Monthly Notes of the Astronomical Society of Southern Africa ISSN 0024-8266 Vol 71 Nos 3 & 4 April 2012
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monthly notes of the astronomical society of southern africa ISSN 0024-8266 Vol 71 Nos 3 & 4 April 2012 ASSA News ASSA Symposium C Hettlage.................................................................................................................................... 45 Anysberg Cape Centre - Students Star Party monthly notes of the astronomical society of southern africa K Kirkham..................................................................................................................................... 46 mnassa Jannie Smit Vol 71 Nos 3 & 4 April 2012 B Fraser........................................................................................................................................ 47 News Notes Spring SSP at Night Sky: 21-23 October 2011 E Foster............................................................................................................................. 49 New Directors for SA Observatories IS Glass............................................................................................................................. 51 News from the SKA................................................................................................................ 51 Atacama Large Millimetre Array (ALMA)................................................................................ 55 McClean Telescope back in service IS Glass............................................................................................................................. 58 STATION 13 – South Africa’s Area 51? G Roberts..................................................................................................................................... 61 25 Years after Supernova 1987A R Catchpole................................................................................................................................. 65 NT Aps, a southern sky W UMa stellar system with a decreasing period C Middleton.................................................................................................................................. 72 Another W UMa stellar system of the antipodean sky C Middleton.................................................................................................................................. 77 Astronomical Colloquia....................................................................................................... 81 Book Reviews Astronomy Delights IS Glass............................................................................................................................. 84 Mapping South Africa: A Historical Survey of South African Maps and Charts IS Glass............................................................................................................................. 86 Deep-sky Delights The Useful Triangle Magda Streicher................................................................................................................ 89 • SN 1987A, 25 years later • South Africa’s own Area 51 • • SKA News • Spring SSP • McClean Telescope repaired • • Anysberg Cape Centre Excursion • Jannie Smit awarded • Downloadable online from h� p://www.mnassa.org.za monthly notes of the astronomical society of southern africa astronomical society of southern africa editorial board Mr Case Rijsdijk (Editor, MNASSA) The Astronomical Society of Southern Africa (ASSA) was formed in 1922 by the amalgama� on of the Cape Astronomical Associa� on (founded 1912) and the Johannesburg Astronomical Associa� on Mr Auke Slotegraaf (Editor, Sky Guide Africa South) (founded 1918). It is a body consis� ng of both amateur and professional astronomers. Mr Chris� an He� lage (Webmaster) Publica� ons: The Society publishes its own electronic journal, the Monthly Notes of the Astronomical Prof MW Feast (Board Member, Univ. of Cape Town) Society of Southern Africa (MNASSA) bimonthly and an annual printed Sky Guide Africa South. Prof B Warner (Board Member, Univ. of Cape Town) Membership: Membership of the Society is open to all. Poten� al members should consult the Mr Case Rijsdijk (Editor, MNASSA) Society’s web page assa.saao.org.za for details. Joining is possible via one of the Local Centres or as mnassa a Country Member. Dr Ian Glass (Assistant Editor) production Local Centres: Local Centres of the Society exist at Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Durban, Harare, Her- Mr Maciej Soltynski (Book Review Editor) manus, Johannesburg, Pietermaritzburg (Natal Midlands Centre), Pretoria and Sedgefi eld district Mr Willie Koorts (Layout Editor). (Garden Route Centre). Membership of any of these Centres automa� cally confers membership of the Society. editorial address