The Comet's Tale
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The Comet's Tale, and Therefore the Object As a Whole Would the Section Director Nick James Highlighted Have a Low Surface Brightness
1 Diebold Schilling, Disaster in connection with two comets sighted in 1456, Lucerne Chronicle, 1513 (Wikimedia Commons) THE COMET’S TALE Comet Section – British Astronomical Association Journal – Number 38 2019 June britastro.org/comet Evolution of the comet C/2016 R2 (PANSTARRS) along a total of ten days on January 2018. Composition of pictures taken with a zoom lens from Teide Observatory in Canary Islands. J.J Chambó Bris 2 Table of Contents Contents Author Page 1 Director’s Welcome Nick James 3 Section Director 2 Melvyn Taylor’s Alex Pratt 6 Observations of Comet C/1995 01 (Hale-Bopp) 3 The Enigma of Neil Norman 9 Comet Encke 4 Setting up the David Swan 14 C*Hyperstar for Imaging Comets 5 Comet Software Owen Brazell 19 6 Pro-Am José Joaquín Chambó Bris 25 Astrophotography of Comets 7 Elizabeth Roemer: A Denis Buczynski 28 Consummate Comet Section Secretary Observer 8 Historical Cometary Amar A Sharma 37 Observations in India: Part 2 – Mughal Empire 16th and 17th Century 9 Dr Reginald Denis Buczynski 42 Waterfield and His Section Secretary Medals 10 Contacts 45 Picture Gallery Please note that copyright 46 of all images belongs with the Observer 3 1 From the Director – Nick James I hope you enjoy reading this issue of the We have had a couple of relatively bright Comet’s Tale. Many thanks to Janice but diffuse comets through the winter and McClean for editing this issue and to Denis there are plenty of images of Buczynski for soliciting contributions. 46P/Wirtanen and C/2018 Y1 (Iwamoto) Thanks also to the section committee for in our archive. -
Autobiography of Sir George Biddell Airy by George Biddell Airy 1
Autobiography of Sir George Biddell Airy by George Biddell Airy 1 CHAPTER I. CHAPTER II. CHAPTER III. CHAPTER IV. CHAPTER V. CHAPTER VI. CHAPTER VII. CHAPTER VIII. CHAPTER IX. CHAPTER X. CHAPTER I. CHAPTER II. CHAPTER III. CHAPTER IV. CHAPTER V. CHAPTER VI. CHAPTER VII. CHAPTER VIII. CHAPTER IX. CHAPTER X. Autobiography of Sir George Biddell Airy by George Biddell Airy The Project Gutenberg EBook of Autobiography of Sir George Biddell Airy by George Biddell Airy This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg Autobiography of Sir George Biddell Airy by George Biddell Airy 2 License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net Title: Autobiography of Sir George Biddell Airy Author: George Biddell Airy Release Date: January 9, 2004 [EBook #10655] Language: English Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 *** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SIR GEORGE AIRY *** Produced by Joseph Myers and PG Distributed Proofreaders AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF SIR GEORGE BIDDELL AIRY, K.C.B., M.A., LL.D., D.C.L., F.R.S., F.R.A.S., HONORARY FELLOW OF TRINITY COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE, ASTRONOMER ROYAL FROM 1836 TO 1881. EDITED BY WILFRID AIRY, B.A., M.Inst.C.E. 1896 PREFACE. The life of Airy was essentially that of a hard-working, business man, and differed from that of other hard-working people only in the quality and variety of his work. It was not an exciting life, but it was full of interest, and his work brought him into close relations with many scientific men, and with many men high in the State. -
Martian Crater Morphology
ANALYSIS OF THE DEPTH-DIAMETER RELATIONSHIP OF MARTIAN CRATERS A Capstone Experience Thesis Presented by Jared Howenstine Completion Date: May 2006 Approved By: Professor M. Darby Dyar, Astronomy Professor Christopher Condit, Geology Professor Judith Young, Astronomy Abstract Title: Analysis of the Depth-Diameter Relationship of Martian Craters Author: Jared Howenstine, Astronomy Approved By: Judith Young, Astronomy Approved By: M. Darby Dyar, Astronomy Approved By: Christopher Condit, Geology CE Type: Departmental Honors Project Using a gridded version of maritan topography with the computer program Gridview, this