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T H E

A S T R O N O M I C A L S O C I E T Y

O F

S OUT H E RN A F R I C A

H A N D B O O K FOR

I 9 6 0

THE ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA

1 9 5 9 — 1 9 6 0

President:

Mr. P. Smits.

Vice-Presidents:

Professor H. Haffner.

Hon. Secretary:

Mr. A. Menzies.

  • Mr. G. B. Anderson.
  • Mr. M. D. Overbeek.

Hon. Treasurer:

Mr. G. Orpen.

Members of Council:

Mr. M. J. Bester, Dr. David S. Evans, Dr. W. S. Finsen, Mr. R. J. Johnston,
Mr. G. F. G. Knipe, Professor R. H. Stoy, Dr. A. D. Thackeray.

The Astronomical Society of South Africa was formed in July 1922, by the amalgamation of the
Cape and Johannesburg Astronomical Associations which had been in active existence for several years. Its name was changed to the Astronomical Society of Southern Africa in 1956. The declared objects of the Society are:—

(1) The encouragement and stimulation of the study of Astronomy in Southern Africa; (2) The association of observers and their organisation in the work of astronomical observation and research;

(3) The dissemination throughout Southern Africa of such current astronomical information as may be helpful to observers;

(4) The publication from time to time of the results of the work accomplished by the Society.

Membership is open to all who are interested in Astronomy. The Society issues, usually, eleven numbers of “The Monthly Notes of the Astronomical Society of Southern Africa” (M.N.A.S.S.A.) each year, and distributes to each member copies of “Sky and Telescope”, an illustrated monthly astronomical magazine published in the United States.

Candidates for election as members of the Society must be proposed and seconded by two members (not associate or student members). The annual subscription is £2 2s., with an entrance fee of £1 Is. The annual subscription to M.N.A.S.S.A. for non-members is £1 Is.

Subscriptions and enquiries concerning M.N.A.S.S.A. only should be addressed to the Circulation
Manager, Mr. H. E. Krumm, 3, Leeuwendal Crescent, Cape Town.

All other communications for the Society should be addressed to the Hon. Secretary, Astronomical
Society of Southern Africa, c/o The Royal Observatory, Observatory, Cape Province.

SOCIETY’S CALENDAR FOR 1960
Material and Notes for M.N.A.S.S.A. by 20th of the month.
April 8.
Nominations for Gill Medal by

  • Essay Competition closes
  • May 31.

  • June 15.
  • Nominations for Officers and Council by

  • Subscriptions due
  • July 1.

  • 4th Wednesday in July.
  • Annual General Meeting at all Centres

r v j r o i v ) N J N > - f ^ c o r o —

  • —
  • —
  • —
  • £

  • ■nJ o s L n ^ o j r o
  • —

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THE
H A N D B O O K
OF THE

  • ASTRONOMICAL
  • SOCIETY
  • OF SOUTHERN
  • AFRICA

I 960

Computed and Prepared by
The Computing S e c ti o n of the Trans vaal Centre and the E d i t o r i a l Board of MNAS3A

Cape Town I9 6 0
Pr i ce to Non-Members: Two s h i l l i n g s

CONTENTS

Page
P la n e ta ry D iagram In tro d u c tio n

............................................................

F ro n tis p ie c e
...........................................................................
3

5

6

J u lia n Date, S un’s T r a n s it and S id e re a l Time The Moon: P e rig e e , Apogee, Maximum L ib ra tio n

.............................

.........................
T ab les o f M oonrise and D oonset ............ . . ........................................... O c c u lta tio n s o f B rig h t S ta rs ........................................................ E c lip s e s ................................................................................................................. T r a n s it o f M ercury ........................................................................................ The P la n e ts .......................................................................................................... Ephem eris f o r U ranus and N eptune ........................................................

M eteor C alen d ar ...............................................................................................

A stro n o m ica l D iary B rig h t V a ria b le S ta rs
7
19 23 23 24 25 26

28

.

.

........................................................................................

..................................................................................
32

33 34
S ou th A fric a n O b s e rv a to rie s

.............................................. ...................

