The Southern Astronomer No.103 – April 2017
SOUTHERN ASTRONOMER THE
MONTHLY MAGAZINE OF WORTHING ASTRONOMERS & WORTHING SKYWATCHERS
© Rob Aro
The Southern Astronomer No.103 – April 2017
WORTHING ASTRONOMERS No fees, no Committee; just enjoying the night sky together.
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ormed in 2008 by a group of regular and practical observers, Worthing Astronomers is a free to join society now with a membership of over 450 persons, who have a common interest in Astronomy and its associated subjects – no internal politics, no fees, no committees, just astronomy!
The Southern Astronomer This Issue Astronomy This Month, April Workshop, The Planets in April The Night Sky
Our aim is simple – to bring astronomy to the public in general and to help and assist our membership in observing the night sky. With the aid of this newsletter, website, social media, regular star parties, workshops and public observing events we hope to encourage and share our interests in observing the sky with the public, our colleagues in our own group and with those of neighbouring astronomical societies.
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Cover Pictures & Comment Rob Aro’s image of comet 41P/Tuttle-Giacobini-Kresak is the front page image this month. Well placed in the northern skies, it is believed the comet could reach 5m during the month. Binoculars maybe best used to spot the comet followed by a glimpse through a low power eyepiece of a telescope to show it in more detail.
We try and meet at least once a month (when weather conditions allow) to do some observing but at the moment we do hold, every two months, a Workshop evening when we get a chance to meet up, exchange ideas and tips and help each other to make the most of observing the sky above us. Occasionally a guest speaker will talk about an aspect of practical, hands on astronomical observing.
For much of the month it passes along the tail of Draco before meeting Draco’s head close to the end of the month. The sky map on page 4 shows the position of Draco at around 21.30 UT * Jupiter comes to opposition near the start of April. When ever it does come to opposition, the opportunities for anyone, even with a small telescope will get a chance to see the giant planet in its glory.
These Workshop evenings are held on the first Friday of every other month (February, April, June, August, October and, December) at Goring Methodist Church Hall, Bury Drive (off of Aldsworth Avenue), Worthing, BN12 4XB. The small admission charge of £3 helps pay for the room and free refreshments and goes towards supporting our membership. Doors open at 7.00 pm BST with the meeting starting at 7.30.
* Don’t forget the outreach event on Worthing seafront on April 1 and the Workshop evening on April 7 – more details on the next page. * You will note a certain amount of brevity about this issue as time was a bit short for me to prepare a full and normal issue- hopefully normal service will be resumed next month.
We can be found at: worthingastronomers.org.uk
There are several astronomical groups in the coastal area of Sussex - several WA members are also members of the Adur Astronomical Society, who meet every first Monday of the month for a lecture regarding an astronomical subject. Details for the AAS can be found at Adur Astronomical Society.
Contact addresses: Acting joint coordinators - info@worthingastronomers.org.uk – general society details, Janet Halls or Brian Halls treasurer@worthingastronomers.org.uk – donations contact Janet Halls acting-treasurer.
CONTRIBUTIONS AND UNSUBSCRIBING Contributions – written articles (word processed in .txt, .doc or .odt format), photographs, letters, advertising copy to the editor for the May issue should be in by April 15 and sent to the editor at the contact address: editor@worthingastronomers.org.uk
outreach@worthingastronomers.org.uk – events contact Steve Bassett, Mike Williams website@worthingastronomers.org.uk – contact for website Perry Wilkins
If you no longer wish to subscribe to the group and cancel newsletters and other information, please send an email to: info@worthingastronomers.org.uk with 'Unsubscribe' in the subject line; we do not want our stuff to end up like spam littering your inbox.
editor@worthingastronomers.org.uk – newsletter content detail Brian Halls
Volunteers are always welcome: if you want to find out more, call 01903 521205 or drop us a line at the e-mail address above. If you like the newsletter or its content please feel free to distribute it to anyone you know who might be interested. Content is subject to copyright to the group and/or the individuals whose images or articles are used.
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The Southern Astronomer No.103 – April 2017
ASTRONOMY
STARGAZING LIVE: WORTHING SEAFRONT APRIL 1
THIS MONTH
April 2017
To coincide with the BBC Stargazing Live programmes broadcast on BBC 2 on the 28th, 29th and 30th of March, Worthing Astronomers and Worthing Skywatchers will be on the seafront near to the bottom of Grand Avenue on the evening of April 1 from 20.00 BST onwards – weather permitting. For updates, check out the Worthing Skywatchers page on Facebook or the website at www.worthingastronomers.org.uk.
All times expressed as Universal Time (UTC – Co-ordinated Universal Time) unless otherwise stated which can be considered the same as GMT i.e Summer Time, minus 1 hour. Information given, unless otherwise stated is for the 15th of the month at 21.30UT. Lunar and other phenomena in the Quick View Diary are shown to the nearest hour. April is the time, the old rhyme goes, for showers. Hopefully the only shower we will be looking forward to is the Lyrid meteor shower close to the end of the month.
APRIL QUICK VIEW DIARY Day UT 1 3 09 19 7 21 11 06 14 05 15 10 19 10 20 05 23 26 12 27 16 29 31
WORKSHOP EVENING: APRIL 7
Sunrise 06.47 Sunset 17.44 Stargazing Live on Worthing seafront 20.00 BST Global Astronomy Month commences Mercury greatest elongation E (19°) Moon: First Quarter Workshop Night Jupiter at opposition Full Moon Uranus at conjunction Moon at apogee Moon: Last Quarter Mercury at inferior conjunction Lyrid Meteors at maximum New Moon Moon at perigee Spring Astronomy Day Sunrise 05.41 Sunset 18.34
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he theme for the April meeting is to be a Telescope & Equipment Clinic.
Members are cordially invited to bring along their telescopes and equipment to display, show others how they work or, if you have a problem, we’ll have someone among our ranks who will be able to help and advise. If the night is clear, of course there may be a chance to do some observing – Jupiter is of course at opposition that evening. A special invitation goes out to new members who have got themselves equipment that they are not too sure about using but would like to get to know how to get the best from it. They are most welcome to also bring their ‘scopes or other equipment with them.
LUNAR PHASES FOR APRIL
The informality of the meeting will give everyone a chance to find out what they have been doing and an opportunity to generally catch up with each other and have a chat about what we have been doing. These Clinic Workshops always seem to be quite popular, so do take the opportunity to come along. Tea, coffee, and other refreshment available through the evening and are of course covered by the standard £3 entry per head at the door, as normal.
OBSERVING JUPITER
IN APRIL
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he planet Jupiter is, has been mentioned above and in the Diary on the left, at opposition on April 7.
Jupiter is at its nearest to Earth giving us even better views of the planet. Binoculars will show the four brightest satellites, while even a small telescope will show the polar flattening of the planet and even the atmospheric clouds that band the planet. Larger ‘scopes will show detail in those clouds. Even if the weather is poor about this time, the planet will be well placed for observing over the next few months as will the detail described above.
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The Southern Astronomer No.103 – April 2017
April Night Sky around 21.30 UT mid-month
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