project studied the depth-diameter relationship of martian impact craters. The work encompasses 361 profiles of impacts with diameters larger than 15 kilometers and is a continuation of work that was started at the Lunar and Planetary Institute in Houston, Texas under the guidance of Dr. Walter S. Keifer. Using the most ‘pristine,’ or deepest craters in the data a depth-diameter relationship was determined: d = 0.610D 0.327 , where d is the depth of the crater and D is the diameter of the crater, both in kilometers. This relationship can then be used to estimate the theoretical depth of any impact radius, and therefore can be used to estimate the pristine shape of the crater. With a depth-diameter ratio for a particular crater, the measured depth can then be compared to this theoretical value and an estimate of the amount of material within the crater, or fill, can then be calculated. The data includes 140 named impact craters, 3 basins, and 218 other impacts. The named data encompasses all named impact structures of greater than 100 kilometers in diameter. -
The Minor Planet Bulletin
THE MINOR PLANET BULLETIN OF THE MINOR PLANETS SECTION OF THE BULLETIN ASSOCIATION OF LUNAR AND PLANETARY OBSERVERS VOLUME 36, NUMBER 3, A.D. 2009 JULY-SEPTEMBER 77. PHOTOMETRIC MEASUREMENTS OF 343 OSTARA Our data can be obtained from http://www.uwec.edu/physics/ AND OTHER ASTEROIDS AT HOBBS OBSERVATORY asteroid/. Lyle Ford, George Stecher, Kayla Lorenzen, and Cole Cook Acknowledgements Department of Physics and Astronomy University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire We thank the Theodore Dunham Fund for Astrophysics, the Eau Claire, WI 54702-4004 National Science Foundation (award number 0519006), the [email protected] University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Office of Research and Sponsored Programs, and the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire (Received: 2009 Feb 11) Blugold Fellow and McNair programs for financial support. References We observed 343 Ostara on 2008 October 4 and obtained R and V standard magnitudes. The period was Binzel, R.P. (1987). “A Photoelectric Survey of 130 Asteroids”, found to be significantly greater than the previously Icarus 72, 135-208. reported value of 6.42 hours. Measurements of 2660 Wasserman and (17010) 1999 CQ72 made on 2008 Stecher, G.J., Ford, L.A., and Elbert, J.D. (1999). “Equipping a March 25 are also reported. 0.6 Meter Alt-Azimuth Telescope for Photometry”, IAPPP Comm, 76, 68-74. We made R band and V band photometric measurements of 343 Warner, B.D. (2006). A Practical Guide to Lightcurve Photometry Ostara on 2008 October 4 using the 0.6 m “Air Force” Telescope and Analysis. Springer, New York, NY. located at Hobbs Observatory (MPC code 750) near Fall Creek, Wisconsin. -
The Solar Wind Prevents Re-Accretion of Debris After Mercury's Giant Impact
Draft version February 21, 2020 Preprint typeset using LATEX style emulateapj v. 12/16/11 THE SOLAR WIND PREVENTS RE-ACCRETION OF DEBRIS AFTER MERCURY'S GIANT IMPACT Christopher Spalding1 & Fred C. Adams2;3 1Department of Astronomy, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511 2Department of Physics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 and 3Department of Astronomy, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 Draft version February 21, 2020 ABSTRACT The planet Mercury possesses an anomalously large iron core, and a correspondingly high bulk density. Numerous hypotheses have been proposed in order to explain such a large iron content. A long-standing idea holds that Mercury once possessed a larger silicate mantle which was removed by a giant impact early in the the Solar system's history. A central problem with this idea has been that material ejected from Mercury is typically re-accreted onto the planet after a short ( Myr) timescale. Here, we show that the primordial Solar wind would have provided sufficient drag∼ upon ejected debris to remove them from Mercury-crossing trajectories before re-impacting the planet's surface. Specifically, the young Sun likely possessed a stronger wind, fast rotation and strong magnetic field. Depending upon the time of the giant impact, the ram pressure associated with this wind would push particles outward into the Solar system, or inward toward the Sun, on sub-Myr timescales, depending upon the size of ejected debris. Accordingly, the giant impact hypothesis remains a viable pathway toward the removal of planetary mantles, both on Mercury and extrasolar planets, particularly those close to young stars with strong winds. -