.
P a s t P r e s id e n ts , H onorary Members an d H onorary S e c r e ta r ie s

G ra te fu l acknow ledgem ent i s made to H Ji. N a u tic a l Almanac O ffic e f o r th e d a ta in c lu d e d in th e ta b le o f O c c u lta tio n s o f B rig h t S t a r s .

INTRODUCTION
A ll th e tim es g iv en in t h i s b o o k le t a re South id’r ic a n S ta n d a rd Tim e, t h a t i s , mean s o la r tim e f o r a m e rid ia n 3 0 °, o r two h o u rs, e a s t o f G reen-

  • w ich .
  • T h is i s a ls o th e S ta n d ard Time in use in th e C e n tra l A fric a n

F e d e ra tio n , th e P r o te c to r a te s , Mozambique and th e e a s te r n p a r t o f th e B e lg ia n Congo.

To o b ta in th e lo c a l mean tim e a t o th e r p la c e s th e lo n g itu d e d if f e r e n c e s shewn in T able I m ust be a p p lie d to th e o rd in a ry S .A .S .T .

  • TABLE
  • I

CORRECTION FOR LONGITUDE

B lo em fo n tein Cape Town Durban E a s t London S a lis b u ry
- 1 5m -L6

+0L

-08 +0A
Grahamstown
-1 4

-0 8 -18 -07

-06

Jo h an n esb u rg P o rt E liz a b e th P r e to r ia Bulawayo

C o n v e rsely , to o b ta in th e S .A .S .T . from th e lo c a l mean tim e th e se lo n g itu d e c o rr e c tio n s m ust be a p p lie d w ith th e s ig n r e v e r s e d . S .A .S .T . o f lo c a l mean noon ( i . e . 12h 00m l o c a l mean tim e) a t P o rt E liz a b e th i s 12h 18m.
Thus th e
Owing to th e f a c t t h a t th e E a rth does n et go round th e Sun w ith u n iform c i r c u l a r m otion in th e p la n e o f th e E a r th ’s e q u a to r, th e lo c a la p p a re n t s o la r tim e ( i . e . th e tim e shown b y a s u n d ia l) d i f f e r s from th e lo c a l mean s o la r tim e by a q u a n tity w hich i s u s u a lly r e f e r r e d to a s th e "E q u atio n o f T im e". tim e to g iv e th e a p p a re n t s o la r tim e .
The E q u atio n o f Time m ust be ad d ed to th e mean s o la r
I t s e f f e c t i s shown in th e t h ir d column o f T able I I w hich g iv e s th e S .A .S .T . o f a p p a re n t noon, t h a t i s , o f th e S u n 's t r a n s i t o v e r th e m e rid ia n .

F o r exam ple, th e S .A .S .T . of a p p a re n t noon a t P o rt E liz a b e th on 19&0
November 12 i s 12.02 S .A .S .T ., found by a p p ly in g th e lo n g itu d e c o r r e c tio n o f +I8m to th e ta b u la te d v a lu e f o r 30° E, 30° S.

F o r many p u rp o se s s id e r e a l tim e , t h a t i s , lo c a l tim e a s m easured by

  • th e s t a r s , i s e x tre m e ly u s e f u l.
  • The s id e r e a l tim e can be fo u n d by a p p ly -

in g th e S .A .S .T . (on a 2 J+ h o u r b a s is ) to th e c o rre sp o n d in g " S id e re a l Time a t 0 h o u rs S .A .S .T ." w hich i s g iv en in th e f o u r th colum n o f T able I I and

  • c o r r e c tin g f o r lo n g itu d e by means o f T able I .
  • A f u r t h e r sm a ll c o r r e c tio n

i s n eed ed to a llo w f o r th e fo u r-m in u te d iff e re n c e in le n g th betw een th e s o la r and s id e r e a l d a y s.

The c o r r e c tio n i s +1m f o r tim es betw een 0 3 »00 and 0 9 .0 0 S .A .S .T .,
+2m betw een 0 9 .0 0 and 15*00, +3m betw een 15.00 and 21 .00 and +4m betw een

21 .00 and 23. 59.

