The Observer's Handbook 1958
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THE OBSERVER’S HANDBOOK 1958 Fiftieth Year of Publication THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY OF CANADA Price 75 cents THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY OF CANADA Incorporated 1890 —Royal Charter 1903 The National Headquarters of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, seen above, is located at 252 College Street, Toronto 2B, Ontario. The business office of the Society, reading rooms and astronomical library, are housed here, as well as a large room for the accommodation of telescope making groups. Membership in the Society is open to anyone interested in astronomy. Applicants may affiliate with one of the Society’s thirteen centres across Canada, or may join the National Society. Centres of the Society are established in Halifax, Quebec, Montreal, Ottawa, Hamilton, London, Windsor, Winnipeg, Edmonton, Vancouver, Victoria, and Toronto. Addresses of the Centres’ secretaries may be obtained from the National Headquarters. Publications of the Society are free to members, and include the J o u r n a l (6 issues per year) and the O b s e r v e r ’s H a n d b o o k (published annually in November). A n n u a l fees of $5.00 are payable October 1 and include the publications for the following year. Requests for additional information regarding the Society or its publications may be sent to the address above. Communications to the Editor should be sent to Miss Ruth J. Northcott, David Dunlap Observatory, Richmond Hill, Ontario. THE OBSERVER’S HANDBOOK 1958 E d it o r R u t h J . N o r t h c o t t Fiftieth Year of Publication THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 252 C o l l e g e S t r e e t , T o r o n t o 2B, O n t a r io CONTENTS PAGE Acknowledgements ................................................................................3 Anniversaries and F e s tiv a ls ............................................................... 3 Symbols and Abbreviations....................................................................... 4 The Constellations . 5 Miscellaneous Astronomical D a t a ........................................................6 Ephemeris of the S u n ...................................................... 7 Principal Elements of the Solar System . 8 Satellites of the Solar S y ste m ................................................................9 Solar and Sidereal T i m e ..................................................................... 10 Map of Standard Time Z o n e s ..............................................................11 Julian Day C alendar ............................................................................. 11 Times of Rising and Setting of the Sun and Moon . 12 Sunrise and Sunset..............................................................................13 Beginning and Ending of T w ilig h t ...........................................19 Moonrise and M oonset.....................................................................20 The Planets for 1958 26 The Sky and Astronomical Phenomena Month by Month . 32 Phenomena of Jupiter’s S a tellites ............................... 56 Ephemeris for Physical Observation of the Moon . 57 Ephemeris for the Physical Observation of the Sun . 58 Eclipses, 1958 ...................................................................................... 59 Lunar Occultations, 1958 59 Meteors, Fireballs and M eteorites ......................................................61 The Brightest Stars, their magnitudes, types, proper motions, distances and radial velocities and navigation stars . 62 Table of Precession for 50 Years ....... 73 Double and Multiple Stars ..................................................................... 74 Variable S t a r s ............................................................................................ 76 Clusters and Nebulae: Star C lusters .....................................................................................78 Galactic N eb u lae .............................................................................79 External G alaxies ..............................................................................80 Four Circular Star M a p s ..................................................................... 81 C a le n d a r ............................................................................. Cover p. iii PRINTED IN CANADA BY THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO PRESS CLARENCE AUGUSTUS CHANT, 1865-1956 Since the last issue of the Observer’s Handbook went to press death has claimed Dr. C. A. Chant who conceived the Handbook in the year 1907 and who edited it continuously for fifty years. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Observer’s Handbook for 1958 is the 50th and largest yet published. In preparing this volume the Editor has had invaluable assistance with the manu script and the proof. For the expenditure of much time and effort our cordial thanks are offered to Gustav Bakos, Barbara Gaizauskas, Charles M. Good, James Hogg, Helge Mairo, Kulli Milles, Donald Morton, Isabel K. Williamson and Dorothy Yane. Special thanks are due Margaret W. Mayall, A.A.V.S.O. Director, for the predictions of times of maxima of the long-period variables. Our deep indebtedness to the British Nautical Almanac and the American Ephemeris is thankfully acknowledged. R u t h J. N o r t h c o t t ANNIVERSARIES AND FESTIVALS, 1958 New Year’s Day........ Wed. Jan. 1 Pentecost (Whit Sunday). May 25 Epiphany..................... Mon. Jan. 6 Trinity Sunday........... .June 1 Septuagesima Sunday. .Feb. 2 Corpus Christi............ Thu. June 5 Accession of Queen St. John Baptist (Mid- Elizabeth (1952). .Thu. Feb. 6 summer Day)........ .Tue. June 24 Quinquagesima (Shrove Dominion Day............ Tue. July 1 Sunday)................... Feb. 16 Birthday of Queen Mother Ash Wednesday.......... .Feb. 19 Elizabeth (1900). Mon. Aug. 4 St. David..................... .Sat. Mar. 1 Labour D ay................ Mon. Sept. 1 St. Patrick................... Mon. Mar. 17 Hebrew New Year Palm Sunday.............. Mar. 30 (Rosh Hashanah). Mon. Sept. 15 Good Friday................ .Apr. 4 St. Michael Easter Sunday............ .Apr. 6 (Michaelmas Day) . Mon. Sept. 29 Birthday of Queen Thanksgiving Day. .. Mon. Oct. 13 Elizabeth (1926) . Mon. Apr. 21 All Saints’ D ay........... .Sat. Nov. 1 St. George.................... Wed. Apr. 23 Remembrance Day. .. Tue. Nov. 11 Rogation Sunday........ May 11 St. Andrew Sun Nov. 30 Ascension D ay............ Thu. May 15 First Sunday in Advent........ .Nov. 30 Empire Day (Victoria Christmas Day............. Thu. Dec. 25 D ay)......................... Mon. May 19 SYMBOLS AND ABBREVIATIONS SUN, MOON AND PLANETS ASPECTS AND ABBREVIATIONS SIGNS OF THE ZODIAC THE GREEK ALPHABET Rho Sigma Tau Upsilon Phi Chi Psi Omega THE CONFIGURATIONS OF JUPITER’S SATELLITES In the Configurations of Jupiter’s Satellites (pages 33, 35, etc.), O represents the disk of the planet, d signifies that the satellite is on the disk, * signifies that the satellite is behind the disk or in the shadow. Configurations are for an inverting telescope. CALCULATIONS FOR ALGOL The calculations for the minima of Algol are based on the epoch J.D. 2434576.5110 and period 2.86731 days as published in the 1954 International Supplement, Kracow Observatory. CELESTIAL DISTANCES Celestial distances given herein are based on the standard value of 8.80" for the sun’s parallax, not the more recent value 8.790" determined by Sir Harold Spencer Jones. THE CONSTELLATIONS L a t in a n d E n g l is h N a m e s w it h A bbreviations Andromeda, Leo, Lion..........................Leo Leon (Chained Maiden) ...And Andr Leo Minor, Lesser Lion.. LMi LMin Antlia, Air Pum p...........Ant Antl Lepus, Hare.....................Lep Leps Apus, Bird of Paradise.. Aps Apus Libra, Scales.................... Lib Libr Aquarius, Water-bearer.. Aqr Aqar Lupus, Wolf.....................Lup Lupi Aquila, Eagle...................Aql Aqil Lynx, L ynx...................... Lyn Lync Ara, Altar........................ Ara Arae Lyra, Lyre........................Lyr Lyra Aries, Ram.......................Ari Arie Mensa, Table (Mountain)Men Mens Auriga, (Charioteer). .Aur Auri Microscopium, Bootes, (Herdsman) . Boo Boot Microscope...................Mic Micr Caelum, Chisel................ Cae Cael Monoceros, Unicorn... .Mon Mono Camelopardalis, Giraffe..Cam Caml Musca, F ly......................Mus Musc Cancer, Crab................... Cnc Canc Norma, Square................Nor Norm Canes Venatici, Octans, Octant.................Oct Octn Hunting Dogs.............. CVn CVen Ophiuchus, Canis Major, Greater Dog.CMa CMaj Serpent-bearer..............Oph Ophi Canis Minor, Lesser Dog.CMi CMin Orion, (Hunter).............. Ori Orio Capricornus, Sea-goat. .Cap Capr Pavo, Peacock..................Pav Pavo Carina, Keel. Car Cari Pegasus, (Winged Horse)Peg Pegs Cassiopeia, Perseus, (Champion).. .Per Pers (Lady in Chair)..........Cas Cass Phoenix, Phoenix............Phe Phoe Centaurus, Centaur........ Cen Cent Pictor, Painter................ Pic Pict Cepheus, (K ing)........... Cep Ceph Pisces, Fishes.................. Psc Pisc Cetus, Whale................... Cet Ceti Piscis Australis, Chamaeleon, ChamaeleonCha Cham Southern Fish.............. PsA PscA Circinus, Compasses...... Cir Circ Puppis, Poop...................Pup Pupp Columba, Dove................ Col Colm Pyxis, Compass............... Pyx Pyxi Coma Berenices, Reticulum, Net................Ret Reti Berenice's Hair............Com Coma Sagitta, Arrow.................Sge Sgte Corona Australis, Sagittarius, Archer......... Sgr Sgtr Southern Crown.......... CrA CorA Scorpius, Scorpion.........