The Professor Comet's Report Early Spring – April 2012
The Professor Comet’s Report 1 Mr. Justin J McCollum (BS, MS Physics) Lab Physics Coordinator Dept. of Physics Lamar University Welcome to the comet report which is a monthly article on the observations of comets by the amateur astronomy community and comet hunters from around the world! This C/2009 P1 Garradd with article is dedicated to the latest reports of available comets for Barred Spiral Galaxy NGC 4236 observations, current state of those comets, future 14 March 2011! predictions, & projections for observations in comet astronomy! Early Spring – April 2012 The Professor Comet’s Report 2 The Current Status of the Predominant Comets for Apr 2012! Comets Designation Orbital Magnitude Trend Observation Constellations Visibility (IAU – MPC) Status Visual (Range in (Night Sky Location) Period Lat.) Garradd 2009 P1 C 7.0* - 7.5 Fading 90°N – 30°S SW region of Ursa Major moving All Night SSW towards the SE region of Lynx. Giacobini - 21P P 9 – 10 Fading Poor N/A Zinner Elongation Lost in the daytime Glare! LINEAR 2011 F1 C 11 .7* Brightening 90°N – 20°S Undergoing retrograde motion All Night between Boötes and Draco thru the late Spring. Gehrels 2 78P P 12.2* Fading 60˚N - 20˚S Moving eastwards across Taurus Early Evening and progressing along the N edge of the Hyades Star Cluster! McNaught 2011 Q2 C 12.5 Fading 70˚N – Eqn. Currently in the S central region Early Morning of Andromeda moving NE between the boundary between Andromeda & Pisces. NEAT 246P/2010 V2 P 12.3* - 13 Possible 65˚N - 60˚S Undergoing retrograde motion All Night Steadiness in the E half of the N central region of Virgo until late June. -
The Comet's Tale
THE COMET’S TALE Newsletter of the Comet Section of the British Astronomical Association Volume 5, No 1 (Issue 9), 1998 May A May Day in February! Comet Section Meeting, Institute of Astronomy, Cambridge, 1998 February 14 The day started early for me, or attention and there were displays to correct Guide Star magnitudes perhaps I should say the previous of the latest comet light curves in the same field. If you haven’t day finished late as I was up till and photographs of comet Hale- got access to this catalogue then nearly 3am. This wasn’t because Bopp taken by Michael Hendrie you can always give a field sketch the sky was clear or a Valentine’s and Glynn Marsh. showing the stars you have used Ball, but because I’d been reffing in the magnitude estimate and I an ice hockey match at The formal session started after will make the reduction. From Peterborough! Despite this I was lunch, and I opened the talks with these magnitude estimates I can at the IOA to welcome the first some comments on visual build up a light curve which arrivals and to get things set up observation. Detailed instructions shows the variation in activity for the day, which was more are given in the Section guide, so between different comets. Hale- reminiscent of May than here I concentrated on what is Bopp has demonstrated that February. The University now done with the observations and comets can stray up to a offers an undergraduate why it is important to be accurate magnitude from the mean curve, astronomy course and lectures are and objective when making them. -
Michael Kühn Detlev Auvermann RARE BOOKS