MNASSA, PO Box 9, Observatory, 7935, South Africa e-mail: [email protected] Sky & Telescope: Members may subscribe to Sky & Telescope at a signifi cant discount (proof of Cen- tre membership required) . Please contact membership secretary for details. webpage: h� p://mnassa.saao.ac.za Internet contact details: e-mail: [email protected] homepage: h� p://assa.saao.ac.za MNASSA Download Page: www.mnassa.org.za subscriptions From January 2011 MNASSA is available free of charge on Council (2011–2012) the Internet. Paid subscrip� ons will no longer be available President Dr IS Glass [email protected] (see MNASSA, August 2010, p.113). Vice-president Prof MJH Hoff man Hoff [email protected] Membership Secretary Pat Booth [email protected] advertising rates Adver� sements may be placed in MNASSA at the following Hon. Treasurer Adv AJ Nel [email protected] rates per inser� on: full page R400; half page R200; quar- Hon. Secretary L Cross [email protected] ter page R100; classifi ed R2.00 per word. Enquiries and Scholarships MG Soltynski [email protected] copy should be sent to the editor at [email protected]. Members C Stewart [email protected] G Els [email protected] contributions MNASSA mainly serves the Southern African astronomical J Smit johanchsmit@gmail community, professional and amateur. Ar� cles and papers J Richards [email protected] may be submi� ed by members of this community and by J Saunders [email protected] those with strong Southern African connec� ons, or else the L Govender [email protected] C Rijsdijk par� [email protected] papers should deal with ma� ers of direct interest to this Hon. Auditor RG Glass (Horwath Zeller Karro) [email protected] community. Due dates for contribu� ons are: Vol 71 Nos 5 & 6 (Jun 2012 issue), 01 May 2012 Directors of Sec� ons Vol 71 Nos 7 & 8 (Aug 2012 issue), 01 Jul 2012 Comet and Meteor Sec� on TP Cooper [email protected] Cosmology Sec� on JFW de Bruyn Tel. 033 396 3624 [email protected] recognition Ar� cles in MNASSA appear in the NASA/ADS data system. Dark-sky Sec� on J Smit Tel. 011 790 4443 [email protected] Deep-sky Sec� on A Slotegraaf Tel. 074 100 7237 [email protected] Double Star Sec� on L Ferreira Tel. 083 376 4910 [email protected] Educa� on and Public CL Rijsdijk Tel. 044 877 1180 par� [email protected] SN 1987A Communica� on Sec� on Historical Sec� on C de Coning Tel/Fax 021 423 4538 [email protected] This recent Hubble Space Telescope image of SN 1987A shows the brightening ring Occulta� on Sec� on B Fraser Tel. 016 366 0955 [email protected] of supernova debris and reached its brightest about 25 years ago (see Ar� cle by Solar Sec� on vacant Dr Robin Catchpole on p.65). The closest supernova explosion seen in almost 400 Variable Star Sec� on C Middleton, Tel. 082 920 3107 wbrooke@netac� ve.co.za years, it is located in the Large Magellanic Cloud. (Credit: Pete Challis) astronomical society of southern africa deep-sky delights Trianguli Australis, which shines with a The good old triangular shape is easy magnitude of 4.8. The galaxy is very faint, to remember, and easy to describe as and averted vision provides the best tool part of an observa� on with stars that to discover its hidden quali� es. Situated splashed out in their thousands. Re- mnassa almost on the southern border with Apus, gard the triangle in a brand-new way Monthly Notes of the Astronomical Society of Southern Africa the galaxy displays a faint sliver of a light from now on, and take special note of Vol 71 Nos 3 & 4 April 2012 ray in a north-east to south-west direc� on. the constella� on Triangulum Australe With care a few faint stars can be spo� ed which shows off this well-known geo- assa news on its surface, with one prominent on the metric shape in a very special way. north-eastern � p. ASSA Symposium Chris� an He� lage Object Type RA (J2000.0) Dec Mag. Size ASSA is pleased to announce this year’s special Open Night commemora� ng NGC 5844 Planetary Neb 15h10m6 -64°40ʹ 11.5 73” symposium, which will be held from 100 years of amateur astronomy in ESO 099-SC06 Open Cluster 15 29 8 -64 52 7.9 8’ 12 to 14 October 2012 at the South Southern Africa. NGC 5938 Galaxy 15 36 4 -66 52 11.8 2.8’x2.5’ African Astronomical Observatory in NGC 5979 Planetary Neb 15 47 7 -61 13 12 10” Cape Town. Online registra� on will be possible NGC 6025 Open Cluster 16 03 3 -60 25 5 14’ from 1 June, but you may submit IC 4595 Galaxy 16 20 7 -70 09 12.7 2.7’x0.5’ The theme of the symposium, “Looking abstracts for proposed talks before back, looking forward”, refl ects the that by sending an email to assa-sym signifi cance of 2012. On the one [email protected]. Talks hand, organised amateur astronomy concerning the history of astronomy, turns 100 this year, which will be duly the SKA project and science with the celebrated at the symposium. On Southern African Large