  • Example:
  • F in d th e s id e r e a l tim e a t 8 .1 5 p.m . on O cto b er 13 a t P o rt

E liz a b e th .

  • m,
  • h .

26

01

  • S id . Time a t 00 .00 S .A .S .T .
  • on O cto b er 13

20

21

S .a .S .T . e la p s e d

15 41
-1 8 + 3
C o rre c tio n f o r lo n g itu d e I n te r v a l c o r r e c tio n

26

  • R eq u ired S id e re a l Tim e.
  • 21

F o r re c o rd in g th e tim e o f v a r ia b le s t a r o b s e rv a tio n s , th e J u lia n Day-
C a le n d ar i s u s u a lly u se d . T h is num bers th e days c o n s e c u tiv e ly from th e b e g in n in g o f th e J u lia n E ra in 4713 B .C . The J u lia n la y b e g in s a t G reenw ich mean noon, t h a t i s , a t 1 4 .0 0 (2 p .m .) S .A .S .T .

The p o s itio n o f a s t a r in th e sky i s f ix e d b y i t s r ig h t a s c e n s io n and d e c lin a tio n , much a s th e p o s itio n o f a p o in t on th e e a r th i s f ix e d by i t s lo n g itu d e and l a t i t u d e . any s t a r a re th e lo n g itu d e and l a t i t u d e o f th e p o in t on th e e a r th d i r e c tl y b e n e a th i t a t z e ro h o u rs s id e r e a l tim e a t G reenw ich. L a titu d e and
In f a c t th e r ig h t a s c e n s io n and d e c lin a tio n o f d e c lin a tio n a re alw ays m easured in d e g re e s n o r th o r so u th o f th e e q u a to r. L o n g itu d e and r ig h t a sc e n sio n a r e m easured e i t h e r in d eg rees o r i n tim e , 3é0° b e in g e q u a l to 24 h o u rs (1° e q u a ls 4 m in u tes; 15 * e q u a ls 1 m in u te ).

R ig h t a s c e n s io n i s alw ays m easured e a stw a rd s from th e zero c e l e s t i a l m e rid ia n , and th u s i s th e e q u iv a le n t o f th e lo n g itu d e m easured e a stw a rd s from th e G reenw ich ife rid ia n .

F o r c o n s id e rin g th e m o tio n s o f th e Sun, Moon and P la n e ts , th e system o f c o -o rd in a te s known a s c e l e s t i a l l a t i t u d e an d lo n g itu d e i s v e ry con-

  • v e n ie n t.
  • These c o -o rd in a te s d e fin e th e p o s itio n o f a c e l e s t i a l body w ith

r e fe re n c e to th e e c l i p t i c in e x a c tly th e same way a s r ig h t a s c e n s io n and d e c lin a tio n d e fin e i t s p o s itio n w ith re fe re n c e to th e c e l e s t i a l e q u a to r. The ( c e l e s t i a l ) l a t i t u d e i s th e a n g u la r d is ta n c e o f th e body n o r th o r so u th o f th e e c l i p t i c , w h ile th e lo n g itu d e i s th e d is ta n c e from th e V ern al

  • E quinox as m easured e a stw a rd s a lo n g th e E c l i p t i c .
  • C e l e s t ia l l a t i t u d e and

lo n g itu d e a re u s u a lly m easured in d e g re e s . F o r exam ple, th e c o -o r d in a te s o f th e r a d ia n ts in th e M eteor C a le n d a r a re e x p re s s e d in t h i s way.

The b c l i p t i c i s d e fin e d by th e a p p a re n t p a th o f th e Sun ab o u t th e

  • E a r th .
  • The l a t i t u d e o f th e Sun i s th e r e fo r e alw ays (a p p ro x im a te ly ) z e ro ,

w h ils t i t s lo n g itu d e in c re a se s, by a p p ro x im a te ly 1° p e r day.

