H A M I L T O N A M A T E U R A S T R O N O M E R S
Volume 3 Issue 2 December 1995
Devillaer, Doug Welch and Grant Dixon Editorial for providing interesting presentations while we waited for Terry to arrive and don't know about everyone else set up. Thanks to Raechel Carson, Denise but I would really like to be Kaisler and Grant Dixon for looking after able to do some observing the sale table throughout the meeting. again one of these days. We Thanks to Bob Botts for coming to my have an interesting event taking place on Chair’s Report rescue and helping with Terry's slide December 9 as discussed in Rob Roy's projector. Thanks to everyone who came article on page 5. Those of you who do and brought their families. Thanks to can't think of a better way to not attend our meetings will not get this Grant Dixon for making sure everyone in summarize our November newsletter in time and I was tempted to the world knew about the meeting general meeting than: wow. leave out the article for that reason. So including the papers, TV and radio
before anyone complains about untimely stations. A final and special thank you to If you were there you know information I believe the article still has Grant Dixon for arranging Terry what I mean. If you missed it, picture value in showing yet another celestial Dickinson's appearance at this, our 2nd this: 140 people, Terry Dickinson, the event to watch out for. For those who are anniversary meeting! finest astrophotos ever and a chance to able, you may want to consider attending get autographed copies of some of the more meetings. The meeting was wildly best astronomy books available. successful on many levels and we have
If it is clear on the weekend ten new members because of it, as well! I Like I said: wow. before Christmas (new moon December am certain that the momentum started
22) I will be having a look at "Denise's with this first meeting of our third year So many people helped at the galaxy". Check out the article on page 2 will continue with us through the meeting, I'm afraid to mention names in and finder chart on page 3. upcoming year. case I inadvertently forget someone!
Anyway, here goes: thanks to Grant This will be the last newsletter After our very first meeting two Dixon, Bill Tekatch, Gary Sutton, Pat for anyone who hasn’t renewed their years ago, as we piled into a newly Durrell and everyone who pitched in to membership. The deadline was October opened restaurant in Dundas and settled help set up more chairs when the 31 but if you send in your renewal right in to our favourite beverages, Doug audience continued to grow beyond our now you won't miss a single issue. Welch proposed a toast to the Hamilton expectations. Thanks to Bob Botts, Mike Consider it as an early Christmas present Amateur to yourself. You can still ask Santa for all those eyepieces, filters, books, software, ... Inside This Issue As always, articles and pictures are appreciated and you don't need a q EDITORIAL q ASTEROID OCCULTATION modem or Internet connection to submit them. The article by David Fleming on page 6 was submitted via "snail mail", q CHAIR’S REPORT q COMET IMPACT scanned then converted into text using Optical Character Recognition (OCR) q DENISE’S GALAXY q COSMOLOGY software. Just make sure to submit early and often. q SWEATSHIRTS q HAJA
Happy (and clear) holidays, q JPL NEWS RELEASE q ROMAN AROUND Stewart Attlesey [email protected] q OFF THE BEATEN PATH q WEATHER AND ASTRONOMY
q WHAT’S YOUR I.O. q SHAKESPEARE Page 2 Event Horizon
Astronomers. It's a toast I've never actually seen it through a telescope, yet. forgotten because it has proven to be our My interest was piqued and I vowed to raison d'etre. He raised his glass and said: check into this peculiar astronomical Sweatshirts "Have fun!". object. Part 2, We are, Doug, we are!! The galaxy's common name is Perseus A. It has an NGC designation as Merry Christmas and a very well: NGC1275. Perseus A can be found Anyone? happy & prosperous New Year to at right ascension: 3h19.8' ; declination: everyone! +41degrees31minutes or about 2 degrees ur first order of sweatshirts east of the star called Algol in the didn't last very long! Many Ann Tekatch constellation Perseus. (Check out the people have expressed an Chair finder chart) interest in ordering more. If 575-5433 we can get a fe w more orders, [email protected] According to the NGC 2000 we can put in another order for 25. If you catalogue, Perseus A is small, (2.6' in want to reserve one, make sure you fill P.S. Make sure you check out our new diameter) and dim (visual magnitude out the form below or let me know. and improved home page! 11.6). As a comparison, the Ring Nebula (M57) in Lyra is 2.5' in diameter and has In case you missed the first http://www.science.mcmaster.ca/HAA/index.html a visual magnitude of 9.0. The dimmest order, here are the details again: Messier object, M76 (the so-called "Little Dumbbell Nebula") has a visual These 50% cotton/50% magnitude of 11.5, but is almost twice as polyester sweatshirts will feature the big as Perseus A at 4.8' across. The same