astronomy and the Society. An example of this made everyone proud that he is a Kiwi. His astronomical is the recently implemented SWAPA scheme initiated by the achievements are truly signifi cant and of momentous note on RASNZ vice-president John Hearnshaw when he was president the global scale. Gerry responded to a congratulatory email (also see John’s ‘Long-Term Plan, 2016-25’ in the March 2016 from Dr John Hearnshaw thus, “Very many thanks indeed for issue of Southern Stars). It’s pleasing to see more oily-haired this unexpected but greatly appreciated honour. I remain proud attendees at conferences that so frequently are dominated by of my New Zealand heritage, and appreciative of the excellent grey. Related to this is a motion passed in December 2016 education I received. I am delighted that I have been able to (Motion 16-378) that the ‘RASNZ should decide whether it contribute directly in a small way, and indirectly through my is a good idea in principle, subject to locating a team leader accent (!) to New Zealand astronomy, and very much value this and travel funds, to send a NZ team to the International A&A recognition of mutual respect”. Olympiad in Phuket Thailand in December 2017’. We are keen for interested parties to apply to be on the team and to This year’s Murray Geddes prize was awarded to Dave help raise funds for expenses. Cochrane of KiwiStar Optics for his national and international contribution to optics. Continued on page 24 ...

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I wish to thank the 13 RASNZ councillors who devote so is very old. They have all been removed from the fi nancial much time, effort and passion to the Society as they practically accounts. There are no plans to replace these computers at exercise their love for astronomy. The emailing that surrounds this time as the current secretary and treasurer are happy to use each motion, grant or other business is always positive and their own home computers. respectful and a delight to be involved in. In addition I would like to express heart-felt appreciation to Bob Evans for editing The Library and Archive are in the custody of the Archivist the excellent journal of the RASNZ, Southern Stars and to whom has secured at extremely favourable rates a room at the Alan Gilmore for producing the monthly RASNZ newsletter. local primary school (Titahi Bay North School) for the storage These are very insightful into current astronomical happenings and use by RASNZ. The Archivist also has in his custody two on Earth and in the sky. Appreciation also goes to Gordon antique brass telescopes of some value, one a Cook & Sons Hudson for fi nding a new home for the RASNZ library and refractor. archives at the Titahi Bay School. Last, but not least, a big thankyou to the directors of the various RASNZ sections and ASTRONOMICAL EQUIPMENT groups. Your love for your fi eld of astronomy is an inspiration The society retains ownership of equipment purchased by a to many and a reason New Zealand has a respected name K-T trust grant which covers more than 80% of the cost of the overseas. item. Items of this type include: John Drummond • 2011: Watec video camera and recorder. This equipment Membership Report is used for lunar and occultation events. At the end of 2016 RASNZ membership totalled 195 plus 9 • 2015: MaximDL Software. This is used at Farm students who were given complimentary membership for the Cove Observatory which has a very high output of remainder of the year at the Napier conference as part of the astronomical papers and discoveries. ‘Students With a Passion for Astronomy’ programme making a • 2015: Electronic focus equipment and software used total of 204 members. Membership is up by 8 members on last by Carl Knight to be used for his very successful year before inclusion of the complimentary student members, photometry project. which is very pleasing. • 2016: Electronic focuser used by the Horowhenua Astronomical Society at their observatory. The 195 members includes 3 corporate members (AstroNZ Ltd, Details of the KT trust and how to apply can be found on the Earth and Sky, and Carter Observatory), 19 members of long RASNZ website. standing (more than 50 years) who do not pay a subscription, Simon Lowther 3 honorary members who also receive complimentary membership (Prof. Brian Warner, Dr Tom Richards and Standing Conference Committee Report Prof. Gerry Gilmore) and 7 student members, also an increase 2016 CONFERENCE on previous years. Our new student members are from the The 2016 RASNZ Conference was held in Napier, May 20th to SWAPA initiative that have continued RASNZ membership. 22nd. It was hosted by the Hawkes Bay Astronomical Society. The conference was followed by a 1½ day astrophotography Nine members have either resigned or been written off for workshop. nonpayment of their subscription and 11 SWAPA members had their complimentary membership come to an end; We There were 96 registered participants which included 10 gained ten new members during the year. The number of new secondary school pupils who participated in Council’s recent members who do not continue their membership after one year initiative known as ‘Students With A Passion For Astronomy’ is of great concern and should be addressed by the council. (SWAPA) which is designed to foster interest in astronomy and introduce the RASNZ to these students. The astrophotography We have 22 astronomical organisations who are affi liated workshop attracted 19 people. to RASNZ, and 18 local and overseas institutions pay for a subscription to Southern Stars. We also send complimentary The conference programme included Dr Michele Bannister as editions of the electronic version of Southern Stars to several invited speaker. Michele (University of Victoria, Canada) is overseas institutions. We are very saddened by the loss of the an expert in searching for icy worlds in the outer . South Canterbury Astronomical Society which dissolved early Michele’s presentation ‘New Discoveries in the Outer Solar in the year; also Phoenix Astronomical Society decided to System’ described how we are exploring and increasing our resign their affi liation. understanding of the far reaches of the solar system using the Simon Lowther world’s largest telescopes and the New Horizons spacecraft.

Property Report Following the offi cial opening on Friday evening (by local MP, Stuart Nash) Brian Loader gave the 2016 Fellows’ Lecture OFFICE EQUIPMENT, LIBRARY AND ARCHIVE The society laptop computers which were formally used by titled ‘Pluto, 2015 June 29’. Brian began by reviewing the Treasurer and the Secretary have become old and do not his astronomical journey and activities then described the function well. The Secretary computer no longer works at successful observation of an occultation of a star by Pluto all, the Treasurer computer is slow and not fi t for purpose; shortly before the fl yby of the New Horizons spacecraft. these have been removed from service. The editor’s desktop Gary Sparks was the after dinner speaker and gave an account computer still functions appropriately though I note it also of his visits to archaeoastronomy sites in Peru.

Page 24 Southern Stars RASNZ Annual Report of Council for 2016

In addition to the above speakers there was a variety of talks RASNZ Conference surplus ...... $2,383.01 presented throughout the conference by members of the Society and others on a wide range of topics related to astronomy. Astrophotography Workshop surplus ...... $91.17 Several of the SWAPA students made presentations which were very well received by the audience. A number of poster Glen Rowe, Chair papers were on display and their authors were invited to give a brief oral summary of their material. Annual General Meeting 2016 The 93rd Annual General Meeting was held at MTG Hawkes The AstroNZ equipment display stand drew the registrants’ Bay, Napier on Saturday 21st May 2016, commencing at attention and AstroNZ also provided three pairs of binoculars 4:30pm. There were 32 members present and four observers. as spot prizes for the conference. John Hearnshaw, as outgoing president chaired the meeting.