TABLE I I
1

I
S id e r e a l Time f o r L o n g itu d e 30°
S. A, S. T. o f S u n 's t r a n s i t L ongitude 30 °E
Date 1960
J u lia n D ate a t 14- h o u rs
3
S .A .S .T . C h o u rs iÍ
S .A .S .T . 18 h o u rs

;

  • m.
  • h .
  • s .
  • h . in.
  • h . n ,

  • J a n u a ry
  • 1 2

12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12

46

2,4-36,941 .0
95 1.0
02

  • 7
  • 7

17 27
6
16

26

7
17 27
05 09 12
05 41- 24. 03 42 22 01 41 20

1

tt

43 34 05 15 14 14 34 35
78
41 21

1

tt

961.0

2334- 55
F e b ru ary
9 7 1 .0

981.0

2, 436, 991.0

2 ,4 3 7 ,0 0 1 .0
0 1 1 .0
OC

  • 14
  • 9

y

It

a

14 13 11 08 05
39 19 53 38 17

If

10

M arch

10

tl

A A

tl

  • 0 2 1 .0
  • 12

6
16

26

6
16

26

5
A p ril
M
12 11 11 11 11 11 11 12 12

  • 02
  • 00

39
2 ,4 3 7 ,0 3 1 .0

041.0 051.0

36 55 52 37 17 53 18 15 24
12 13
57 36 16
77889
59 57 56 56 56 58 00 02

tt

10

  • 1
  • Of

m y

061.0

14 55 15 35 16 16 17 18
58 38

Tt

071.0

ft

  • 1
  • 7

0 8 1 .0

  • 10
  • '1 4

53 33 12
Ju n e
1!

091.0

10 56

  • 101 .0
  • •11 36

15 25

ft

- *C

1 1 1 .0

1

12

  • J u ly
  • 2,437,121 .0
  • 12

12 12 12 12 12 11 11 11
18 19 20 10 20
50
21 22 22 23
0
12 13 34 14 14 53 15

  • 12
  • 15

16
51

17 18

18 19 29 20 o s 20 21 22 22 23 24
52 31
5
15 25
4
14- 24-
3
04 05 06 06 04 02 59 56 52
23 48
55

tt

131.0 141.0 151.0 16 1.0 171.0

1 8 1 .0

If

24 03 40 26 58
13
A ugust

If

  • 32
  • 29

09 4-8 28

ft
•

Septem ber i

ft

191.0

13 23
03 31
31

9t

  • 201 .0.
  • 10

49
07

-

2,437,211 .0
221 .0
11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11

  • O cto b er
  • 0

U

22

46

3
13 23
2
12 22
2
49 46 44 43 44 46 49 53 58 i;

It

26

1223

It

231.0

25 37 07 03 17 33 25
05 h 5 24.

  • November
  • 48

241.0

tt

251.0

27 c? 46 25 05

ft

261 .0
04

■43
22
4

4

December

271.0

281.0

291.0

ft

1 2 .
5

s

ft

22

O

02
.

_____

- 5 -

  • THE
  • MOON
  • 1960

  • iPOGEE
  • PERIGEE

  • S. D.
  • H.
  • Date
  • D.
  • S.
  • H.j
  • P.

01 " 08 13

  • l a t e
  • P.

  • Jan 10d
  • 6 0 ' 36"

41
59
12h
16* 30"
54*

54 54 54 13 54 53 53 53 54 05 54
Jan 26a
23
Mar
19

  • 1 4 ' 43"
  • 15h

  • 08
  • Peb

16

16 16

16

16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16

  • Peb
  • 14

14 14

  • 7
  • 45

46 46

15 09 21
05 09 21 20 04 13 22 23 00 22 06 13
6
Mar «.pr Apr Hay Jun J u l Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
04 00 18

06

12 16 03 20 15 11
17 01 50
59 60 60
3
30 28 24 21 18 14 12
97
Apr May Jun J u l

A U g

Sep
14 12 10
852

06

59 56 58
14 45
35

43 44 37 24 11 13 27 40
61 21
14 43

42
14

61

60

60

23 58 12
42
14

44

46

47

46

14 14 14 14
12 14 10
Sep 30

  • Oct
  • 24

Nov 21 Dec
19
59 24
30
54 54 54
59 60
23

  • 61
  • 10

  • 03
  • 14 44
  • 05

  • S.D . = S em i-d ia m ete r
  • H .P, = H o riz o n ta l P a r a lla x

The d is ta n c e o f th e moon from th e e a r th in m ile s may he fo u n d by d iv id in g 8 1 7 ,5 0 0 ,0 0 0 by th e H .P . in seconds o f a r c .