yellow-gold logo plus the phrase surface brightness of M76 should "...resistance is futile" beneath it. They therefore be less than that of Perseus A. are available in black, white, red, grey, or If M76 is visible in an 8" telescope under dark blue. Sizes: Adult S, M, L or XL Denise’s Galaxy: dark skies- and it is because I've seen it (XXL available at $3 extra). If we get in my 8" scope - I would guess that orders for 25 sweatshirts, the cost will be Perseus A Perseus A would be visible also. $23. each including taxes. If you're interested, fill out the order form below Perseus A is a strong source of and hand it to me at the next general ne of the really neat things radio and X-ray emissions and is located meeting or mail it to me at my address about belonging to an about 300 million light years away from below. Once we have an indication that astronomy club is getting to us. It appears to consist of two galaxies enough people are interested, we can meet interesting people who actually passing through one another! place our order and collect payment. are doing interesting things. The radio waves being emitted from Perseus A have been traced to two lobes HAA SWEATSHIRT ORDER FORM Denise Kaisler is a graduate near the nucleus of the galaxy(ies) which student in the Physics & Astronomy orbit about a common centre of gravity in NAME: ______Department at McMaster University and only 10,000 years. is new to our council this year. She was ADDRESS:______the guest speaker at our general meeting I promised Denise that we'd find last April. You'll remember her brave her gala xy as soon as the next ______and witty presentation on astrology, I'm opportunity arose. It's been cloudy ever sure. (If that wasn't enough to convince since. PHONE: ______(DAYS) you that Denise is not an ordinary graduate student, then you should check Sorry, Denise, it doesn't look ______(EVE.) out her home page on the internet!) like galaxy -gazing was in your horoscope for November! However, I see a tall, SIZE: ______Anyway, I had a chance to talk dark telescope pointing towards Perseus to Denise at the October council meeting in your future.... COLOUR: ______and discovered that she's been doing some work on a peculiar galaxy in the Ann Tekatch Ann Tekatch constellation, Perseus. This galaxy 19 Pheasant Place sounded quite fascinating to me but Hamilton, Ontario L9A 4Y4 Denise wasn't sure whether it would be (905) 575-5433 visible in a backyard 'scope or not. In fact, she confessed that she hadn't Page 3 Event Horizon Page 4 Event Horizon
from much farther out in the Solar System The first two missions in the by the gravitational attraction of Jupiter in Discovery program will be launched in JPL News 1974. Stardust will approach as close as 1996, in February and December, 100 kilometers (62 miles) to the comet's respectively: the Near Earth Asteroid Release nucleus. Rendezvous, a small spacecraft that will orbit and study the asteroid Eros ontact: Diane Ainsworth, "Space scientists are intensely beginning in January 1999; and the Mars FOR IMMEDIATE interested in comets because we believe Pathfinder, designed to place a small RELEASE Nov. 22, 1995 that most of them are well-preserved lander and robotic rover on the surface of remnants from the earliest days of star and Mars in July 1997. COMET SAMPLE RETURN MISSION planetary formation," Huntress said. PICKED AS NEXT DISCOVERY "Stardust should also give us some unique Formally started in NASA's FY FLIGHT guidance about how to focus the science 1994 budget, the Discovery program we plan to conduct a few years later with features small planetary exploration A spacecraft designed to gather a surface lander on a different comet spacecraft with focused science goals samples of dust spewed from a comet during the international Rosetta mission." that can be built in 36 months or less, for and return the dust to Earth for detailed less than $150 million (FY '92 dollars), analysis has been selected to become the Stardust will be launched on an not including the cost of the launch fourth flight mission in NASA's expendable launch vehicle in February vehicle. The program grew out of a Discovery program. 1999 for a total mission cost to NASA in series of discussions and workshops that real-year dollars of $199.6 million. The NASA has held with the space science Known as Stardust, the mission also return capsule carrying the dust samples community. will gather and return samples of would parachute to Earth in a landing on a interstellar dust that the spacecraft dry Utah lake bed in January 2006. ##### encounters during its trip through the (Thanks to Doug Welch for passing Solar System to fly by a comet called Stardust will use an unusual material along this article. - Ed.) Wild-2 in January 2004. Stardust was called aerogel to capture the dust samples. one of three Discovery mission proposals This porous, extremely low density selected for further study as part of a material is somewhat like glass in that it is February 1995 announcement by NASA made of silica -- a pure form of sand -- that a Moon-orbiting