Wa 063 december 2013

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The Southern Astronomer No.63 - December 2013

SOUTHERN ASTRONOMER THE

NEWSLETTER OF WORTHING ASTRONOMERS & WORTHING SKYWATCHERS

This issue The Ones To Watch Out For ISON Observing December Workshop preview Observing Project Observing Notes Star Map

pages 1 & 2 page 2

THE ONES TO WATCH OUT FOR THIS MONTH If you have never seen a comet before there is little doubt you will not be disappointed this month if you want to see one though not the one we had all expected. ISON had its rendezvous with the Sun at perihelion (November 28) and it looked as if the ultimate battle between Fire and Ice went the way of fire with the possibility that the nucleus of the comet had broken up and the gasses boiled away.

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Astronomy Meetings

However in the cold light of day it seems though the nucleus did indeed suffer trauma due to its close pass with the Sun a part or parts might have survived.

Worthing Astronomers (WA) occasionally meet at the Worthing Society of Model Engineers, Field Place, Durrington, Worthing BN13 1NP. Details of meetings, as and when, are further on in the newsletter. Adur AS (AAS) meet at Southwick Christian Community Church, 1-5 Roman Crescent, Southwick BN42 4TY. Foredown Tower Astronomers (FTA) at Emmaus Charity Premises, on the corner of Manor Road and Drove Road, Portslade Old Village, BN41 2PA. Horsham AG (HoAG) meet at Christ's Hospital, near Horsham, RH13 0YP. Worthing Astronomical Society (WAS) meet at Emmanuel URC, St.Michaels Road, Worthing BN11 4SD.

Above: Comet C/2013 R1 (Lovejoy) captured by Nick Quinn on November 13 using a Starlight Xpress CCD camera.

AAS, FTA, HoAG and WA venues have off road parking facilities and grounds adjacent for setting up telescopes when conditions allow.

Astronomers will be trying to calculate a path for the remnant; ISON was never going to be 'the comet of the century' it will even be less likely now. It may be a bit premature to bid farewell to ISON or the ISON we had hoped to observe. Keep watching the pre-dawn skies. ISON was predicted to appear just below Lovejoy (at the 'foot' of Hercules) if it had appeared – lower picture left. Its orbit may yet be that.

WA £2 admission, Adur and the FTA charge £3 while WAS charge £4 at the door for non-members. All the above meetings above begin at 19.30hrs. WA members will always be made welcome at these groups. More information 01903 521205 or 07801 692244.

A better bet mid-month is C/2013 R1 (Lovejoy).

Fuller details of what our colleagues in neighbouring societies are doing at their monthly meetings is on the page 2 Quick View Diary.

As the month progresses, Lovejoy will be moving in a southerly direction and getting lower in the sky.

Worthing Astronomers is a free to join society with a membership of over 280 persons all interested in the same hobby of Astronomy. With the aid of this newsletter, regular star parties, workshops and public observing events we hope to encourage and share our interests in observing the sky with the public and our colleagues both in our own group and with neighbouring societies.

The BAA comet section predictions for the comet are for a binocular object rather than naked eye. Above: Lovejoy at December 15 Predicted magnitude 5.9. Graphics by Stellarium

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See Andy Lee's image of Lovejoy on page 11.


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