 |
Royal Astronomical Society of New ZealandSouthern Stars: Abstracts Volume 45: March 2006 to December 2006. |
|
Royal Astronomical Society of New ZealandSouthern Stars: Abstracts Volume 45: March 2006 to December 2006. |
| No 1 March 2006 | No 2 June 2006 | No 3 September 2006 | No 4 December 2006 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Southern
Stars: Vol 45 Contents. |
RASNZ Home Page |
| Southern Stars: Volume 45, number 1. March 2006. Pp 1 - 20. | |
Regent Lane
Observatory.
Robert Rae.
This paper describes the Regent Lane Observatory, located on
Regent Lane in Richmond, Nelson. The observatory construction was
completed in 1999 and houses a Celestron 35 cm (14 inch)
Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope which is used primarily to do CCD
photometry of cataclysmic variable star for the Center for
Backyard Astrophysics.
Volume 45, number 1. March 2006. Pp 3 - 6
"The Big Chill" A
Large Solar Structure and possible Hyde Flare in December 2005
and January 2006.
Harry Roberts
As the Sun heads towards Solar Minimum, expected to occur in
2006, solar observers continue to keep watch. Those with
Hydrogen-alpha filters can look for activity even if there are no
sun-spots present. Prominences and flares continue to erupt on
the Sun. One particular type of flare is know as a Hyde
Flare.
Charles Hyde postulated the first comprehensive mechanism for
such flares. Following on work from his doctoral thesis (1964),
Hyde published two papers in the second volume of the journal
Solar Physics (1967) in which the mechanism by which Hyde flares
might occur was discussed in detail. It was these papers in Solar
Physics by which Hyder's name became associated with the flares
in question, even though he was by no means the first to observe
them. Many details of today's text books do no refer to
them.
Volume 45, number 1. March 2006. Pp 7-8
Astronomy at the
University of Canterbury Department of Physics and Astronomy and
the Mt John University Observatory.
Observatory Director: Prof J.B.Hearnshaw
Report compiled by Dr William Tobin, Deputy Director
Report for the period 2005 January 1 to December 31.
Volume 45, number 1. March 2006. Pp 9-15
Brave New
Worlds.
Nicholas James Rattenbury
Gravitational microlensing has proved to be an effective channel
for the detection of extra-solar planets. Three planets have been
discovered by microlensing. Two are heavy planets, with masses 3
and 1.5 times that of Jupiter. Recently a 5.5 Earth mass planet
was discovered and is the lightest planet know to orbit a normal
star. Representatives from most of the currently operating
microlensing groups recently met at the Max Planck Institute for
Astronomy in Heidelberg. The topic under discussion was how to
detect most efficiently more low-mass planets via microlensing. A
new search method was suggested, which differs from the
survey-and-follow system currently in use by the microlensing
community. This proposed search method is discussed following a
short review of planetary microlensing. The implications for
current and future microlensing projects are discussed.
Volume 45, number 1. March 2006. Pp 16-17
Total Solar
Eclipse - Turkey.
Paul Rodmell.
Having been to Hawaii to see the solar eclipse in July 1991, and
only seeing it through cloud, meant that any trip overseas to see
an eclipse would have to have other reasons for going. When my
wife suggested we go to Turkey, I checked to see whether there
were any eclipse in that part of the world. That there was one
through Turkey 29th March, fixed the date for us going to
Turkey.
Volume 45, number 2. June 2006. Pp 3 - 4
Total Solar
Eclipse - Libya.
Lionel Hussey.
This paper describes the preparation and travel to view and
photograph the 2006 March 29th total solar eclipse as viewed from
the Libyan desert at latitude 30° 57' 30.63"N, longitude
24° 16' 513" E, altitude 171 metres.
Volume 45, number 2. June 2006. Pp 5 - 7
Eclipse 2006, the
Hard Way.
Warwick Kissling.
Another way of getting to the Libyan desert is by Cruise Ship.
This is an account of the author's experience of both the Total
Solar Eclipse of 2006 March 29 and the somewhat mysterious
country of Libya.