mission called and it has about the same melting point. Lunar Prospector had been selected as Although aerogel does not absorb the third Discovery flight. moisture, the strangely fluorescent substance can absorb large amounts of gas "Stardust was rated highest in terms or particle matter due to its remarkable of scientific content and, when combined internal surface area. Off the Beaten with its low cost and high probability of success, this translates into the best The spacecraft will also carry an Path return on investment for the nation," said optical camera that should return Dr. Wesley T. Huntress Jr., NASA cometary images with 10 times the clarity Associate Administrator for Space of those taken of Halley's Comet by ell, winter is almost here, and Science. "The Stardust team also did an previous space missions, as well as a mass with the weather we had for excellent job of updating their plan to spectrometer provided by Germany to the last month there is no communicate the purpose and results of perform basic compositional analysis of guessing that it is about to this exc iting mission to educators and the the samples while in- flight. arrive. With almost an entire month of public." solid cloud cover or fog this past month, I Stardust was selected over a bet all of you are suffering from cabin The Stardust mission team is led by proposed mission to study the circulation fever. When the good weather arrives Principal Investigator Dr. Donald of the atmosphere of Venus, known as the again (albeit cold weather), you can try a Brownlee of the University of Venus Multiprobe, and a proposed hand at the following list of easily Washington in Seattle, with Lockheed- mission to collect samples of particle located objects visible this month. Martin Astronautics, Denver, as the matter from the Sun, called Suess-Urey. contractor building the spacecraft. These three missions and Lunar NGC 1555 Located around T- NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory will Prospector were among 28 Discovery Tauri, this faint and small patch of provide project management. proposals submitted to NASA in October nebulosity requires both aperture and 1994 in response to an August 1994 high magnification to spot. This is Comet Wild-2 is known as a "fresh announcement of opportunity. Hind's Variable Nebula, whose comet" because its orbit was deflected variability is associated with the famous variable, T- Tauri. Page 5 Event Horizon
NGC 1647 This rich but spread Happy New Year. out group of some 52 stars is located in the middle of the bull's forehead. This Io, Keeper of the Fla me cluster is more obviously a cluster in Jupiter Co-ordinator binoculars or a finder than it in the main scope.
NGC 1817 Bright, rich, about ime to get down to business 120 stars at 165X. Many dim members with your Christmas "fill in" this cluster. NGC 1817 and shopping again. I always NGC 1807 are in the same field of view send some trinkets to my at 100X, these two clusters are not relatives on IO. When you pause to put condensed and form a Poor Man's your feet up for a moment work on these Double Cluster in the same wide angle questions. But first, here are the answers field of view. to last month’s questions:
NGC 650 and NGC 651 1) True. Its magnitude is 12.8, so that a fairly (collectively M76) Bright, pretty large, small telescope will show it. It had been elongated 1.8 X 1 at 200X. This photographed frequently before being identified as planetary nebula located in Perseus, is a quasar in 1962-3, but had always been mistaken Rare Asteroid for a star. the dimmest Messier object. It is often 2) True. Pioneer 10, launched in March 1972, called the Barbell or Little Dumbbell made its closest pass of Jupiter on 3 December because of its' resemblance to M 27 in 1973, at a distance from the planet of 82,000 miles Occultation Vulpecula. In an 8" it shows the dual (132,000 km.) structure that made William Herschel 3) True. The last transit of Venus was that of ctually, the occultation of a 1882. Assuming that one's memory can go back to reasonably bright star by an assign it two numbers. the age of three, this means th at anyone who can remember the transit must have been born in 1879 asteroid is not that rare an NGC 1513 Also located in or earlier. event. To live on the path of Perseus, this bright, large, rich and 4) The 72-inch (182.7-centimetre) reflector visibility of such an event, IS uncommon. made by the third Earl of Rosse in 1845. It was For there to be fair diminution of 1 somewhat compressed cluster includes a then much the most powerful in the world. nice arc of pretty bright stars on the 5) False. A transit instrument moves only in magnitude or more is rarer again. Such North side. The bizarre thing about this altitude, and always points due north/south. The an event will occur in Hamilton's skies on cluster is that it is shaped like a moment at which a star passes over the observer's Dec. 9 local time. During the whole of meridian can be determined very accurately, and 1994, for instance, there was only one horseshoe. this in turn gives the precise time at that moment. 