The Observer's Handbook for 1954
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THE OBSERVER’S HANDBOOK FOR 1954 PUBLISHED BY The Royal Astronomical Society of Canada C. A. CHANT, E ditor RUTH J. NORTHCOTT, A s s is t a n t E ditor DAVID DUNLAP OBSERVATORY FORTY-SIXTH YEAR OF PUBLICATION P rice 50 C e n t s TORONTO 15 Ross S t r e e t P r i n t e d f o r t h e S o c i e t y B y t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f T o r o n t o P r e s s THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY OF CANADA The Society was incorporated in 1890 as The Astronomical and Physical Society of Toronto, assuming its present name in 1903. For many years the Toronto organization existed alone, but now the Society is national in extent, having active Centres in Montreal and Quebec, P.Q.; Ottawa, Toronto, Hamilton, London, and Windsor, Ontario; Winnipeg, Man.; Saskatoon, Sask.; Edmonton, Alta.; Vancouver and Victoria, B.C. As well as nearly 1000 members of these Canadian Centres, there are nearly 400 members not attached to any Centre, mostly resident in other nations, while some 200 additional institutions or persons are on the regular mailing list of our publications. The Society publishes a bi-monthly Jo urnal and a yearly O bserver’s H andboo k. Single copies of the Jo urnal are 50 cents, and of the H andbook, 50 cents. Membership is open to anyone interested in astronomy. Annual dues, $3.00; life membership, $40.00. Publications are sent free to all members or may be subscribed for separately. Applications for membership or publications may be made to the National Secretary, 15 Ross St., Toronto 2B. CALENDAR 1954 Ja n . Feb. M a r. A p r il 8 MT W TFS s MTWTFS SMTWTFS S M T W T FS 1 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 3 .4 5 6 7 8 9 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 .4 . 5 6 7 8 9 10 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 28 28 29 30 31 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 M a y June July Aug. S M TW TF S S MTWTFSSMTWTF S s MTWTF 8 1 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 2 3 "4 5 6 7 8 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 4 . 5 6 7 8 9 10 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 27 28 29 30 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 29 30 31 .... 30 31 Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. S M T W TF SSM TWTFS s MT W T F S s M TWT F S 1 2 3 4 1 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 3 . 4 5 6 7 8 9 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 . 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 28 29 30 26 27 28 29 30 31 THE OBSERVER’S HANDBOOK FOR 1954 PUBLISHED BY The Royal Astronomical Society of Canada C. A. CHANT, E ditor RUTH J. NORTHCOTT, A s s is t a n t E ditor DAVID DUNLAP OBSERVATORY FORTY-SIXTH YEAR OF PUBLICATION P rice 50 C e n t s TORONTO 15 Ross S t r e e t P r i n t e d f o r t h e S o c i e t y B y t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f T o r o n t o P r e s s CONTENTS PAGE C a l e n d a r ...................................................................................Cover p. ii Preface ................................................................................................... 3 Anniversaries and F e s t iv a ls ......................................................................3 Symbols and A b b reviation s......................................................................4 The Constellations......................................................................................... 5 Miscellaneous Astronomical D a t a ............................................................ 6 Ephemeris of the S u n ................................................................................7 Solar and Sidereal T im e................................................................................8 Julian Day C a l e n d a r ..........................................................- 9 Map of Standard Time Z o n e s......................................................................9 Times of Sunrise and S u n s e t ....................................................................10 Times of Beginning and Ending of Twilight 17 Times of Moonrise and M o o n s e t .......................................................... 18 The Planets for 1954 - - .........................................................- 24 Eclipses, 1954 29 The Sky and Astronomical Phenomena Month by Month 30 Phenomena of Jupiter’s S a te llite s .......................................................... 