The SCC would like to thank the conference’s hosting A new council was elected with John Drummond as President organisation for their efforts and support in ensuring the and Jennie McCormick was elected Fellow of the Society. conference was an enjoyable and successful occasion. We would also like to acknowledge assistance provided by the The Annual report was passed. Simon Lowther, Treasurer Hawkes Bay Holt Planetarium, AstroNZ, Baylis Bros, the reported that our current Auditor has moved to Melbourne Hawkes Bay Branch of RSNZ, Graham Palmer Photography, and we will be engaging new auditor AshtonWheelans for Easyprint and Pink Total Transport. the remainder of the year. John McCay was reappointed as Honorary Solicitor. I would also like to take this opportunity of thanking the other members of the SCC: Warwick Kissling, Orlon Petterson, Steve Butler reported on the International Year of Light. Gordon Hudson and Dennis Goodman for the work they have RASNZ and the Dark skies Group are a recognized supporter put into ensuring that the RASNZ conference is a success and of the International Year of Light. enjoyed by all who attend. In general business the meeting proposed a change to the RASNZ 2016 Conference and Astrophotography Workshop Society rules regarding the outgoing presidents. The society will now have an immediate past president, to allow members Receipts RASNZ Conference to easily recognize the past, present and future roles as who to Subsidy from RASNZ ...... 2,000.00 approach if a specifi c need arises. RSNZ Hawkes Bay ...... 500.00 Graham Blow Fund ...... 1,329.25 The meeting closed with a special mention to long standing Sponsorships ...... 945.00 member Norman Dickie, who has been a member since 1945. Registrations ...... 15,772.99 Unfortunately he could not attend this year’s meeting. Dinner ...... 4,700.00 Nichola Van der Aa Mail CD ...... 45.00 Total ...... $25,292.24 Council Activities During 2016 Receipts Astrophotography Workshop The Council business activity is conducted throughout the year Registrations ...... $1,520.00 by email. We meet once a year at the Annual Conference. In 2016 it was held in Napier. Payments RASNZ Conference Venue hire & Catering ...... 11,325.66 KINGDON-TOMLINSON TRUST GRANTS Display boards ...... 184.00 Grants from the Kingdon-Tomlinson trust are available for the Dinner ...... 5,360.02 promotion of Astronomy in New Zealand. These continue to Printing & stationery ...... 669.57 be available two times a year, with applications being accepted Michele Bannister...... 2,827.99 1st May and 1st November. Accommodation ...... 417.00 Excursion costs ...... 60.00 The following grant was made during 2016. Bank fees ...... 20.00 Steven Chadwick, Horowhenua Astronomical Society - $711 Mail out CDs ...... 45.00 towards a ADM Dovetail Bar Plate to enable the Lunt to attach Total ...... $20909.24 to carry out daytime viewings. Payments Astrophotography Workshop GIFFORD-EIBY MEMORIAL LECTURESHIP GRANTS Venue – Holts Planetarium ...... 400.00 Affi liated Societies can apply for grants from this fund to assist Paypal fees ...... 10.00 the speaker with travel costs for lectures and workshops. The Travel costs ...... 680.00 lecture should have at least 20 attending or 4 for workshops. Food ...... 236.81 Stationery ...... 102.02 Grant made during 2016 was for Horowhenua Astronomical Total ...... $1428.83 Society; $448 for Mike Broughton to speak at Stellarfest.

56, 1, 2017 March Page 25 RASNZ Annual Report of Council for 2016

MURRAY GEDDES PRIZE 2015 to provide advice for anyone seeking it so please do not be The Murray Geddes Memorial Prize is awarded by the RASNZ diffi dent in making submissions. to a person or persons for contributions to astronomy in New Bob Evans, Editor Zealand. In 2016 it was awarded to Dave Cochrane from Kiwi Star Optics for his national and international contribution to NEWSLETTER optics. Of note is that he is heavily involved with the optics of Twelve monthly Newsletters totalling 144 pages were issued the prime focus corrector for the William Herschel telescope, during 2016. These went by email to 190 RASNZ members; which includes a lens 1100 mm in diameter, one of the largest by post to three RASNZ members; by email to 25 local lenses ever made anywhere astronomical societies or groups, and to 238 non-members. As Nichola Van der Aa well the Newsletter is available on the RASNZ’s webpage.

The Newsletter Editor is grateful for the continuing contributions Affi liated Societies Representatives’ Report from Brian Loader, for solar system notes and Warwick We start this report with an update on our member societies. Kissling for Conference information. Karen Pollard kindly First of all we are delighted to have the North Otago forwarded press releases from the American Astronomical Astronomical Society now affi liated with us. It is great to see Society and Alan Baldwin provided variable star news. new groups of enthusiasts getting together. Unfortunately it is not always the way things work out. We are very sad to Peter Jaquiery posts the Newsletters to the RASNZ’s webpage. report that the South Canterbury Astronomers Group Inc. has Canterbury University’s email service provided the distribution been formally wound up due to a shortage of people available until it was moved to MailChimp.com at the end of the year. to form a committee for the society. Assets of the group were disposed of and all of the societies fi nancial commitments Alan Gilmore, Editor were paid. The funds remaining were then donated to several astronomical societies and to the RASNZ (to the Graham Blow Fund for supporting SWAPA students to conferences). We are RASNZ Lecture Trust Inc. ashamed to admit that we were not aware of the straits the The purpose of the Trust is to promote and extend the public’s South Canterbury Astronomers Group Inc. were in. We plea to knowledge of astronomy and related sciences by way of any other societies that if your society, or another astronomical arranging, on an annual basis, for an international speaker to society you know of, face similar diffi culties, tell us so that we deliver a series of public lectures known as the Beatrice Hill can help. We also note with regret the departure of the Phoenix Tinsley (BHT) Lectures. Astronomical Society from our affi liated societies group. Dr. Michael Person, Research Astronomer in MIT’s Planetary Special events have continued to be well supported this year Astronomy Laboratory, and Director of MIT’s George R. with good attendance at North and South Island Stardates, Wallace Astrophysical Observatory was our 2016 lecturer Stellarfest and the Central Star Party. I strongly recommend delivering nine lectures entitled “The Science of Pluto”.He that you arrange to attend one or more of these events or any discussed the history of Pluto science starting with the discovery other specially organised event. Perhaps your society would of Pluto, through to the discovery and characterisation of its like to host a star party. Your affi liated societies reps are here atmosphere and moons, to provide context to the discoveries to help societies increase membership numbers in any way we of 2015. Focusing on his own experiences aboard the SOFIA can. Remember, a society is only as strong as its membership. aircraft, and the New Horizons fl yby, he discussed the explosion We are not experts by any means but we do have organisational of Pluto knowledge during 2015/2016, and its context in our experience and can help with anything from management understanding of the outer solar system. issues to arranging guest speakers using the Gifford Eiby Fund. All you have to do is ask. Michael’s itinerary took him to Auckland, New Plymouth, Napier, Levin, Wellington, Nelson, Christchurch and Dunedin. Now is a good time for Societies to check their details In each centre, Michael was hosted by the local astronomical on RASNZ’s web site: http://www.rasnz.org.nz/AffSocs/ society which is responsible for arranging the venue and Societies/. Send any updates to [email protected] or advertising for the lecture and accommodation for the [email protected]. speaker. Whilst in Wellington, he was also a guest speaker at Peter Jaquiery the biennial conference for New Zealand Science Educators. Gary Sparks During the tour, Michael had a total audience of approximately 650 people. Publications SOUTHERN STARS Members of the Lecture Trust (appointed by Council) for Four editions were again published during the year with a total 2015-17 are: Richard Easther, Bob Evans, John Hearnshaw, of 98 pages. There were eleven papers, two reviews and nine Peter Jaquiery, Glen Rowe and Gary Sparks. Glen Rowe reports continued as Chair, Gary Sparks is Secretary and Bob Evans is Treasurer. The Trust’s business is largely carried out by e-mail Contributions were very much appreciated. Nevertheless even whilst the AGM is held as a face-to-face meeting during the more material for publication is wanted. I am always ready RASNZ conference (quorum permitting).