6) True. The automatic transit instrument at La close call. We were on the very edge of NGC 157 This bright, large Palma was financed by the Carlsberg company, the path of visibility of an asteroid galaxy, Located in the constellation of and is therefore known as the Carlsberg Transit occultation on August 27. It was a very Instrument. poor one at that, the star's magnitude was Cetus, is easy to find in an 8" scope. This galaxy shows some mottling in a faint 11.9 and it dimmed by only 0.2 Are you comfortable? I'll make this magnitude- not very exciting at all! moments of good seeing. NGC 157 is month easy, but look out for January. located roughly one third of the way On Dec. 9, LMT, Asteroid 85 IO between Iota and Eta Ceti. 1) T/F The theory of relativity was will occult SAO 111235. Hamilton and first developed by Albert Epstein. southwards (ie. Binbrook) will be on the NGC 246 is a very nice 2) T/F Charles Conrad was the second planetary to break up all these galaxies path of visibility of this earth shattering man to step on to the surface of the event. The star is located in the SW of and clusters. It is bright, large and round Moon. with several dark areas that combine to Taurus, RA 3h 31.0m, Dec 7d 12m. The 3) Why does the Sun rise toward the asteroid (157 Km diameter) will start to look like this is a doughnut someone took east and set toward the west? a bite from (something that typically occult 0:37-0:44 UT, Dec. 10 or 19:37- 4) T/F In July, daylight lasts for longer 19:44 LMT, Dec. 9 (+/ - several min.) happens after many an observing in Iceland than in Spain. session). An OIII or UHC filter makes The magnitude of the star is 8.5 and 5) T/F A circular crater on the Moon during the 17 second occultation it should this effect more noticeable. will appear elliptical if it lies near the drop to 11.6, a very dramatic change, lunar limb. indeed! Bright moon won't help, but, Charles W. Baetsen, Observing Guru 6) T/F Capricornus is officially the 524- 0148 "Hey, you never know." tenth constellation of the Zodiac. [email protected] Rob Roy Don't forget to hang up your stockings. [email protected] Have a very Merry Christmas and a Page 6 Event Horizon
constituting a total mass just under l% Comet Impact that of the Earth. Indeed, the planet Pluto and its moon Charon may in fact simply be the largest members of the on McMaster Kuiper comet belt. As Terrance Dickinson recently noted, were it not for n November 1, Dr. Jane Luu decades of history, the title of "planet" of Harvard University might now be removed from the frozen presented a talk for the outpost known as Pluto. The Kuiper belt McMaster Physics and The Great Comet of 1577 itself, and comets in general, will Astronomy colloquium series entitled continue to be a source of intrigue for "Comet Nuclei and Their Origin". In her Dr. Jane Luu. With comets playing a lecture, Dr. Luu touched upon a number themselves observed to be distinctly dual ro le as survivors from the early of aspects including the composition, asymmetric in their location. solar system and potential links to structure, and origin of comets. The understanding distant stellar systems, it current hot topic in comet circles The origin of comets is a is not too hard to share her interest. (ellipses?) has been the recent subject that has recently undergone some confirmation of the Kuiper belt's significant revisions in scientific David Fleming existence. This subject played a feature thinking. The Oort cloud, a spherical role in the concluding portions of Dr. halo consisting of billions of comets Luu's presentation. located approximately 100 000 AU from the inner solar system, has often been By way of introduction, the thought of as the original home for all audience was informed that the comets. In reality, while the Oort cloud composition of comets is dominated by seems to be supplying us with long- water-ices. In spite of this icy nature, period comets (T>200 years), however, a typical comet presents a fairly gravitational capture from this distant low albedo, reflecting less than 5% of cloud has almost certainly been too incident light. This compares with inefficient to explain the observed flux of values of about 90% for snow and 10% short-period comets. In addition, Dr. for the Moon, making the moniker "dirty Luu noted that if the orbital inclination of snowball" a fitting one to apply to these short-period comets was conserved comets. Although the nucleus of an during capture, it would be hard to average comet may extend to a diameter explain the fact that short- period comets of perhaps ten kilometres, an obscuring are by nature low inclination objects. coma of gas can surround it for hundreds This argument was originally advanced of kilometres. The escape velocity from by a Canadian team of researchers, and a typical comet is only on the order of 1 led to renewed interest in the existence of Halley’s Comet of 684 m/s, and as a result the coma is not a "belt" of comets located just beyond gravitationally locked into place. the orbit of Neptune.