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    LIST OF OFFICERS FOR 1931 AND LIST OF MEMBERS, JANUARY 1, 1931 THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO PRESS L LIST OF OFFICERS FOR 1931 AND LIST OF MEMBERS, JANUARY 1, 1931 Kindly report any errors in this list to the General Secretary, 198 College Street, Toronto, Canada OFFICERS FOR 1931 Honorary President— R. M. S t e w a r t , M.A., F.R.S.C., Ottawa. President— H. R. Kingston, M.A., Ph.D., London, Ont. First Vice-President— R. K. Y o u n g , Ph.D., Toronto. Second Vice-President— M gr. C. P. Choquette, M.A., Lic.Scs., Montreal. General Secretary— Lachlan G ilchrist, M.A., Ph.D., 198 College St., Toronto. General Treasurer— J , H, H orning, B,A,, 198 College St., Toronto. Recorder— E. J. A. K e n n e d y , Toronto. Librarian— R. A. Gray, B.A., T oronto. Curator— R o b e r t S. D u n c a n , Toronto. Council— D. S. A i n s l i e , M.A., Ph.D., Toronto, Ont.; Napier Denison, Victoria, B.C.; M is s A. V ibert Douglas, Ph.D., Montreal; R. E. D e L u r y , M.A., Ph.D., Ottawa; E. A. H o d g s o n , M.A., Ottawa; A. R. H a s s a r d , Toronto; J . A. Pearce, M.A., Victoria, B.C.; J. Patterson, M.A., Toronto; John Satterly, M.A., D.Sc., Toronto; L. A. H. W a r r e n , M.A., Ph.D., Winnipeg; and Past Presidents—Sir Frederic Stupart, F.R .S.C .; A.
  • A History of Comet Discovery from South Africa

    A History of Comet Discovery from South Africa

    proceedings of the fifth symposium A history of comet discoveiy from South Africa T P Cooper Director, ASSA Comet & Meteor Section P O Box 14740, Bredell, 1623, South Africa [email protected] Abstract; The history of comet discovery from South Africa is as old as the first settlement by the Dutch at the Cape in 1652. This paper records the discov­ ery of 57 comets from South Africa since this time. The most prolific discover­ ers are shown to be William Reid and Michiel Bester. Interesting facts relating to the discoverers and their comets are presented. The paper constitutes a sum­ mary and is part of a larger ongoing effort by the author to produce a concise historical manuscript of South African comet discovery. Introduction Notwithstanding the fact that the last comet month earlier from Spain, P/1682 Q l, which discovered from South Africa was in 1978, was comet Hailey, and C/J695 U2, which this country has a vibrant history of comet was observed two days earlier from Brazil. discovery. During the current lull in discov­ McIntyre also gives an account of C/1830 ery, 1 feel it pertinent to take stock and sum­ F 1 which he describes as “the only independ­ marise the discoveries that have been made ent discovery o f a comet by a woman in over the last 350 years and give some impe­ South Africa”. Mrs Fallows observation on tus to discovery in the 21 st century. March 20 was four days after the first sight­ A comprehensive treatise of South African ing of this comet from Mauritius on March comet discoveries has never been produced.
  • Download Full Issue

