The Journal
of the British Astronomical Association
Volume 120, No.6: 2010 December
Summary
contents page
Detailed contents: Notes and News / Articles / Observers' Forum /
Reviews / Letters / Meetings / BAA Update
On the cover
The Alnitak region of Orion, with Barnard 33, the Horsehead
Nebula, silhouetted against the bright emission nebula IC 434. The
emission-type Flame Nebula, NGC 2024, shows its dark dust lanes. Total
exposure time 2.5 hrs, Canon 300D DSLR, processed with Photoshop,
Astronomy Actions and NeatImage. Alan C. Tough.
A busy two months for meteor observers (John W. Mason) / From
the President (David Boyd)
/ Mars in 2009-2010: 2nd interim report (Richard McKim) / Autumn supernova
discoveries by BAA members (Stewart
L. Moore) / David Grennan’s supernova: a first for
Ireland! (Guy M. Hurst)
/ Solar Section (Lyn Smith)
/ CfDS award for Isle of Wight hotel (Bob
Mizon) / Comet prospects for 2011 (Jonathan Shanklin) / Comet Hartley
2 seen by NASA’s EPOXI (NASA/JPL)
/ A day to remember - a meeting with Sir Patrick Moore (Mark Stewart)
Refereed
papers
A home-built, fully automated
observatory ... Mike Beales
This paper describes the design of an automated observatory making use
of off-the-shelf components and
software. I make no claims for originality in
the design but it has been an interesting and rewarding exercise to get
all the components to work together.
The
great perihelic opposition of
Mars, 2003: Part 11 ... Richard
McKim
In concluding the BAA report upon
the 2003 perihelic opposition we examine white cloud statistics and
both polar regions. The SPC recession curve was very similar to 2001
and 1988 but showed significant differences from earlier decades. Novus
Mons was detached at the same seasonal date as in 1988.
The strange case of pseudo-twilight on
the Moon ... Richard Baum
Measuring the superhump period of the dwarf nova RX J1715.6+6856 ... Jeremy Shears, Ian Miller & Richard
Sabo
We report unfiltered CCD
observations of the first confirmed superoutburst of the dwarf nova RX
J1715.6+6856 in 2009 August. At quiescence the star was magnitude 18.3
(CCD, clear). The outburst amplitude was at least 2.4 magnitudes and it
lasted at least 6 days, although the first part of the outburst was
probably missed. Analysis of the light curve revealed superhumps with
peak-to-peak amplitude of 0.1 magnitude, thereby showing it to be a
member of the SU UMa-family. The mean superhump period was Psh=
0.07086(78)d with a superhump period excess of e= 0.038 and an estimated mass
ratio q= 0.167. In the final stages of the outburst, as the star
approached quiescence, the superhumps disappeared to be replaced by a
modulation corresponding to the orbital period. The star was regularly
monitored between 2007 August and 2009 September revealing a total of
12 outbursts, with an outburst frequency of approximately once per
month.
Invisible sunspots and ‘orphan’
prominences: an observational study ... Frederick Nye
The
distribution of bright prominences between the east and west limbs of
the Sun was studied during a period of solar minimum. An E-W asymmetry
was detected, involving prominences not associated with visible sunspot
regions. The anomaly may be explained by the presence of four clusters
of ‘orphan’ prominences, three on the west limb and one on the east. At
the time of observation these orphan prominences could not be linked to
the limb transits of any recognised groups of sunspots. Data presented
support the hypothesis that all four prominence clusters were
associated with the limb transits of invisible active sunspot regions.
Click here to obtain a PDF file of
any of these articles
Centenaries
for 2011 ... Barry Hetherington
- Ordinary
Meeting, 2010 January 27, held at
the Royal Astronomical Society, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London W1
... David Arditti
- Ordinary
Meeting and Special General Meeting, 2010 March 31, held at
the Royal Astronomical Society, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London W1
... Roger Dymock
Why not join us at a BAA meeting near you? Meetings are open
to
all and you will be made very welcome. Click here for the
latest
Meetings Diary
- Flickering shadow bands:
data buried in videos? ...
J. Eric Jones
- A green flash and a green meteor
... Tom Lloyd-Evans
- Charles Lewis Brook (1855-1939)
... Jeremy Shears
- Dark spots on the Sun in H-alpha
... Eric Strach
- A 70mm diameter Crayford focuser
... John Wall
- The double star with the
greatest colour contrast ... Abdul
Ahab
- Asteroid (1036) Ganymed
... Jean Meeus
- ‘A cost-effective low-power
eyepiece’ ... David Frydman
- Observing Saturn ... Paul G. Abel & Alan W. Heath
Reviews
Observing and cataloguing nebulae and star clusters by
Wolfgang Steinicke
Cambridge University Press, 2010. ISBN 978-0-521-19267-5. Pp xii + 648,
£90 (hbk.)
Reviewed by Lee Macdonald
Pluto - sentinel of the outer solar system by Barrie W.
Jones
Cambridge University Press, 2010. ISBN 978-0-521-19436-5. pp 231 + xii,
£25.00 (hbk).
Reviewed by Richard Miles
Atlas of the Galilean satellites by Paul Schenk
Cambridge University Press, 2010. ISBN 978-0-521-868358. pp xi + 394,
£95.00 (hbk).
Reviewed by John Rogers
Stargazers’ Almanac 2011 Text by Bob Mizon
Floris Books, 2010. ISBN 978-086315-757-8. A3 size opening to A2 size.
£14.99 (pbk).
Reviewed by Maurice Gavin
CLICK HERE to read scores
more
authoritative book reviews from the BAA Journal
Search for all your leisure needs at 
Simeis 147 - another supernova remnant in Taurus ... Stewart
Moore
Observations of NGC 40 ... Owen Brazell
Gyulbudaghian’s nebula - the story continues ... Grant Privett
A deep fade of HR Lyrae ... Jeremy Shears
& Gary Poyner
BAA’s Ridley Grant helps variable star observer ... Gary
Poyner
Jupiter and Europa with a small telescope ... Michael A.
Covington
Comet 103/P Hartley in October ... Alan C. Tough
Image
of Simeis 147 by Bob Winter.
Sky
notes for 2010 December & 2011 January by Callum Potter
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