Page 26 Southern Stars RASNZ Annual Report of Council for 2016

Finally, the Trustees would like to acknowledge the generosity Martin Vanko of the Astronomical Institute of the Slovak of the Trust’s sponsor, without whom this lecture tour would Academy of Sciences. Martin is interested in the analysis not be possible. of O-C diagrams of transiting exoplanets and their radial Glen Rowe, Chair velocities. The VSS group headed by Phil Evans is monitoring a number of poorly investigated southern transiting exoplanets. As well as this work Phil is also assisting Eugene Sokov of the Section Reports Pulkova Observatory of the Russian Academy of Sciences with VARIABLE STARS SOUTH observations of transiting exoplanets. He is also an amateur During 2016 the section continues to be active in all aspects member of the KELT survey (see Google for details) of variable star astronomy: visual, CCD, DSLR, PEP; the checking exoplanet candidates. analysis of measures where appropriate and the supply of these to other groups Binary - Carl Knight Pulkovo Observatory, St. Petersburg, Russia approached VSS A much more detailed report was presented for the 2015 year for observations of binary asteroids. Observations are in Rc and this serves as a useful background to this report. It may be and cadence has been poor due to the never-ending Spring of accessed at: http://www.variablestarssouth.org/annualreport2015 2016. Carl Knight observed 2121 Sevastopol from August 2016 until November 2016; 4963 Kanroku from September Thanks are due to Mark Blackford, David O’Driscoll and 2016 until November 2016; 1139 Atami from November other helpers who organised Symposium Four of Variable until the present and observations are continuing. The Stars South, also to everyone who presented papers at an broad goals of the Pulkovo scientists are to establish more extremely interesting conference. We all enjoyed NACAA accurate ephemerides, fi nd more accurate orbital periods for which was more general in its presentations. This was a very the components, refi ne rotation periods for the individual successful pair of meetings and I and others were impressed components, and possibly 3D model the objects based upon by the variety of presentations and the standard of activities the modulation of the light curves, i.e., produce an object with which they described. Apart from the eleven papers and fi ve a shape and pattern that reproduces the light curve. poster papers at VSSS4 a further eleven papers were presented Highlights have been unexpected occultations that caused by our members at the main NACAA conference. A pleasing some animated email exchanges and also fi nding my rotation aspect was a more active visual observers’ presence with two periods are close to or zero in, on those of NASA JPL Minor spoken papers and a poster paper at VSSS4 and another spoken Planet Centre for 2121 Sevastopol and 1139 Atami. Peter paper at NACAA. CCD and DSLR photometry papers were, Jacquiery also observed 2121 Sevastopol on one night. as usual, varied and interesting. Some are accessible at http://variablestarssouth.org/all-jdownloads/viewcategory/ Other Projects 153-vss-symposium-4 The long term project involving QZ Carinae is now producing detailed physical information about this massive double binary In 2016 four quarterly newsletters were published with a total system and a major paper has been completed and submitted of 136 pages and an average downloading of 369 per issue. for publication. Ed Budding, Mark Blackford, Roger Butland Our thanks to the editor, Phil Evans. Many of the articles and Stan Walker are the principle investigators in this. As well, dealing with individual stars are accessible through Google a 2017 project will begin in March with the goal of establishing and similar. Various articles by the observers mentioned in a full record of the eclipse shape, ingress, egress and totality this report made interesting reading but we must also thank which requires observers in New Zealand, Australia, southern Mati Morel for regular contributions of articles about little Africa and southern South America. Preliminary results are known variables. being received at the time of this report.

The website currently provides over 500 pages of content The V777 project was also successful but publication has been across multiple programmes and projects. There are over 1100 delayed due to delay in analysing an out-of-eclipse spectrum downloadable fi les across 149 categories which have been provided by Paul Luckas. Mark Blackford, David Moriarty, downloaded 139,985 times in total! 2017 will see a major Carl Knight and BSM South from Arne Henden contributed upgrade to the website to bring its underlying software up to measures to be used in conjunction with earlier Auckland date. Observatory measures.

Our visual observers continue to monitor a wide range of Miras, Various observers have provided the following details of semi-regulars, cataclysmic variables, R Coronae Boealis stars, measures made on existing projects: longer period Cepheids and others of interest. Observations are sent to the International Database. These have been used Tom Richards in a number of papers during the year, including several at The eclipsing binaries I had under observation in 2016 were VSSS4/NACAA and one in Southern Stars. YY Aps, V901 Cen, TU CMa, NSV 1000, DI Mic, BR Mus, TV Mus, EZ Oct, GZ Pup, CP Scl, and FM Vel. In all cases Exoplanets - Phil Evans minima estimates were made, to be reported in an upcoming In the latter half of 2016 VSS commenced a new exoplanet publication, and for O-C analysis with historical data. In project in conjunction with professional astronomer several cases multi-band data were obtained for astrophysical modelling.