    Download Full Issue

    THE MINOR PLANET BULLETIN OF THE MINOR PLANETS SECTION OF THE BULLETIN ASSOCIATION OF LUNAR AND PLANETARY OBSERVERS VOLUME 47, NUMBER 1, A.D. 2020 JANUARY-MARCH 1. SECTION NEWS: COLLABORATIVE ASTEROID PHOTOMETRY FOR STAFFING CHANGES FOR ASTEROID 2051 CHANG THE MINOR PLANET BULLETIN Alessandro Marchini Frederick Pilcher Astronomical Observatory, DSFTA - University of Siena (K54) Minor Planets Section Recorder Via Roma 56, 53100 - Siena, ITALY [email protected] [email protected] One staffing change and one staffing addition for The Minor Planet Bulletin are announced effective with this issue. Riccardo Papini, Massimo Banfi, Fabio Salvaggio Wild Boar Remote Observatory (K49) MPB Distributor Derald Nye is now retired from his 37 years of San Casciano in Val di Pesa (FI), ITALY service to the Minor Planets Bulletin. Derald stepped in to service at the time the MPB made its transition from the original Editor Melissa N. Hayes-Gehrke, Eric Yates and Section founder, Richard G. Hodgson. As Derald reflected in Department of Astronomy, University of Maryland a short essay written in MPB 40, page 53 (2013), the Distributor College Park, MD, USA 20740 position was the longest job he ever held, having retired from being a programmer for 30 years with IBM. (Work for IBM (Received: 2019 October 15) included programming for the space program.) At its peak, Derald was managing nearly 200 subscriptions. That number dropped to Photometric observations of this main-belt asteroid were the dozen or so libraries maintaining a permanent collection conducted in order to determine its rotation period. The following the MPB transitioning to becoming an on-line electronic authors found a synodic rotation period of 12.013 ± journal with limited printing.
  • The 1882 Transit of Venus: the British Expeditions to South Africa

    The 1882 Transit of Venus: the British Expeditions to South Africa

    Refereed article The 1882 transit of Venus: The British expeditions to South Africa W.P. Koorts South African Astronomical Observatory, PO Box 9, Observatory, 7935 [email protected] Abstract. Prior to the 19th century transits of Venus, the Cape Observatory already had a long history of involvement in parallax observations. The results of the 1874 transit were not particularly encouraging, compared to alternative methods of measuring the astronomical unit devised by that time. Nonetheless, the British decided to send out expeditions to seven countries, equipped for do- ing timed contact observations and supplemented by heliometer measurements. The British party to South Africa headed for Montagu Road (Touws River today) and brought with them several instruments for use by local expeditions arranged by David Gill. These included a party to Aberdeen Road and the start of a permanent observatory in Durban. At the Cape, six observers independently observed this rare event. A number of colourful characters and interesting expe- riences got interwoven in the process of obtaining these observations. Fine weather prevailed at all of the local stations, but the fi nal results con- fi rmed that the timing uncertainties introduced by the ‘black drop’ effect and the atmosphere of Venus were just too great to improve the solar parallax by this method when it was compared to competing methods. Keyword: history of astronomy 1. Introduction Please allow me to start with a brief personal account. I grew up in the small dusty railway town of Touws River where it was common knowl- edge that in the courtyard of the Douglas Hotel there was a monument (Figure 1) com- memorating a site “…where a piece of a star once fell”.
  • A Personal History of the Royal Greenwich Observatory at Herstmonceux Castle 1948 – 1990

    A Personal History of the Royal Greenwich Observatory at Herstmonceux Castle 1948 – 1990

