1949 Handbook of the British Astronomical Association
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THE HANDBOOK OF THE BRITISH ASTRONOMICAL ASSOCIATION 1 9 4 9 1948 NOVEMBER Price to Members 3s. N on Members 5s. CONTENTS Preface ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 Planetary Diagram ... ... ... ' ... 2 V i s i b i l i t y o f P l a n e t s ....................................................................... ........................................................................ 3 Tim e Reckoning .........................! ............................ ........................................................................ 4 S u n , 1 9 4 9 ............................................................................................................................................................... 5 Eclipses, 1949 .................................................................... .. ............................_ .................................. 8 M o o n , 1 9 4 9 . ....................................................................... ............................ 9 L i b r a t i o n ............................................................................................. .................................................. 1 0 O b s e r v a t i o n o f O c c u l t a t i o n s . .................................................................................................................... 1 0 L unar O ccultations, 1949 ........................... .................................................. 1 2 A p p e a r a n c e o f P l a n e t s ................................................................... ..................................................................... 17 M e r c u r y 1 8 Venus ... ... ...................... .. 19 E a r t h . 19 M a r s 2 0 J u p i t e r ......................................................................................................................................... .................................................. 2 1 L ongitude of C entral M eridian of Jupiter ... 2 2 Satellites of Jupiter ... 2 4 S a t u r n ................................................................................................................... ............................................. .. 34 Satellites of Saturn 34 Phenom ena of Saturn’s Satellites ........................................................................ 36 U r a n u s D i a g r a m ................................................................................................................... ............................ 4 2 U r a n u s , N e p t u n e a n d P l u t o ......................... .. ........................................................................ 43 N e p t u n e D i a g r a m ....................................................................... ....................................................................... 44 A l g o l ............................................................................................................................................................... 45 Periodic Com ets in 1949 Com et W hipple, 1933 IV 4 6 Com et Schw assm ann-W achm ann (2), 1929I ... 47 Comet Forbes, 1929 II ... ... ... ... .·». 4 8 Com et N eujm in (2), 1916 II . : . 1 . .................................. .................................. 49 Comet Neujmin (1),^913 III ... ... ........................................................................................ 5» Com et Gale* 1927 V I ............................................................. ........................................................................ 50 C o m e t V a i s a l a ( 1 ) , 1 9 3 9 I V ............................ .............................................................. 52 Comet du Toit, 1 9 4 5 c ................................................. .................................................. 53 Com et Reinm uth ( 1 ) ................................................. ........................................................................ 54 C o m e t S c h w a s s m a n n - W a c h m a n n ( 1 ) , 1 9 2 5 I I .................................................. 55 Com et O term a, 1942 V II .*.. ... ... ... .................................. 56 Precession for 100 years ........................... a .................................. 58 M eteor D iary, 1949 ....................................................................................... .................................. 6 0 A stronom ical and Physical C onstants ................................................................................................................... 6 6 D im ensions of Saturn’s Ring-System 6 7 E lem ents of Planetary O rbits .................................. 6 8 D im ensions of Sun, M oon and Planets ................................................................................................................... 6 9 S a t e l l i t e s 7 0 M i s c e l l a n e o u s D a t a ....................................................................... ........................................................................................ 7 2 M e a n M a g n e t i c E l e m e n t s a t A b i n g e r ........................................................................ ... 7 2 E r r a t u m , H andbook, 1 9 4 8 ............................................................................................................................................ 7 2 ADVERTISEMENTS 1 REFLECTOR and REFRACTOR We enjoy an international reputation for holding the largest stock of telescopes which we send all over the world, and we are pleased to state that we have at the moment an exceptionally interesting collection of instruments. Your enquiries are invited, let us have full details of your requirements and we will quote per return. Your own apparatus taken in exchange, good allowances made. We also purchase for cash, or sell on commission, telescopes of all sizes, which should be by known makers. Our stock is constantly changing and if we have your requirements on record, you will be notified immediately such an instrument comes to hand. C. BAKER of Holborn Ltd., 244 High Holborn, LONDON, W.C. Member Scientific Instrument Manufacturers' Association of Gt. Britain Ξ=ϋ Estab. over 100 years Phone: HOLborn 2156 WE ARE NOW MAKING OUR FAMOUS Astronomical Telescopes Eyepieces — Star Finders Sun and Star Diagonals REFLECTING TELESCOPE MIRRORS—6' £7/15/-, 8" £12/10/- WE SHALL WELCOME YOUR INQUIRY BROADHURST, CLARKSON & CO. LTD. Note name _ , (3 minutes from and Telescope House Farringdon Street address: 63 Farringdon Road, London, E.C.I M etro. Station) — INSTRUMENTS WANTED FOR CASH — W. OTTWAY & CO. LTD. 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WATSON & SONS, LTD., MAKERS OF TELESCOPES, 313 HIGH HOLBORN, LONDON, W.C.I British Astronomical Association HANDBOOK FOR 1949 TWENTY-EIGHTH YEAR OF PUBLICATION PREFACE In spite of increasing interest in astronomical matters, and the rapid growth in membership of the Association, there remains a deplorable lack of observa tions of occultations. In an attempt to stimulate interest in this important work, this number of the Handbook contains a reprint of the article on observing occultations, which first appeared in 1943. It is to-be hoped that these notes may do something to remedy the present position. There is nothing difficult in timing an occultation, yet the results are of the utmost value. The passage of the ring-plane of Saturn through the Earth and Sun in Sep tember 1950 will not be observed, since Saturn at that time is near conjunction. There is, however, an increasing number of phenomena of Saturn’s satellites at such times, and details will be found in these pages. Reports of observations of any of these phenomena will be welcomed. It also happems that the plane of the orbits of Jupiter’s satellites is presented edge-on to the Earth in 1950, so that there is a possibility of eclipses and occultations of one satellite by another.