56, 1, 2017 March Page 27 RASNZ Annual Report of Council for 2016

Mark Blackford Phil Evans, our editor in Rarotonga, mentions the weather The EB and EW Binaries Project received DSLR observations there; ideal for tourist by day but too cloudy for astronomy from the following: at night. So he decided on a remote observatory where Mark Blackford: NT Aps, RR Cen, BO Ind, MW Pav, the weather was friendlier. El Sauce is a mountain about V0386 Pav, EE Aqr, V0505 Sgr, CN Hyi, RS Sgr, V0716 Cen. 90 kilometres by road from Vicuna in Chile. The site itself Neil Butterworth: QX Vel, V1055 Sco, V0610 Ara, QZ Lup, is at 30°.471S and 70°.765W and the altitude just under 1600 V0833 Sco, V0711 CrA. metres. The two photos below show the site and telescope - for more details select: http://variablestarssouth.org/component/ Mark also collected DSLR observations of: jdownloads/fi nish/6-newsletters/1572-vss-newsletter-january- QZ Car (QZ Car Project led by Stan Walker and Ed Budding) 2017?Itemid=77 It has recently become operational and we HX Vel, V0454 Car (Burcu Ozkardes) hope in the 2017 report to include some interesting results. η Mus, V0831 Cen, GG Lup, RS Sgr (Ed Budding) KX Vel (Pavel Mayer) Six formal papers were published in 2016 and one is in that V0777 Sgr (Stan Walker) process:

Neil Butterworth Margaret Streamer, Terry Bohlsen and Yenal Ogmen, EB and EW stars: DE Mic, ε CrA, V0878 Ara, V0954 Sco and (2016), Analysis of Pulsating Components in the Eclipsing UX Ret. Binary Systems LT Herculis, RZ Microscopii, LY Puppis, Cepheids: β Dor, ST Pup, RS Pup, l Car, U Car, BG Cru. V632 Scorpii, and V638 Scorpii. JAAVSO, 44, 39. Miras and Semi-regular Stars: BH Cru, R Cen, T Cen, L2 Pup. Moriarty, D.J.W., (2016), Period Analysis, Photometry and Roy Axelsen Astrophysical Modelling of the Contact Eclipsing Binary δ Scuti stars: AD CMi, V703 Sco and RS Gru BC Gruis. JAAVSO, 44, 10-17.

Carl Knight Roy A. Axelsen and Tim Napier-Munn, (2016), The High JH measures of Betelgeuse Amplitude delta Scuti Star AD CMi. JAAVSO, 44, 119.

David Benn Blackford, M. G, Butland, R J, Budding, E., (2016), The AD L2 Pup, R Car, η Car Binary in the Multiple System η Mus. IBVS 6171, 1.

Richards, Tom; Blackford, Mark; Butterworth, Neil; Evans, Phil; Jenkins, Robert, (2015), Southern Eclipsing Binary Minima and Light Elements. OEJV, August 2016.

Stan Walker, Neil Butterworth, Terry Bohlsen, Giorgio di Scala, Peter Williams, (2016), The Multiple Periods of L2 Puppis, Southern Stars, 55 (4), December.

Roy Axelson has a paper on an aspect of DSLR methodology from the data on V703 Sco, which has been accepted pending editing by JAAVSO. It should appear this year, hopefully by about mid year.

An aerial view of the El Sauce Observatory site. Phil’s Outreach observatory is the slide-off roof structure at the left. Alan Baldwin reports: In the VSS Section Newsletter, issued four times a year, there have been a number of articles on analysis of binary star systems e.g. a series on analytical procedures by Tom Richards and analysis of long period variables, e.g. by Aline Homes et al, Mati Morel, Stan Walker et al, etc. A number of articles have been published in journals by VSS associates. See above. To publicise Variable Stars South in the wider astronomical community we have provided regular news items on variable star work and discoveries in the RASNZ monthly Electronic Newsletter. This Newsletter is also available to the general public on the RASNZ website. The VSS Google Group has allowed discussion and advice to people who avail themselves of its wide community of interest.

The telescope: Planewave CDK14, STT-1603, FW8G Paul Luckas organised a successful RR Lyrae observational fi lter wheel and guider and AO-8. project with some secondary school students in Perth.

Page 28 Southern Stars RASNZ Annual Report of Council for 2016

Further details may be accessed at http://variablestarssouth. are published on the Section’s website but this has also lagged org/component/jdownloads/finish/6-newsletters/1569-vss- many months behind schedule this year. newsletter-july-2016?Itemid=77 Carl Knight is at present involved in a similar exercise with a student group in the The Section also supports the international publication of the Manawatu area. Journal of Occultation Astronomy. Three issues were published Stan Walker, Director in 2016 and these are also available for the membership through the secure section of the website.

OCCULATION SECTION The Section seeks to promote the professional publication of Section Matters and Acknowledgements occultation science conducted by members. In 2016, there 2016 has been a very successful year for the RASNZ were fewer papers published than recent years but a number Occultation Section with high levels of observational activity are in preparation and are expected to be published in 2017. yielding signifi cant science results in cooperation with The science results of individual members that have recently professional researchers. Some of these are highlighted below. been published in professional journals are as outlined below: That said, there are still major hurdles to overcome with the fi nancial management of the section still not fully transitioned Loader B., et al, Lunar Occultation Observations of Double following the passing of Graham Blow although some progress Stars, Report #5, Journal of Double Star Observations, 12, (2), on this matter is being made at the time of writing. University of Southern Alabama, 1 February 2016. http://www.jdso.org/volume12/number2/Loader_143_158.pdf As has always been the case, much of the effectiveness of the Section has been due to the substantial network of people Sicardy B., Talbot J., et al, Pluto’s Atmosphere from the 2015 across New Zealand and Australia carrying out a range of roles June 29 Ground-Based Stellar Occultation at the Time of the across the maintenance of the Section’s website, promotion New Horizons Flyby, ApJLetters. American Astronomical of specifi c occultations and the processing of observational Society, 10 March 2016. results. That said, the section remains behind on the schedule http://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/2041-8205/819/2/L38/meta of publishing observations both in the Section’s circulars and on its website. Meetings TTSO10 The Director is indebted to a number of key members of the The principal meeting conducted by the Section in 2016 Section for the generous help and advice over the year. In was the Tenth Trans-Tasman Symposium on Occultations particular: (TTSO10). This was conducted in conjunction with the • Murray Forbes for his efforts in the ongoing 2016 NACAA (National Australian Convention of Amateur preparation and publication of the Section’s newsletter Astronomers) held in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. and covering a range of administrative matters. TTSO10 saw approximately 24 attendees catching up on • Brian Loader for his ongoing coordination of recent observational results, upcoming events and talks on double star lunar occultation observations from around some interesting developments with cameras and equipment. the world and lunar occultation generally from within The programme for TTSO10 can be seen at New Zealand and assistance with a wide range of http://www.occultations.org.nz/meetings/TTSO10/TTSO10.htm. administrative matters. The papers and some photos were included on the DVD • Dave Gault for his coordination of lunar occultation published for the overall NACAA. observations from Australia. • Peter Litwiniuk, Greg Bolt and John Sunderland for Planning is underway for TTSO11 to occur in Dunedin in May the considerable body of work required to maintain the 2017 in conjunction with the RASNZ conference. planetary occultation prediction pages on the Sections website. Lucky Star • John Homes for his contributions in updating the The Occultation Section director and two other members section’s website with planetary occultation results. were invited to attend a week-long meeting at the Paris • Chris Douglas and Darren Corbett for managing the Observatory in Paris, France in April 2016. Bruno Sicardy of webcasting of TTSO10 in Sydney. Paris Observatory leads a group that were successful in gaining • All the members and observers across New Zealand funding for a multi-year campaign to study Trans-Neptunian and Australia contributing to the advancement of objects and Centaur asteroids using occultation techniques occultation astronomy and supporting the Section. with an emphasis on monitoring the atmosphere of objects such as Pluto and the rings around centaurs including Chariklo. Publications Efforts continue to draw down the backlog of observational The Occultation Section has a long history of involvement reports to be published in the Section’s newsletter. A single with Paris Observatory on these types of observations and edition was issued in 2016 (CN2013-2) largely covering while there are no immediate changes to how observations are planetary occultation observations from the second half of to be gathered, the ‘Lucky Star’ programme brings increased 2013. These publications are now strictly electronic and professional support and interest to the programme. available to the membership through a secured section of the Sections website. First pass results of planetary occultations