    A Personal History of the Royal Greenwich Observatory at Herstmonceux Castle 1948 – 1990 Volume 1– Narrative George A. Wilkins Sidford, Devon: 2009 2 A PERSONAL HISTORY BY GEORGE A WILKINS A Personal History of the Royal Greenwich Observatory at Herstmonceux Castle: 1948 – 1990 Copyright © George Alan Wilkins, 2009, all rights reserved. A copy of this History is on deposit in the Royal Greenwich Observatory Archives located with the Scientific Manuscripts Collections of the Department of Manuscripts and University Archives in the Cambridge University Library. This History is published in two volumes on the web-site of the Cambridge University Library, from where it may be downloaded and printed in whole or in part only for the personal use of the reader. The author gratefully acknowledges the assistance of Catherine Y. Hohenkerk in the preparation of the material for the web-site. THE ROYAL GREENWICH OBSERVATORY AT HERSTMONCEUX CASTLE 3 PREFACE The character of the Royal Greenwich Observatory was transformed during the period from 1948 to 1990 when it was based at Herstmonceux Castle. In 1948, when the move from Greenwich started, the programme of work was almost entirely concerned with positional astronomy and its applications to time and navigation. Then the director of the Observatory carried the title of Astronomer Royal and determined the programme of activities under the benevolent scrutiny of a Board of Visitors, which was appointed by the Admiralty. The transfer of the responsibility for the Observatory from the Admiralty to the Science Research Council in 1965 led to a series of changes that culminated in the closing of the Observatory in the autumn of 1998.
  • Willem De Sitter

    Willem De Sitter

    Springer Biographies Willem de Sitter Einstein’s Friend and Opponent JAN GUICHELAAR Springer Biographies More information about this series at http://www.springer.com/series/13617 Jan Guichelaar Willem de Sitter Einstein’s Friend and Opponent 123 Jan Guichelaar Amsterdam, The Netherlands This book draws, in part, on the author’s earlier work in Dutch: “De Sitter, Een alternatief voor Einsteins heelalmodel”, Veen Magazines, Amsterdam, 2009. [De Sitter, An alternative for Einstein’s model of the universe]. ISSN 2365-0613 ISSN 2365-0621 (electronic) Springer Biographies ISBN 978-3-319-98336-3 ISBN 978-3-319-98337-0 (eBook) https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-98337-0 Library of Congress Control Number: 2018951902 © Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2018 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication.
  • 2021 Year Calculated from Pre-Scientific

    2021 Year Calculated from Pre-Scientific

    2021 Year calculated from Pre-Scientific Era Sources are listed at bottom. Before CHRIST (BC) / Before Current Era (BCE) DATE EVENT Topic Source Colour index B.C. YEARS YEAR MONTH DAY Egyptian Culture AGO Greek and Roman Mesopotamia: the oldest known civilization between approximately 5 000 to 1596 B.C. Civilization Civilization v1, pp.17 - 23. Arabic At noon (12h00) on this date is Day One of the Julian Day Calendar used by Astronomers. This calendar was created in 1583 (See 1583) 6733 4713 January 1 and backdated to this day Calendar Calendar, pp.284 - 5. Chinese Culture Egypt: Predynastic Era approximately 4 000 to 3 100 B.C. Civilization Civilization v1, pp.23 - 4. Korean Culture 6261 4241 Start of Egyptian Calendar and 1st known date Calendar Calendar, p.21. Polynesian Culture On this date, according to James Ussher (1581 - 1656), God created Calendar, p.331; Faber, 6024 4004 October 23 the World. Calendar p.71. America's 5520 3500 Invention of the wheel (Wheeled transport appears in Mesopotamia) Milestone Event Mapping Time, p.145. Indian Culture 5520 3500 Construction of Newgrange (Ireland) Observatory Cambridge, pp.2 - 3. Important non-scientific events 5220 3200 Invention of writing by the Sumerians Milestone Event Mapping Time, p.145. Celestial Event 5020 3000 Construction of Stonehennge (England) Observatory Cambridge, pp.4 - 5. Milestone Events 5020 3000 Egyptian Religious Calendar Calendar Cambridge, pp.24 - 25. 5020 3000 Egyptian Administrative Calendar Calendar Cambridge, pp.24 - 25. 5134 3114 Current Maya Great Cycle Begins Calendar Calendar Time Line Egypt: Old Kingdom approximately 2 700 to 2 200 B.C.
  • Dudley Holdings Arranged by Main Entry 12/23/03 Deutsche Akademie

