January Newsletter

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=22 BGCOLOR="#330099" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="040000d2erkqrf.gif"> <div> Derby and District Astronomical Society - Aries Magazine</div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=145 BGCOLOR="#333399" TEXT="#080000" background="03fa2c00erkjzj.gif"> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Aries Astronomy magazine on line From th"><U>HOME</U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id33.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Newsletter 1"><U>Newsletter 1</U></A></div> <div> <B>January Newsletter</B></div> <div> <A HREF="id36.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="February Newsletter"><U>February Newsletter</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id43.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="May Newsletter"><U>May Newsletter</U></A></div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=458 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" background="06a92963.gif"> <div> <I>Aries Astronomy magazine on line- From the Derby and District Astronomical Society</I></div> <div> <IMG SRC="04107040.gif" border=0 width="263" height="4" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="0d9b9d00.gif" border=0 width="697" height="208" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <div> The following timings are approximate and are the best that I can find.</div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Jan 06</B></I></div> <bR> <div> 02:39 Mars rises</div> <div> 03:00 Moon 2.5 deg from Saturn</div> <div> 04:09 Moon sets</div> <div> 04:17 Saturn sets</div> <div> 05:07 Jupiter sets</div> <div> 08:24 Sun rises</div> <div> 16:08 Sun sets</div> <div> 20:28 Venus sets</div> <div> 20:34 Saturn transits </div> <div> 21:03 Jupiter transits </div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Jan 09</B></I></div> <bR> <div> 20:00 Full Moon/Eclipse of the Moon from UK</div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Jan 10</B></I></div> <bR> <div> 02:37 Mars rises</div> <div> 04:01 Saturn sets</div> <div> 04:50 Jupiter sets</div> <div> 08:22 Sun rises</div> <div> 16:14 Sun sets</div> <div> 16:52 Mercury sets</div> <div> 16:55 End of civil twilight</div> <div> 17:07 Moon rises</div> <div> 20:39 Venus sets</div> <div> 20:47 Jupiter transits </div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Jan 15</B></I></div> <bR> <div> 02:34 Mars rises</div> <div> 03:41 Saturn sets</div> <div> 04:29 Jupiter sets</div> <div> 07:15 Mars transits </div> <div> 08:18 Sun rises</div> <div> 16:22 Sun sets</div> <div> 17:23 Mercury sets</div> <div> 18:33 Uranus sets</div> <div> 19:58 Saturn transits</div> <div> 20:26 Jupiter transits</div> <div> 20:51 Venus sets</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <I><B>Jan 20</B></I></div> <bR> <div> 02:31 Mars rises</div> <div> 03:21 Saturn sets</div> <div> 04:09 Jupiter sets</div> <div> 04:54 Moon rises</div> <div> 08:12 Sun rises</div> <div> 16:30 Sun sets</div> <div> 17:00 Neptune sets</div> <div> 17:54 Mercury sets</div> <div> 18:15 Uranus sets</div> <div>  (Mercury and Uranus are about 3 deg. apart at this time, tomorrow they are just over 1.5 deg. apart).</div> <div> 19:38 Saturn transits</div> <div> 20:06 Jupiter transits</div> <div> 21:03 Venus sets</div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Jan 25</B></I></div> <bR> <div> 02:27 Mars rises</div> <div> 03:01 Saturn sets</div> <div> 03:49 Jupiter sets</div> <div> 03:54 Pluto rises</div> <div> 06:58 Mars transits </div> <div> 08:06 Sun rises</div> <div> 16:40 Sun sets</div> <div> 18:20 Mercury sets</div> <div> 19:18 Saturn transits </div> <div> 19:46 Jupiter transits </div> <div> 21:13 Venus sets</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <I><B>Jan 30</B></I></div> <bR> <bR> <div> 02:24 Mars rises</div> <div> 02:42 Saturn sets</div> <div> 03:30 Jupiter sets</div> <div> 07:58 Sun rises</div> <div> 16:49 Sun sets</div> <div> 17:39 Uranus sets</div> <div> 18:36 Mercury sets</div> <div> 18:59 Saturn transits</div> <div> 19:27 Jupiter transits</div> <div> 21:23 Venus sets</div> <div> 23:18 Moon sets</div> <bR> <bR> <div> There are 4 occasions when the variable star Algol reaches its minimum brightness during January:</div> <bR> <div> Jan 02 just after 8 p.m.</div> <div> Jan 20 at 1 a.m.</div> <div> Jan 22 just before 10 p.m.</div> <div> Jan 25 just after 6:30 p.m.</div> <bR> <div> Algol is in the constellation of Perseus and is designated beta Persei.  It is an eclipsing variable star with a brightness range of magnitude 2.1 to 3.4. The drop in brightness and return to full brightness takes several hours so watch the star for a few hors either side of the time of the minimum brightness if you want to follow its change. It is an excellent variable star for a novice to follow since it is easy to find using even a very basic and cheap star chart. It is bright at maximum and still easily visible from all but the most light polluted sites. At its minimum, it is about the same brightness as Megrez, which is the faintest star in the asterism of the "Plough" (it is the star at the point where the handle joins the plough). Talking of the Plough, do you know the difference between  a constellation and an asterism? If you do, skip the next few lines. An asterism is a designated grouping of stars within a constellation. So if you hear someone talking about the constellation the Plough, you now know that this is technically incorrect! That's all for this month, please submit articles and ideas for this newsletter to me (either in person or via email)</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="0dcd1380.gif" border=0 width="721" height="312" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <I><B>Results of the December survey</B></I></div> <bR> <div> If you remember, the question was "what should we do with lottery money, if we could get some"</div> <bR> <div> 22.8% went for the selection of small instruments that were readily available for loan to members.</div> <div> 22.8% indicated the money should be spent on an 8" SCT telescope.</div> <div> 13.5% said the money should be invested in upgrading the accessories for the existing telescope</div> <div> 13.5% wanted a CCD camera.</div> <div> 13.5% suggested purchase of books and general astro educational materials</div> <div> 9.2%  we should invest in laptop computers and a computerised drive for the existing telescope. </div> <div> Finally, 4.7% believe that some of the money should be used to provide a portable toilet at the observatory.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="0dd99050.gif" border=0 width="409" height="261" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>