56, 1, 2017 March Page 29 RASNZ Annual Report of Council for 2016

Following up on this, there were a number of occultation with an estimated separation of only 0.05” (seconds of arc). opportunities across New Zealand and Australia through 2016. 2016 October 13. (268) Adorea occults HIP 49669 (Regulus). Observers from France attended a number of sites as part of As a clear demonstration of what is possible with a bit of the campaign and some signifi cant results were obtained as travel and luck with the weather, David and Joan Dunham outlined below. travelled to Lulu Plantation on the island of New Ireland in north eastern Papua New Guinea and observed an occultation of the fi rst magnitude star Regulus. In the process, they have Observational Results confi rmed that it has a very close 11th magnitude companion Planetary Occultations previously suspected. Planetary occultation observing continues to be a strong focus for the section with 2016 being a very successful year Lunar Occultations with a record number of 69 positive planetary occultations Lunar occultation observing continues to enjoy resurgence observed. The previous record was 58 in 2014. Included in thanks to the interest in discovering and measuring close these were several high profi le events related to the ‘Lucky double stars using the technique. With improved lunar Star’ programme outlined above as well as a number of events limb data from recent space missions, the potential is there where a signifi cant number of chords resulted in important for even further new types of fi ndings to be made from this results. Some highlights for the year include: observing technique.

Several Events. (10199) Chariklo. During 2016, the section received observations for 1277 lunar Chariklo is a key object in the ‘Lucky Star’ programme and occultations; 1010 disappearances against a dark limb and with 2016 offering a signifi cant number of events across New 267 reappearances. Eight observers contributed to this pool Zealand and Australia, it was a key target for several campaigns consisting of three from New Zealand and fi ve in Australia. by the Occultation Section although many of the events involved This is an increase in results but involve fewer observers than faint stars restricting the observations to larger telescopes and in 2015. more sensitive cameras. Brian Loader monitored a number of events from Darfi eld and Mt John Observatory and recorded Only two lunar grazing occultations have been reported to the positive occultations on the 12th of June and 15th of August Section in 2016 and both on the same day but different stars. although the June observation may prove to be spurious; easy 30 March 2016 –Dave Herald operated a single station graze to do with a 16th magnitude star. Dave Herald observed an observation from Murrumbatemen, New South Wales. occultation on the 10th of August from Murrumbateman, NSW. 30 March 2016 – Brian Loader observes a graze of a double Dave Gault, Tony Barry and Rob Horvat observing from the star from Darfi eld on the South Island. Blue Mountains in New South Wales appears to have captured very two short occultations due to the rings around Chariklo Dave Gault has continued to provide technical support to on the 20th of August without the main body of Chariklo new observers taking up occultations science in the middle being involved. And fi nally, on October 1st, Steve Kerr in east and Iran in particular. This follows on from connections Rockhampton, Queensland observed a clear occultation by made when Mohammad Mirbaghiri attended TTSO6 in both Chariklo and its rings while Andrew Cool and Blair Lade Brisbane in 2012. observing from Adelaide in South Australia also recorded the main occultation but could not detect the rings. Many other Membership and Finance observers have been involved in this campaign and it is likely As outlined in the Annual Report to Council in 2015, the that the overall results will be prepared as a professional paper Section’s Paypal account has remained inaccessible and as at some time in the future. the usual channel for the collection of membership fees, it was inoperable. For this reason, there was no attempt to 2016 February 8. (344) Desiderata occults TYC 1984-01993-1 prompt members for renewals. Two members did however David and Joan Dunham operated fi ve cameras across choose to renew of their own accord and make donations. inland Western Australia with four of the cameras reporting While the money remains inaccessible, it is not lost. occultations well spaced across the profi le of the asteroid. Clearly (344) Desiderata is a mildly elongated object. Historically, membership has been charged at NZ$35 per year. This covered a range of costs including the website, 2016 July 11. (350) Ornamenta occults TYC 5024-00451-1. support for JOA (Journal of Occultation Astronomy, an Across both Islands of New Zealand, Peter Graham, Murray international journal that the Occultation Section fi nancially Forbes, Graeme McKay, Bill Allen and Gordon Hudson supports) and costs for webcasting at TTSO meetings. With observed this occultation while Brian Loader and Diana newsletters now largely electronic and the backing of the Watson reported misses. Combining these observations show received bequest from Graham Blows estate, it is intended a very strong correlation with the shape models developed for to review the membership fee structure with an aim to cover (350) Ornamenta. recurring costs without resorting to the bequest amount. JOA costs have been irregular this year as there were only three 2016 August 5. (511) Davida occults TYC 5597-01223-1. issues published in 2016. Dave Herald (Murrumbateman, NSW) and John Newman (Canberra, ACT) both observed this occultation to discover Outlined below are the income and expenditure items for the that the star is in fact a previously unrecognised close double Section in 2016:

Page 30 Southern Stars RASNZ Annual Report of Council for 2016

Item Amount Opening Bank Balance ...... $6112.55 Opening Paypal Balance ...... $475.09 TOTAL ...... $6,587.64 ...... Memberships and Donations ...... $120.00 Profi t from TTSO9 ...... $447.05 Interest ...... $12.72 Bank / Paypal Fees ...... $0.00 Domain name registration ...... ($24.73) ...... Closing Bank Balance ...... $6,597.59 Comet 29P (Schwassmann-Wachmann) Closing Paypal Balance ...... $ 475.09 in outburst. Image: John Drummond TOTAL ...... $7,072.68 Profi t/(Loss) ...... $ 485.04 In addition, 29P (Schwassmann-Wachmann) underwent periodic outbursts. In August 2016 the author detected a Steve Kerr, Director minor outburst with a 35-cm diameter telescope and CCD. Additionally Grant Christie and Jennie McCormick have been taking of this interesting comet. Richard Miles, COMET and METEOR SECTION director of the Asteroids and Remote Planets Section of the 2016 saw remarkably few brighter than magnitude 12 British Astronomical Association has been monitoring this (visual) as seen from New Zealand. The vast majority were weird comet for a number of years and was very pleased periodic comets - those trapped by the Sun’s gravity in an to receive these observations, complimenting these New elliptical and which make regular returns to the inner Zealanders on their important scientifi c input. solar system (see Table 1). A number of New Zealand astronomers Max Peaked ~ Peaked in Discovery Comet Designation imaged and submitted visual/astrometric Mag (2016) Date Mag observations of the above comets during 252P LINEAR (P) 4 March Octans Sept 2015 ~22 the year, as well as fainter ones. It was C/2013 X1 PanSTARRS (P) 6 June Microscopium 4 Dec 2013 20.2 encouraging to see NZ observers getting astrometry on southern comets (and some 81P Wild (P) 10 July Leo 6 Jan 1978 ? asteroids) that our northern cousins can’t. 9P Tempel 1 (P) 10 July Virgo 3 Apr 1867 ? Observations, comet images and astrometry Wolf-Harrington of southern comets are always encouraged 43P 10 August Gemini 22 Dec 1924 ? (P) and appreciated, especially newly discovered Honda-Mrkos- ones so that orbital elements can be calculated 45P 7 Dec Capricornus 3 Dec 1948 ? Pajdusakova (P) and/or tweaked. A list of key NZ observers is found in Table 2. From Table 1: Comets brighter than magnitude 12 as seen from New Zealand. Data http://www.minorplanetcenter.net/iau/ based on Seiichi Yoshida’s comet page (http://www.aerith.net/index.html) and special/residuals.txt ). GUIDE 9 software. (A) = amateur discovery, (P) = professional discovery. Some people got out and observed some of the major (Class I) Obs Code Observatory Observer Nbr Obs’n meteor showers such as the Eta Aquarids and Orionids (both in 2016 of which originate from the orbital peppering of Halleys 474 Mt John Obs., Alan Gilmore / 938 Comet) and less active Class II showers. Meteor observing Tekapo Pam Kilmartin is constantly encouraged, particularly due to our ability to E94 Possum Obs., John Drummond 206 observe and provide science on southern radiants that Northern Gisborne Hemisphere observers would love to watch. The main website that we get information about radiants, how to observe, E85 Farm Cove Obs., Jennie McCormick 103 online observation forms, etc is the International Meteor Auckland Organisation (http://www.imo.net/). Also watch the RASNZ 467 Auckland Obs., Grant Christie et al 42 website for updates about brighter comets and forthcoming Auckland meteor showers. We also converse via the Yahoo Group, New E89 Geyserland Obs., Rolf Carstens 17 Zealand Astronomers (http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/ Rotorua nzastronomers/). If you’re interested in joining, so as to learn TOTAL 1306 more about and observe comets and meteors, email me at [email protected] Table 2: List of NZ comet and asteroid observations submitted to the The International Astronomical Union Minor Planet Centre John Drummond, Director in 2016.

56, 1, 2017 March Page 31 RASNZ Annual Report of Council for 2016

AURORA AND SOLAR SECTION The annual RASNZ astrophotography contest in 2016 was well During the year 2016, 21 Aurorae, 3 of them active, were supported with 63 entries. Astroimaging legend Peter Ward reported to the Section by 13 observers. 872 observations of from Australia did a fantastic job at judging and offered many the Sun were reported by 9 observers. The aurorae were fed useful insights regarding the entries. Thanks to the RASNZ by mainly trans-equatorial coronal holes allowing material to for providing some fi nancial support for this competition. The escape from the Sun and reach Earth’s upper atmosphere. They placements for the various sections were – were generally quiet glows, not over bright, only sometimes Deep Sky: displaying rays. 1st Amit Kamble, 2nd Paul Stewart, 3rd Stefan Krivan Picturesque: Some days in June the Sun was observed to be showing no 1st Amit Kamble, 2nd Greg Stevens, 3rd Jonathan Green spots, and on each ensuing month some spotless days were Scientifi c: seen. We are gradually heading for Solar Minimum. 1st Paul Stewart, 2nd Jim McAloon, 3rd Shaun Fletcher Solar System: Twelve monthly Newsletters were circulated, and two Circulars. 1st Paul Stewart, 2nd Maurice Collins, 3rd Shaun Fletcher Circular 35 detailed auoral and solar observations for the years 2014 and 2015, and Circular 36 detailed observations for 2016. The Auckland Astronomical Society also ran its annual Harry All of the Section’s Circulars are now on the RASNZ website Williams Astrophotography Competition in 2016 with many at http://www.rasnz.org.nz/aurora-solar-section-circulars. stunning images being submitted. Congratulations to Amit These detail observations from 1979 March to 2016 December. Kamble for taking home the Harry Williams trophy. Many thanks to Jonathan Green and the Burbidge team for their During the year, I informed the council of my intention to fantastic efforts! relinquish my directorship of the Section at the end of 2016. I have now done so. In February 2017, the Section was wound The Horowhenua Astronomical Society ran another successful up. A new section has been formed, known as the Space astrophotography camp at Foxton Beach later in the year. It Weather Section, under the directorship of Damian McNamara. was well attended and much useful imaging and processing Bob Evans information was shared via talks and also at the camera under the stars. Many thanks to Steve Chadwick and the Horowhenua ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY SECTION team for organising this. 2016 was another busy year for New Zealand astrophotographers. Many imagers across our fair land have produced outstanding In regards to fi nance, the only fi nances expended were in images that rival those of top astrophotographers on foreign relation to the May 2016 astrophotography workshop. The shores. A range of targets have graced New Zealand imaging registration money raised was used to pay for the use of the forums: from the Sun and Moon, to wide-angle vistas of the venue, speaker’s fees, food for breaks, stationery, etc. (See Milky Way with beautifully composed foregrounds, to smaller- page 25.) Jonathan Green very kindly made a donation for angled prime focus shots of clusters, nebulae and galaxies. food and also donated his speaker’s fee to the RASNZ SWAPA The above-mentioned photos are regularly posted on the New scheme (see the President’s report). Zealand Astronomers Yahoo group (http://tech.groups.yahoo. com/group/nzastronomers/) or on Jonathan Green’s Facebook Astrophotography continues to show growth across New page, Aotearoa Astrophotography: https://www.facebook.com/ Zealand. If you’re interested in joining this section that has AotearoaAstrophotography. a passion to hunt down and image those fascinating celestial wonders overhead email John at [email protected]. A number of astrophotographers are availing themselves of the astrophotography specifi c imaging processing software John Drummond, Director PixInsight. This highly powerful tool is replacing Photoshop as the weapon of choice in the attempt to create the best images that available photons can produce. Most of the world’s top EDUCATION GROUP imagers are using it almost exclusive of other software. Indeed, The RASNZ Education Group has had a quiet year with no when I organised the 2016 RASNZ Astrophotography Section major events or activities to speak of. Individual members of workshop that immediately followed the highly successful the group come from up and down the country and are each RASNZ conference in Napier, the main topic of talks was involved in astronomy and education in a variety of ways both about PixInsight. During this workshop New Zealand imaging professionally and on a voluntary basis. extraordinaire Rolf Olsen guided the twenty attendees through some of the simply stunning tools that this software affords. We continue to host a website with up to date news and event Rolf is known internationally for his incredibly long exposures promotion with content relevant to NZ educators and students. of selected targets. His Centaurus-A photo is the deepest In addition to this, our facebook page continues to increase in image of this energetic galaxy ever. Rolf used PixInsight to popularity and regular updates are put up on our page. Most process the 120-hours of data. Of note is that many of the of our content comes from other sites and is consolidated to astrophotography articles in astronomy magazines such as Sky be relevant for our followers. Some content is written by our and Telescope and Astronomy are in relation to processing members and there is scope to do more of this and we invite images in PixInsight. For more information about PixInsight anyone to contribute in this way. go to https://www.pixinsight.com/.