    Dudley Holdings Arranged by Main Entry 12/23/03 Deutsche Akademie

    Dudley Holdings Arranged by Main Entry 12/23/03 Deutsche Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Berlin. CATALOGUE ZU DEN 24 STUDEN DER AKADEMISCHEN STERNKARTEN FUR 150 SUDLICHER BIS 150 NORDLICHER ABWEICHUNG BEARB. VON VERSCHIEDENEN ASTRONOMEN / HRSG. VON DER K. AKADEMIE. Berlin : Gedruckt in der Druckerei der K. Akademie.., in commission in F. Dummler's Verlags-Buchhandlung, 1859. QB65 .A22 1859. Deutsche Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Berlin. GESCHICHTE DES FIXSTERNHIMMELS ; ENTHALTEND DIE STERNORTER DER KATALOGE DES 18. UND 19. JAHRHUNDERTS / HERAUSGEGEBEN VON DER PREUSSISCHEN AKADEMIE DER WISSENSCHAFTEN. Karlsruhe : G. Braun, 1922- QB6 .P7. DeVorkin, David H., 1944- THE HISTORY OF MODERN ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS : A SELECTED, ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY / DAVID H. DEVORKIN. New York : Garland, 1982. QB 15.D48 1982. Dick, Thomas, 1774-1857. THE SOLAR SYSTEM. London : Religious Tract Society ; Philadelphia : American Sunday- School Union, 1846. Dicke, Robert H. (Robert Henry) GRAVITATION AND THE UNIVERSE [BY] ROBERT H. DICKE. Philadelphia, American Philosophical Society, 1970. QC178.D5. Dickson, Leonard Eugene, 1874-1954. MODERN ALGEBRAIC THEORIES, BY LEONARD E. DICKSON. Chicago, New York [etc.] B. H. Sanborn & co., 1930. QA 154 D5. A DICTIONARY OF ASTRONOMY / EDITED BY IAN RIDPATH. Oxford ; New York : Oxford University Press, 1997. QB14 .D52 1997. DICTIONARY OF PHYSICS AND MATHEMATICS ABBREVIATIONS, SIGNS, AND SYMBOLS. EDITOR: DAVID D. POLON. MANAGING EDITOR: HERBERT W. REICH. PROJECT DIRECTOR : MARJORIE B. WITTY. New York, Odyssey Press [c1965]. REF QC5.D55. DICTIONARY OF THE HISTORY OF SCIENCE / EDITED BY W.F. BYNUM, E.J. BROWNE, ROY PORTER. Princeton, N.J. : Princeton University Press, c1981. REF Q125.B98. Dienes, G. J. (George Julian), 1918- STUDIES IN RADIATION EFFECTS.
  • Publications of the Astronomical Society Of

    Publications of the Astronomical Society Of

    PUBLICATIONS OF THE ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY OF THE PACIFIC Vol.63 June 1951 No. 372 AN ASTRONOMICAL VISIT TO SOUTH AFRICA John. B. Irwin Goethe Link Observatory, Indiana University During the summer of 1950 the writer had the privilege of making photoelectric observations at three of the South African observatories with the capable assistance of Arthur N. Cox, a graduate student at Indiana University. During the four-month stay in the Union, visits were made to four other observatories. Thanks to the speed of modern air transportation, it is possible for a university professor to spend his "summer vacation" in the fabulously clear African winter observing the still comparatively neglected skies of the southern hemisphere. I am indebted to the Office of Naval Research for the grant that made this research possible and to the Graduate School of Indiana University which supplied me with such an efficient assistant. Johannesburg is some 9,700 miles and 47 hours by air from New York as Pan American flies it via Lisbon, Dakar, and Leo- poldville. The Constellation Clipper "Yankee Ranger" lifted us off the LaGuardia runway at noon on May 29 and after six inter- mediate stops deposited us at the Palmietfontein Airport of Jo- hannesburg at 7:23 p.m. Springbok (South African) Time on May 31. Disembarking from the plane we turned around and looked upward, drinking in for the first time the superb southern Milky Way, the Southern Cross, Alpha and Beta Centauri, the Carina star cloud, and the Magellanic Clouds. The next morning, after breakfast, where a choice of cereal p- was made between Jungle Oats and Mealie Meal, we visited the ^ Yale-Columbia Southern Station on the attractive campus of the rl.