Dr. Luu explained that comets This region of high comet Cosmology may be monitored for periodic variations density was dubbed the Kuiper belt after in brightness which indicate a rotation of an American astronomer who suggested their nuclei. A nucleus which is not its existence in the early 1950's. (An Corner nicely spherical will present different English astronomer named Edgeworth amounts of surface area at different times had a similar idea but seems to have he next Cosmology (somewhat like a gigantic potato rotating missed out in the publicity sweepstakes). Discussion Group meeting is in space!). A rotation will lead to Just over five years ago, Dr. Luu and tentatively set for 8:00 PM regular luminosity fluctuations, which are other researchers began looking for Saturday January 27, 1996. observed at both optical and infrared objects at Kuiper belt distances in order We will meet in room B148 (the room wavelengths. The amplitude of these to test the rejuvenated hypothesis. next to the Planetarium) in the Burke variations may be used to discern the Eventually, they succeeded in finding a Science Building, McMaster University. ratio of the long to short axes of the rather large body (150 km in diameter) Our topics will be the inflationary nucleus. It appears likely the aspherical some 40 AU from the sun, and have universe, Star Trek, and time travel. nature of comet nuclei is the result of since discovered many smaller ones at Chip in your two cents worth. some shape modification processes. Jets similar distances. Estimates now place which emanate from comet nuclei are the population of the Kuiper belt at Bill Tekatch 575- 5433 between 100 million to 1 billion comets, Page 7 Event Horizon
Raechel Carson Weather and HAJA News 308- 8041 [email protected] n exciting new addition has Astronomy been made to the HAA web site. We now have a site for he following article is the juniors. I haven't had a reprinted with the permission chance to see it yet, but I've heard that its of Todd Gross. colourful and lots of fun. Make sure you get your kids to check it out! You can Roman Weather and Astronomy get to the HAJA home page through the by Todd Gross HAA home page: Around How to dress for the cold while observing http://www.science.mcmaster.ca/HAA/index.html 12/1/95 ercury (Greek - Hermes) or get to it directly: protected merchants in My Home Page deals with http://www.science.mcmaster.ca/HAA/HAJA/haja.html particular, and travellers in BOTH Weather AND Astronomy, and general. He was depicted as can be tapped into on the World Wide Thank you Uncle Grant! the messenger of Jupiter and even as his Web at: http://www.weatherman.com. servant in his amorous exploits. The All the articles can be retrieved on this This month we are having a early Romans being above all home page! meeting on December 19th and the topic countrymen, had no need for a god of is "Adventures in Space Flight". We are commerce. The first temple of Mercury Please note, that while I may going to talk about some of the "cool" in Rome was built not far from the port speak authoritatively, I am just an things that have been done in space. We of Rome, where the commercial centre amateur astronomer, like you, and all the also hope to announce the winner of the lay. The date traditionally assigned to information above reflects my personal logo contest and hand out C ertificates of the founding of this temple is as recent as opinion(s) only based on my experiences Astronomical Achievement to everyone 496 BC. The sanctuary was built outside to date. so they can start collecting stars. All of the pomerium, the religious boundary of the logos that we received will be the city, which suggests that the cult was Thanks! proudly displayed on the internet at the of foreign origin. The cock was HAJA site, so make sure you have a look especially sacred to him. To portray him - Amateur Astronomy buff, and at these fine works of art. Roman artists generally drew upon weatherdude.. Todd Gross representations of Hermes. They gave ______Since I mentioned the him a beardless face and for attributes, certificates, I'd just like to remind the caduceus (the wand), broad-brimmed Last winter, while browsing the everyone how easy and fun it is for the hat, winged sandals and the purse, the newsgroup sci.astro.amateur, on the children to earn stars. They just have to symbol of the profit to be derived from Internet, I ran across some very amusing tell us about an object they have seen, or trade. posts from my perspective. There were a about a subject they are particular fond few California (USA) amateur astronomy of, or write a