Page 32 Southern Stars RASNZ Annual Report of Council for 2016

Our members have been stretched for time and commitment Red Zone Dark Sky Park. Two RASNZ Members, John but we continue to have a network of passionate educators Hearnshaw and Steve Butler are on the Dark Sky Park who are waiting and willing to support teachers and students in subcommittee of the Greening the Red Zone committee. This whatever way possible. is related to the rehabilitation of the Red Zone created as a result of the Christchurch City earthquakes. We are currently looking at how to move forward with this group in a form that is sustainable into the future and we are Naseby. Advice and support are being given to a group looking for any new members who want to be a part of the next of Naseby residents who are working towards a Dark Sky phase to please come forward. Community in this Central Otago town. Ron Fisher, Convener Wai-iti Reserve, Nelson. Provided support to Ralph Bradley for Dark Sky Park, DARK SKIES GROUP General Charleville Cosmos Centre & Observatory, 1 Milky Way, 2016 has been marked by increased interest in protecting the Charleville Queensland, Australia. Provided advice and night environment, not only for astronomical interests but contacts with IDA for Dark Sky Community proposal. also on general protection and community promotions. There are now several community Dark Sky Place groups formed, Rakiura. Enquiry from Rakiura/Stewart Island promotions and a growing number of astro based tourist activity and staff about the formation of a Dark Sky Sanctuary was received accommodation based businesses around the country. late in the year.

2016 submissions Provided support to Dunedin Dark Skies Group for awards at A number of written and verbal submissions have been made the Dunedin “Light at Night Science Fair 2016” during the year. • June - Section 12 of the Mackenzie District Plan IESANZ Lighting Awards (Lighting) Two RASNZ Dark Sky awards were presented at the 2016 • July - Proposed National Policy Statement on IESANZ Lighting Awards. David Britten again judged the Urban Development Capacity entries and presented the Awards, this year in Christchurch. • September – Ministry for Environment and DOC My thanks go to David for his work and time commitment in – Conservation and Environment Science Roadmap this important cooperation with the NZ lighting industry. • October - Royal Society of New Zealand, RSNZ Fact Sheet on Climate Change and Health, related to Highly Commended: to Foster Recreation Park. Stage 1 Sports blue light LED health issues Park Lighting; Lighting Designer: C. Hoy; Company: Musco • October - “Pre-draft consultation comments” Lighting Australia Pty Ltd; Client: Selwyn District Council for Review of the Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park Management Plan Commended: to Wellington Public Trust Building Facade; • November – Submission to RSNZ, Constituent Lighting Designer: Greig Blackler and Sean Clancey; Organisations Forum regarding research into effects Company: Pacifi c Consultants; Client: Maurice Clark of of blue rich LED lighting. RSNZ have decided to Cheops Holdings Ltd produce a fact sheet on this topic. • December - South Taranaki District Council International Dark-Sky Association – IDA in conjunction with Hawera Astronomical Society March 2016 – Elizabeth Alvarez del Castillo, former Associate regarding introduction of LED lighting within the Director of the International Dark-sky Association and Member district. of the International Astronomical Union, visited New Zealand • December – Submission to New Plymouth and called to see John Hearnshaw and Steve Butler. District Council District Plan Review. General enquiries and meetings Community Dark Sky Developments • Steve Butler, nominated by Southland Branch Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Skies Reserve (AMIDSR) of Forest and Bird for Environment Southland - Management Board. RASNZ Past President John Hearnshaw Environment Awards, 2016 is the chair of the AMIDSR. Alan Gilmore is Manager of the • February. Submitted complaint to DOC Reserve and Board Secretary and Steve Butler serves as a regarding 2016 Tāmaki-Herenga-Waka Festival representative for the International Dark–Sky Association. which was celebrated by a very bright beam of light shining from the summit of Rangitoto Island. I was Dunedin City. The Dunedin Dark Skies Group, associated with impressed that DOC had monitored the display of the Dunedin Astronomical Society, and the Dunedin Lighting light. Response from DOC included report of effects Advisory Committee continue to advise and lobby Dunedin including disruption of sea birds fl ight and death of City Council on effective sky friendly lighting. Advice and insects at the light. The results indicate to me that support are being given from the RASNZ DSG. The City has bright light displays do impact on the environment. a potential goal to become a dark sky city. • April. Letter and articles to Associate Minister of Conservation regarding Healthy Nature, Healthy