ANTIQUARIAT 55Michael Kühn Detlev Auvermann RARE BOOKS 1 Rolfinck’s copy ALESSANDRINI, Giulio. De medicina et medico dialogus, libris quinque distinctus. Zurich, Andreas Gessner, 1557. 4to, ff. [6], pp. AUTOLYKOS (AUTOLYCUS OF PYTANE). 356, ff. [8], with printer’s device on title and 7 woodcut initials; a few annotations in ink to the text; a very good copy in a strictly contemporary binding of blind-stamped pigskin, the upper cover stamped ‘1557’, red Autolyci De vario ortu et occasu astrorum inerrantium libri dvo nunc primum de graeca lingua in latinam edges, ties lacking; front-fly almost detached; contemporary ownership inscription of Werner Rolfinck on conuersi … de Vaticana Bibliotheca deprompti. Josepho Avria, neapolitano, interprete. Rome, Vincenzo title (see above), as well as a stamp and duplicate stamp of Breslau University library. Accolti, 1588. 4to, ff. [6], pp. 70, [2]; with large woodcut device on title, and several woodcut diagrams in the text; title a little browned, else a fine copy in 19th-century vellum-backed boards, new endpapers. EUR 3.800.- EUR 4.200.- First edition of Alessandrini’s medical dialogues, his most famous publication and a work of rare erudition. Very rare Latin edition, translated from a Greek manuscript at the Autolycus was a Greek mathematician and astronomer, who probably Giulio Alessandrini (or Julius Alexandrinus de Neustein) (1506–1590) was an Italian physician and author Vatican library, of Autolycus’ work on the rising and setting of the fixed flourished in the second half of the 4th century B.C., since he is said to of Trento who studied philosophy and medicine at the University of Padua, then mathematical science, stars. -
The Comet's Tale
THE COMET’S TALE Journal of the Comet Section of the British Astronomical Association Number 33, 2014 January Not the Comet of the Century 2013 R1 (Lovejoy) imaged by Damian Peach on 2013 December 24 using 106mm F5. STL-11k. LRGB. L: 7x2mins. RGB: 1x2mins. Today’s images of bright binocular comets rival drawings of Great Comets of the nineteenth century. Rather predictably the expected comet of the century Contents failed to materialise, however several of the other comets mentioned in the last issue, together with the Comet Section contacts 2 additional surprise shown above, put on good From the Director 2 appearances. 2011 L4 (PanSTARRS), 2012 F6 From the Secretary 3 (Lemmon), 2012 S1 (ISON) and 2013 R1 (Lovejoy) all Tales from the past 5 th became brighter than 6 magnitude and 2P/Encke, 2012 RAS meeting report 6 K5 (LINEAR), 2012 L2 (LINEAR), 2012 T5 (Bressi), Comet Section meeting report 9 2012 V2 (LINEAR), 2012 X1 (LINEAR), and 2013 V3 SPA meeting - Rob McNaught 13 (Nevski) were all binocular objects. Whether 2014 will Professional tales 14 bring such riches remains to be seen, but three comets The Legacy of Comet Hunters 16 are predicted to come within binocular range and we Project Alcock update 21 can hope for some new discoveries. We should get Review of observations 23 some spectacular close-up images of 67P/Churyumov- Prospects for 2014 44 Gerasimenko from the Rosetta spacecraft. BAA COMET SECTION NEWSLETTER 2 THE COMET’S TALE Comet Section contacts Director: Jonathan Shanklin, 11 City Road, CAMBRIDGE. CB1 1DP England. Phone: (+44) (0)1223 571250 (H) or (+44) (0)1223 221482 (W) Fax: (+44) (0)1223 221279 (W) E-Mail: [email protected] or [email protected] WWW page : http://www.ast.cam.ac.uk/~jds/ Assistant Director (Observations): Guy Hurst, 16 Westminster Close, Kempshott Rise, BASINGSTOKE, Hampshire. -
Appendix I Lunar and Martian Nomenclature
APPENDIX I LUNAR AND MARTIAN NOMENCLATURE LUNAR AND MARTIAN NOMENCLATURE A large number of names of craters and other features on the Moon and Mars, were accepted by the IAU General Assemblies X (Moscow, 1958), XI (Berkeley, 1961), XII (Hamburg, 1964), XIV (Brighton, 1970), and XV (Sydney, 1973). The names were suggested by the appropriate IAU Commissions (16 and 17). In particular the Lunar names accepted at the XIVth and XVth General Assemblies were recommended by the 'Working Group on Lunar Nomenclature' under the Chairmanship of Dr D. H. Menzel. The Martian names were suggested by the 'Working Group on Martian Nomenclature' under the Chairmanship of Dr G. de Vaucouleurs. At the XVth General Assembly a new 'Working Group on Planetary System Nomenclature' was formed (Chairman: Dr P. M. Millman) comprising