January 2021

Havering Astronomical Society

www.havastro.co.uk Havering Astronomical Society Group Havering Astronomical Society

Forthcoming Online Presentations Things to do whilst on lockdown Please note that our meetings now commence at Members are reminded that there is plenty of 7.15pm for 7.30pm: followed by an open members’ information available on our own Society website discussion on all matters astronomical: your chance which includes such activities as Peter’s three to chat online. ‘Objects of the Month’. This month they are: AB Aurigae (Star of the Month), Caldwell 50 AKA: Wednesday 20th January, 7.15 for 7.30pm Satellite Cluster (DSO of the Month) and Beta

Monocerotis (Double Star of the Month) as well as Alan Fitzsimmons ,Queen's University, Belfast will ‘Martin’s Monthly Challenge’. There are also links present “Understanding Near -Earth Objects and to other websites and software as well as some Planetary Defence” spectacular images from our own members.

Wednesday 3 February, 7.15 for 7.30pm Members can also view our Society Facebook page Ryan French , Solar Physics PhD student at the where fellow members post various articles and items UCL Mullard Space Science Laboratory, and a of interests and occasionally links to other pages and

Newkirk Fellow at the NCAR High Altitude websites. , Boulder, Colorado: You can also now follow us on Twitter . “Ancient times to new results - a journey through solar physics ” For those members who are particularly interested in practical Astrophotography and imaging there is the Wednesday 17 February, 7.15 for 7.30pm HAS Observing Group Chat on WhatsApp . If you would like to have access to this group, please Dr Dafydd Wyn Evans, member of the Cambridge contact Les Brand at [email protected] Astronomical Survey Unit at the Institute of , Cambridge: Newly found Comet Leonard might become 2021’s

“Gaia: what was delivered in EDR3 (Early Data brightest.

Release 3) and what is to come in DR3 (Data Exciting news! A newly found comet might become 2021’s Release 3)” brightest comet. Astronomer Greg Leonard discovered the Members who have provided an email address will comet that now bears his name – C/2021 A1 (Leonard) – on be sent an invitation with joining instructions. If you January 3, 2021 at the Observatory in . wish to be added to the list please contact Les Astronomers report that discovery images show a tail for the

Brand at [email protected] comet, suggesting we might see a nice tail as Comet Leonard

draws closer to the Earth and sun. The comet is still far away, If any membe r would like to give a short talk or currently between the orbits of Jupiter and Mars, heading presentation online can they please contact inward. It’ll reach perihelion, its closest approach to the sun, either Magda or Peter at around January 3, 2022. And so, we will have a whole year to [email protected] watch this comet get brighter, and brighter!

NIGHT SKY

International Space Station Viewing Opportunities

Date Visible Max Height* Appears Disappears

Sat Jan 23, 6:32 PM 2 min 58° 22° above SW 58° above SSE

Sun Jan 24, 5:45 PM 4 min 44° 21° above SW 18° above E

Mon Jan 25, 6:34 PM 2 min 85° 27° above WSW 71° above E

Tue Jan 26, 5:47 PM 4 min 73° 33° above WSW 18° above E

Mercury: can best be seen on 24th January 30 minutes after sunset in Capricornus low in the Southwest. Mercury lingers in the bright evening twilight for the rest of the month and is at Greatest Eastern elongation on this date and will set 100 minutes after the Sun shining at mag.-0.5. Make sure the sun has set before looking out for the planet.

The Pleiades: can best be seen 12th February at 18:14 GMT in Taurus in the South. The Pleiades also known as the Seven Sisters and Messier 45, is an open cluster containing middle-aged, hot B type stars in the north- west of the constellation Taurus. It is among the star clusters nearest to Earth, it is the nearest Messier Object to Earth, and is the cluster most obvious to the naked eye in the night sky. There will be a new Moon so the seeing should be particularly good conditions permitting.

YouTube Videos of Previous Online Talks Young Astronomers – First Online Meeting

Here is the link for the video of Professor Marc We are pleased to announce our first ever Young Schuman’s talk ‘Exploring the Dark Universe with Astronomers Online Meeting. Les Brand has been heading XENON’. a working group dedicated to start this up and they are now making efforts to publicise it as much as possible. If https://youtu.be/CzuyVxkyCEI you know of any individual youngsters or youth groups who would be interested in joining in please let them know about the date and details as set out in our flyer below.

Annual Membership Fees

This is a reminder that the Annual Membership fees are now due. As previously advised, we have introduced a two-tier system based on our changed circumstances. The fee will remain at £15.00 for ‘Full Members’ who will be eligible to attend our meetings at Cranham and other in person activities, have access to the Members Section on the website, have voting rights at AGM’s and EGM’s as well access to all of our online meetings. There will now also be a fee of £10.00 for ‘Online Only Members’ who will have access to future online meetings only. All members, both new and existing, will need to complete the Online Registration Form now available on the Society website. Once submitted an acknowledgement will be sent out containing details on methods of payment.