56, 1, 2017 March Page 33 RASNZ Annual Report of Council for 2016

People, theme for Conservation Week. Outlined It should be noted that RASNZ is a constituent body of the issues of blue light on environment and people. Royal Society of New Zealand (RSNZ), with the RSNZ being • May. Media enquiries relating to new bright the adhering organization (i.e. it pays the national membership bollard lighting in Twizel. Incorrect installation and dues) to the International Astronomical Union (IAU). The products used. To be corrected. PAG chair is the RSNZ’s nominated contact person for matters • August. Enquiry from Department of dealing with the IAU. Conservation regarding outdoor lighting attracting moths at Hilary Outdoor Pursuits Centre. Forwarded RASNZ has had representation within the RSNZ through several research papers related to effects of lighting the RSNZ by occasional (approximately yearly) Constituent on invertebrates. Organisation Forum. In November 2016, the day-long Forum • September. Presentation at Dark Sky Forum at was held at the RSNZ offi ces in Wellington and was attended Tekapo. by Steve Butler (RASNZ). • Fifeshire Rock, Nelson. Provided advice to Functions of PAG: Nelson Branch of Forest and Bird related to night • The PAG makes recommendations (through the lighting of roosting shags on Fifeshire Rock near channel of the RSNZ) of the names of individuals in NZ Nelson Harbour. who are to be nominated for membership of the IAU. • Auckland Astronomical Society Dark Sky • The PAG recommends to the RSNZ the name of Survey arranged by Grant Christie has provided large one of its members who should be NZ representative numbers of results which can be mapped to Google at IAU General Assemblies, who will serve on various Maps. IAU committees and cast a vote for NZ at the IAU on • Sir Edmond Hillary Outdoor Pursuits Centre, motions proposed at IAU General Assemblies. (Such Sept 2016. Provided information on impacts to representatives normally receive RSNZ funding for their moths from outdoor lighting at the centre. participation at a General Assembly). • Support and input to Herald Article relating to • The PAG makes proposals to the IAU or to the RSNZ LED Replacements in Pututahi, Gisborne. for the sponsorship of astronomical conferences, which are proposed to be held in NZ. Presentations • The PAG raises any matter concerning astronomy of • Forest and Bird Southland interest to RASNZ or to the RSNZ and brings it to the • Conservation Week – DOC Invercargill attention of their respective councils. • Dark Sky Forum – Tekapo. • The PAG promotes the interests of astronomers, professional and amateur, in NZ, fosters the joint amateur- Steve Butler, Convenor, [email protected] professional symbiosis within RASNZ, and generally supports the aims of RASNZ in promoting astronomy in NZ, including teaching, research, public outreach PROFESSIONAL ASTRONOMERS GROUP in astronomy and support for amateur astronomy by The Professional Astronomers’ Group (PAG) within RASNZ professionals where appropriate. was formed in September 2010. Currently the PAG consists mainly of individual members of the IAU: a reasonable New Zealand’s individual IAU members: defi nition of a professional astronomer. The grouping operates Every three years, new nominations are made to the International very informally by occasionally exchanging information Astronomical Union for individual IAU membership. New by email, and specifi cally by the PAG chair distributing nominations for IAU membership will be requested in the lead information received from the IAU. Assoc Prof Karen Pollard up to the next General Assembly in Austria to be held in August (University of Canterbury) is the PAG chair for a three-year 2018. Generally these nominations are required by November term from 1st January 2014. the previous year (November 2017) and need to be approved by the national astronomy committee of that country (PAG). Although Karen Pollard was due to step down as chair in January 2017, this was delayed by the announcement during The number of IAU members in New Zealand is listed on the 2016 of a new professional astronomers grouping “Astro IAU website as 35 (see https://www.iau.org/administration/ Aotearoa” (AA) consisting of many of the same people as membership/national/members/43/members/ with 32 having the PAG. The AA had two day-long meetings in September listed contact details with the IAU. These contact details are and November 2016 in Auckland and Wellington. It appears able to be edited by only the IAU member themselves, or the unlikely that both the PAG and AA will continue in their current IAU membership secretary, and hence can sometimes become form, and it makes sense to look at ways to amalgamate these. out-of-date. It was hoped this would happen before 2017 when a PAG chair was to have been appointed, but this has not occurred to date. Membership of PAG: Since the AA is not a constituent organisation of the RSNZ, There are currently 33 members of the PAG who are IAU but the PAG within RASNZ is, there still needs to be some members and an additional 8 members who are not IAU discussion as to the role of the AA versus the PAG. It is hoped members. this discussion will take place during the next AA meeting in Christchurch in about April/May 2017. Karen Pollard, University of Canterbury, PAG Chair and RASNZ representative to the RSNZ

Page 34 Southern Stars outhern Stars is published quarterly in March, June, September and December. It is sent to all members and affi liated societies. Institutions and libraries may subscribe. Individuals Smay purchase single copies. Contact the Executive Secretary for information. Contributions The editor welcomes; RESEARCH PAPERS theoretical, observational, technical, historical, etc.; NEWS ARTICLES regarding recent events in NZ astronomy, discoveries, gatherings, awards, etc.; ANNUAL REPORTS from NZ astronomical institutions; REVIEWS of astronomical activities, sections, local/regional groups, personal, books, etc.; OBSERVERS’ FORUM particularly interesting photographs and/or descriptions. All contributions should be original; not (at least widely) having been published elsewhere. All correspondence regarding Southern Stars should be addressed to the editor: 15 Taiepa Road, Otatara R D 9, Invercargill 9879, New Zealand or [email protected].

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Sections Astrobiology Director Ms H Mogoşanu, 31E Patanga Crescent, Thorndon, Wellington, NZ http://astrobiology.kiwi Astrophotography Director Mr J Drummond, P O Box 113, Patutahi 4045, NZ http://www.rasnzaps.co.nz Comet and Meteor Director Mr J Drummond, P O Box 113, Patutahi 4045, NZ http://www.cometeor.co.nz Dark Skies Group Convenor Mr S C Butler, 30 Hoffman Court, Invercargill 9810, NZ http://www.rasnz.org.nz/groups-and-sections/dark-skies-group Education Section Convenor Mr R A Fisher, 39 Wilton St, Levin 5510, NZ. http://www.rasnz.org.nz/wiki/doku.php?id=education:start Occultation Director Mr S R Kerr, 22 Green Ave, Glenlee, Queensland 4711, Australia http://www.occultations.org.nz Professional Astronomers’ Group Ass. Prof. K R Pollard, Dep’t of Physics and Astronomy, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch 8140, NZ http://www.rasnz.org.nz/groups-and-sections/professional-astronomers-group Space Weather Director Damian McNamara, 16 Harlech St,Oamaru, 9400. [email protected] Variable Stars South Director Mr W S G Walker, P O Box 173, Awanui 0451, Far North, NZ http://www.variablestarssouth.org

Fellows Mr W H Allen Prof E Budding Dr G W Christie Mr R W Evans Mr A C Gilmore Prof. J B Hearnshaw Ms P M Kilmartin Mr B R Loader Ms J M McCormick Ass. Prof. K R Pollard Dr D J Sullivan Mr W S G Walker Prof. P C M Yock

Honorary Members Gerry Gilmore, FInstP, ScD, MAE, FRS Thomas Richards MA(Hons VUW), DPhil(Oxon)

Brian Warner BSc(Hons), PhD, DSc(London), MA, DSc(Oxon), Assoc RAS, FRSSAf, MASSAf

© Royal Astronomical Society of New Zealand 2017. Individual articles, illustrations, etc. remain the copyright of the author or photographer, whose permission must be obtained before reproduction. Page 35 Page 36 Southern Stars