various Task Groups, one for each particular subject. For further references see: [AU Trans. X, 259-263, 1960; XIB, 236-238, 1962; Xlffi, 203-204, 1966; xnffi, 99-105, 1968; XIVB, 63, 129, 139, 1971; Space Sci. Rev. 12, 136-186, 1971. Because at the recent General Assemblies some small changes, or corrections, were made, the complete list of Lunar and Martian Topographic Features is published here. Table 1 Lunar Craters Abbe 58S,174E Balboa 19N,83W Abbot 6N,55E Baldet 54S, 151W Abel 34S,85E Balmer 20S,70E Abul Wafa 2N,ll7E Banachiewicz 5N,80E Adams 32S,69E Banting 26N,16E Aitken 17S,173E Barbier 248, 158E AI-Biruni 18N,93E Barnard 30S,86E Alden 24S, lllE Barringer 29S,151W Aldrin I.4N,22.1E Bartels 24N,90W Alekhin 68S,131W Becquerei -
Properties of Cometary Nuclei
Properties of Cometary Nuclei J, Rahe, NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC V. Vanysek, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic P. R. Weissman Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA Abstract: Active long- and short-period comets contribute about 20 to 30% of the major impactors on the Earth. Cometary nuclei are irregular bodies, typically a few to ten kilometers in diameter, with masses in the range 10*5 to 10’8 g. The nuclei are composed of an intimate mixture of volatile ices, mostly water ice, and hydrocarbon and silicate grains. The composition is the closest to solar composition of any known bodies in the solar system. The nuclei appear to be weakly bonded agglomerations of smaller icy planetesimals, and material strengths estimated from observed tidal disruption events are fairly low, typically 1& to ld N m-2. Density estimates range between 0.2 and 1.2 g cm-3 but are very poorly determined, if at all. As comets age they develop nonvolatile crusts on their surfaces which eventually render them inactive, similar in appearance to carbonaceous asteroids. However, dormant comets may continue to show sporadic activity and outbursts for some time before they become truly extinct. The source of the long-period comets is the Oort cloud, a vast spherical cloud of perhaps 1012 to 10’3 comets surrounding the solar system and extending to interstellar distances. The likely source of the short-period comets is the Kuiper belt, a ring of perhaps 108 to 1010 remnant icy planetesimals beyond the orbit of Neptune, though some short-period comets may also be long- pcriod comets from the Oort cloud which have been perturbed to short-period orbits. -
Comets (What Are They and How to Observe Them!)
PROFESSOR COMET REPORT (EARLY 2017 – LATE WINTER/EARLY SPRING) Welcome to the Professor Comet Report! This is a monthly, bimonthly, or seasonal report on the latest information for the tracking, studying, and observation of comets. All comet reports will include tables of definitions & terminologies, basic understanding about comets, how to observer comets to the latest ephemeris data and tracking charts, photometry graphs, etc.! All information within this report can freely be referenced from a table of contents. Enjoy the world of comet astronomy! 45P/Honda – Mrkos - Pajdusakova Table of Contents Current Conditions for Observable Comets……….……………………………………………3 What are Comets?.........................................................................................4 – 5 Where do they come from?..........................................................................6 – 9 Understanding the Structure of Comets…..…………………………………………..10 – 15 (Comet Structure....................………...............10) (Comet Morphology……………….……..…..11 – 13) (Nucleus Structure/Morphology……..….14 – 15) Techniques of Observing Comets……….……………………………………………..…16 – 22 (DC (Degree of Condensation)…………….16 – 17) (Foreshortening/Visual Observing………18 – 20) (How to Measure Visual Magnitude……21 – 22) The Techniques of Predicting Comets…………………………………………………..23 – 29 (Orbital Elements…………………………….….23 – 24) (Orbital Diagrams…………………………………….….25) (Ephemeris Terminology/Data…………....26 – 27) (Charts/Light Curve Chart……………………28 – 29) The Techniques of Analyzing Comets……………………………………………………….….30