story, poem, etc. for the Venus (Greek - Aphrodite), a very buffs who were experiencing a lot of HAJA newsletter, or... almost anything! ancient Latin Divinity, had a shrine near difficulty observing because of the If they inform us about it, we will Ardea which was established before the supposedly "cold" temperatures in the give them a star for it. foundation of Rome. In the 2nd century mid 40s (Fahrenheit, about 7C). What BC. she was assimilated into the legend was so amusing of course, is that in The logos will also be displayed of the Greek Aphrodite. The gens Julia, interior New England (USA) where I am in the December HAJA newsletter. The which claimed to be descended from from, mid 40s is commonplace in the HAJA newsletter is in desperate need of AENEAS, assumed that Venus was one SUMMER at night, and while not exactly stuff from the kids. What kind of stuff? of their ancestors. Venus too, in early "shorts" weather, certainly can be dealt Any kind of astronomy related stuff that days, occupied a very modest position in with in short sleeves and a very light can be put on paper: poems, stories, the Roman pantheon. With Feronia and jacket. In fact for short time periods, I drawings, facts, puzzles, and everything Flora she symbolised spring and have been known to run out of my house else that I'm missing. It will be in the fruitfulness. She had her place in the literally in my underwear for a short newsletter and also posted on the HAJA Floralia (Apr. 28 - May 3) and in the observing session even when web site, how cool! The "stuff" can be Vinalia rustica on Aug. 9. temperatures hover near freezing. hand delivered to the HAJA meetings (or Ev Butterworth Well, last winter was the first any other place you find me) or e-mail it time I observed heavily in not only sub- to me. See you on the 19th. freezing temperatures, but in fact near 0 Page 8 Event Horizon
degree weather (-18C). This may be no big deal for a Canadian, but I have to Taking breaks to go indoors admit, at those temperatures, I WAS cold. will keep you going. Have a snack, or a Even as warm as 25F (-4C), I was often cup of dressed wrong, and frostbite would start coffee or tea, or hot chocolate. DO NOT to set in after a couple of hours. I decided have alcohol, that will warm you up to start dressing right. briefly, but not in any sort of EXTENDED observing session. The first change I made, was to stop wearing just sneakers when the While most of this advice is temperatures fell below freezing. Hiking obvious, I hope that those not used to boots are better, but sometimes the lining dressing for cold weather observing is totally inadequate. Boots made for sessions can make use of some of my snowmobilers are usually very cozy, and advice above. If you are dressed ski shops also probably can sell you a properly, it really will not bother you warm pair of off the slope boots. One pair very much to observe outdoors in the of socks will suffice with the right boots. winter, especially when it is in the relatively "mild" 20s and 30s. Of course, Shakespeare, As a weatherman, I always the wind makes it feel that much colder.. recommend "layers" of clothing. While I so I highly recommend observing on No usually wear just jeans, long underwear very cold nights, but when the wind isn't bottoms work wonders on keeping the too brisk. legs warm...sometimes too warm. On top, Astronomer thermal underwear also works, but a Whatever the weather this long sleeve, or even short sleeve shirt will winter, I wish you clear skies (at night!) he Bard of Avon, unlike suffice with the following: ______Chaucer, Dante, or Milton, A warm sweatshirt with a hood, followed seldom made use of by a warm, preferably "down" jacket. For those of you who live in astronomy or astrology. He This match up will really keep you warm! Eastern Massachusetts, you can access never employed horoscopes, my weather forecasts via a special for example, to emphasize the traits of Some down jackets can be Weather Hotline with the astronomer in his characters. For all his numerous VERY warm, I have one that can bring mind. I discuss the chances of having a writings there are but few references, me down to 30 below zero w/o feeling night with good transparency/stability, such lines as cold. Others are not very effective. Look and I even update upcoming
for the "puffiest" one possible. Find these astronomical events such as conjunctions There's not the smallest orb which thou at specialty outdoor stores, such as REI, between the Moon and planets! behold'st But in his motion like a angel or EMS. sings, The number is 976-6200, and ( Merchant of Venice, V.i) Very important: don't forget a runs 65c/minute (direct dial from 508 or