54 Lunar Occultations, 1954 56 Ephemeris for the Physical Observation of the Sun 57 Principal Elements of the Solar S y s t e m ................................................ 58 Satellites of the Solar S y stem ....................................................................59 Fields for Bright Variable S t a r s .......................................................... 60 Representative Bright Variable S t a r s ................................................ 61 Double and Multiple Stars, with a short list 62 The Brightest Stars, their magnitudes, types, proper motions, distances and radial velocities.......................................................... 64 Clusters and Nebulae: Star Clusters - ............................................................................. 72 Galactic N e b u la e ....................................................................- 73 Extra-Galactic N e b u la e ....................................................................74 Four Circular Star Maps - ..........................................................75 Principal Meteor Showers for the Northern Hemisphere 79 TABLES IN RECENT OBSERVER’S HANDBOOKS Distance of the Stars—the Sun’s Neighbours - - - - 1941 Messier’s List of Clusters and N e b u la e ............................................ 1942 Meteorological Data: European and Asiatic - - - 1942 Canada and United States - 1946 List of Air Navigation S t a r s ................................................................1947 Table of Precession for 50 Y e a r s ...................................................... 1951 PRINTED IN CANADA PREFACE The H a n d b o o k for 1954 is the 46th issue and its circulation is 5000. The Officers of the Society appreciate the increase in advertisements which will help to meet our mounting expense. In this issue the distances of the extra-galactic nebulae have been increased in accordance with Dr. Walter Baade’s recent investigation of the Andromeda Nebula. Four circular star maps 9 inches in diameter at a price of two cents each and a set of four maps plotted on equatorial co-ordinates at a price of twenty cents are obtainable from the Director of University Extension, University of Toronto, Toronto 5. Celestial distances given herein are based on the standard value of 8".80 for the sun’s parallax, not on the more recent value 8".790 determined by Sir Harold Jones; and the calculations for Algol are based on Olin J. Eggen’s epoch 2432520.6303 and period 2.86731525 d., as published in the Astrophysical Journal, 1948. Cordial thanks are tendered to those who assisted in preparing this volume, especially to the staff of the David Dunlap Observatory, and also Miss Carol Henderson, Malcolm Lennox and Donald Morton. Our deep indebtedness to the British Nautical Almanac and the American Ephemeris is thankfully acknowl edged. C. A. C h a n t David Dunlap Observatory, Richmond Hill, Ont., October 1953. ANNIVERSARIES AND FESTIVALS, 1954 New Year’s D ay......... Fri. Jan. 1 Trinity Sunday June 13 E piphany.................... .Wed. Jan. 6 Corpus Christi..............Thu. June 17 Accession of Queen St. John Baptist (Mid Elizabeth (1952). .Sat. Feb. 6 summer Day)........... Thu. June 24 Septuagesima Sunday. Feb. 14 Dominion Day............. Thu. July 1 Quinquagesima (Shrove Birthday of Queen Mother Sunday)................... Feb. 28 Elizabeth (1900)... .Wed. Aug. 4 St. D avid..................... Mon. Mar. 1 Labour D ay.................. Mon. Sept. 6 Ash Wednesday.......... Mar. 3 Hebrew New Year St. Patrick................... Wed. Mar. 17 (Rosh Hashanah) . .Tue. Sept. 28 Palm Sunday............... Apr. 11 St. Michael Good Friday................ Apr. 16 (Michaelmas Day) . .Wed. Sept. 29 Easter Sunday............ Apr. 18 All Saints’ D ay............ Mon. Nov. 1 Birthday of Queen Remembrance Day. .Thu. Nov. 11 Elizabeth (1926). .Wed. Apr. 21 First Sunday in Advent Nov. 28 St. George.................... Fri. Apr. 23 St. Andrew....................Tue. Nov. 30 Rogation Sunday........ May 23 Christmas Day.............Sat. Dec. 25 Empire Day (Victoria D ay)......................... Mon. May 24 Ascension D ay............ .Thu. May 27 Thanksgiving Day, date Pentecost (Whit Sunday).... June 6 set by Proclamation SYMBOLS AND ABBREVIATIONS SIGNS OF THE ZODIAC SDN, MOON AND PLANETS ASPECTS AND ABBREVIATIONS THE GREEK ALPHABET THE CONFIGURATIONS OF JUPITER’S SATELLITES In the Configurations of Jupiter’s Satellites (pages 31, 33, etc.), O represents the disc of the planet, d signifies that the satellite is on the disc, * signifies that the satellite is behind the disc or in the shadow.