warm hat, not a cap, but a HAT, and 617)... so limit your calls to when it is The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our gloves. I personally, have never found most important, such as before a Star stars, but in ourselves. gloves that keep my hands totally warm, Party! ( Julius Caesar, I.ii) but anything works better than no gloves
at all. Make sure that you can maneuver Thanks! Saturn and Venus this year in your fingers so you can handle eyepieces, conjunction! What says th' almanac to etc. - Amateur Astronomy buff, and that? weatherdude.. Todd Gross ( 2 Henry IV, II.iv) Hats are my specialty, some of
the cheap, KMART $3.99 specials are the (Thanks to Rob Roy for passing along The exhalations whizzing the air Give so warmest.. you know, those ski hats this article. Now we need to convince much light that I may read by them. sometimes with a Pom Pom on top. I Todd to move to our area. - Ed.) ( Julius Caesar, II.i) wear them everywhere. I probably look
pretty stupid in some of them, but I must Since the Greeks thought that tell you I do not get very cold. Much of -- comets were exhalations of the the heat from one's body (up to 40%) is - Todd atmosphere, this latter passage shows lost through your head, so a hat really can ------that Shakespeare was erudite enough to help a tremendous amount if staying out ------know this fact. for awhile in the cold, observing. ---- However, in Act III, Scene 1, Page 9 Event Horizon
the Bard is guilty of a great blunder. Caesar says: Editor’s
But I am as constant as the northern star, Of whose true-fix'd and resting quality There is no fellow in the firmament. Address The skies are painted with unnumber'd sparks, They are all fire and every one doth shine, Please send articles, drawings, But there's but one in all doth hold his place: pictures, comments and
Now, in Shakespeare's time, suggestions to Stewart Attlesey: Polaris was about 2 degrees from the north celestial pole, close enough to 1317 Mapleridge Cres. appear fixed. But since Julius Caesar is Oakville, Ontario speaking in 44 BC, some 1650 years January Meeting L6M 2G8 before Shakespeare put the words into his mouth, Polaris was at that time 10 riday, January 12, 1996, 7:30 degrees from the pole and could not have e-mail: p.m. GENERAL been considered as fixed. In Caesar's [email protected] MEETING - Spectator time, both Polaris and Beta Ursae Majoris Building, Frid Street, described circles of 10 degree radius. Hamilton. Our speaker will be Doug DEADLINE:
Welch and his presentation will be Therefore, one concludes that December 26, 1995 Science with a CCD Camera. Don't miss Shakespeare did not know anything about this talk! Doug spoke at Starfest to a precession, though Hipparchus had Most file formats are acceptable mesmerized audience and had magazine discovered the phenomenon in the first but Microsoft Word with Times Roman editors chasing him afterwards for century BC. font size 10 is preferred. Graphics can be articles. Even if you don't own a CCD in just about any format you can think camera, you'll find this presentation Rob Roy of, but tif files seem to give the best fascinating. results
Ann Tekatch, 575-5433
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
¨ Sat. December 16, 1995 8:00 PM OBSERVING SESSION-Binbrook Conservation Area. Call Charles Beatsen at 524-0148 for directions or details. ¨ Tues. December 19, 1995 7:00 PM HAMILTON AMATEUR JUNIOR ASTRONOMERS MEETING - Mac Burke Science Building Rm B148 "Adventures in Space Flight" For more information, contact Raechel Carson, at 308-8041 ¨ Fri. December 15, 1995, 7:30 p.m. COUNCIL MEETING - at the home of Bill & Ann Tekatch. You don't have to be a council member to attend a council meeting. Call Ann Tekatch for directions or information. ¨ Thu. January 4, 1995 8:00 PM ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY OF CANADA Hamilton Centre- General Meeting - McMaster University Medical Building Room 1A6 Speaker: To be advised ¨ Fri. January 12, 1996, 7:30 p.m. GENERAL MEETING - Spectator Building, Frid Street, Hamilton. Our speaker will be Doug Welch and his presentation will be “Science with a CCD Camera”. ¨ Tue. January 16, 1995 at 7:00 PM HAMILTON AMATEUR JUNIOR ASTRONOMERS MEETING - Mac Burke Science Building Rm B148 "Comets: Visitors from the Outer Reaches of the Solar System" For more information, contact Raechel Carson, at 308-8041 ¨ Sat. January 27, 1996 8:00 PM COSMOLOGY DISCUSSION GROUP - Mac Burke Science Building Rm B148 “The Inflationary Universe, Star Trek, and Time Travel” Page 10 Event Horizon