Volume 45, number 2. June 2006. Pp 8 - 9
A NZ Measurement
of the Allais Effect.
Danut Ionescu.
The Allais effect is a claimed anomalous precession of the plane
of oscillation of a pendulum during a solar eclipse. This paper
describes how I made the first New Zealand measurement, following
the suggestion of Professor Dimitri Olenici, a physicist, and
astronomer and manager at the Planetarium in Suceava, Romania, to
obtain evidence of that effect during the Total Solar Eclipse of
2006 March 29.
Volume 45, number 2. June 2006. Pp 10 - 13
Observing Variable
Stars with Binoculars.
R W Evans.
Variable stars are stars which vary in brightness. But that's
about all that they have in common. The total change in
brightness can be small, less than 0.1 magnitude to as much as 7
magnitudes or more. A special class, supernovae, will be even
greater than that! The change in brightness may occur over
minutes, hours, days, weeks or years. Many variable stars of
interest are very faint requiring large aperture telescope and
sensitive electronic instruments, such as CCDs, to measure them.
Other stars are bright enough to at times to be seen with the
unaided eye, or at the most, binoculars. It is these bright
variable stars I want to discuss.
Volume 45, number 2. June 2006. Pp 14 - 19
XXIInd National
Australian Convention of Amateur Astronomers.
Pauline and Brian Loader.
The twenty second National Australian Convention of Amateur
Astronomers (NACAA) was held in Frankston, near Melbourne was
held over Easter Weekend. This convention takes place every two
years, and is hosted by a different Australian Amateur Astronomy
Society. This year's conference was hosted by the Mornington
Peninsula Astronomical Society and its theme was "Amateur
Astronomical Science Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow". A variety of
speakers and workshops was presented over the four day weekend
with ample opportunity to renew old acquaintances and make new
ones.
Volume 45, number 2. June 2006. Pp 20 - 25
Royal Astronomical
Society of New Zealand - Annual Report for 2005.
Including President's remarks, financial report, membership
report and section reports.
Volume 45, number 2. June 2006. Pp 26 - 37
Lunar Standstill,
2006.
R W Evans.
For the last several months comments have been made about the
Moon's unusually high and low elevations in the sky during each
lunation. Together with this, extremes of moonrise and moonset
azimuths may have been noticed. This phenomenon, know by some as
a "Lunar Standstill", occurs every 19 or so years.
Volume 45, number 2. June 2006. P 38
| Southern Stars: Volume 45, number 3. September 2006. Pp 1 - 20. | |
Astronomy
Adventures.
Deborah Hambley.
The author's interest in astronomy has taken her on an adventure
which has led her to New Zealand. This paper is an account of her
astronomical experiences on her journey from Canada to the UK. It
culminates with her arrival in new Zealand and starting public
"Tours through a telescope" in Northland. The paper is based on
her Poster Paper for the 2006 RASNZ conference in New
Plymouth.
Volume 45, number 3. September 2006. Pp 3 - 7
2006 Murray Geddes
Prize.
The Murray Geddes prize for 2006 was awarded to Jennie McCormick
for her contribution to the advancement of science generally, and
for her contribution to astronomy and astrophysics in
particular.
Volume 45, number 3. September 2006. Page 8
Hubble's Variable
Nebula Project.
Stuart Parker.
The author's interest in this nebula began 20 years ago. He was
reading a book about astronomy and saw photos of NGC2261 and the
description that it changes shape and size over very short
periods of time. He was always under the impression that deep sky
objects never changed in our lifetime except maybe the odd
supernova in some galaxies so being able to see changes in a
nebula in real time really appealed to him, making the universe
seem more "real".
Over the years he observed NGC2261 from time to time with small telescopes but was unable to really see much change that he could definitely identify.
As his equipment improved and he got his first CCD camera, he decided to try and image once and for all changes in this nebula to positively see if amateurs can spot changes.
Determining the
Separation and Position Angle of Antares A-B during Lunar
Occultation.
David Gault, Brian Loader.
On 2006 May 14, the 98% lit waning Moon occulted the binary star
Antares, with a reappearance at the unlit limb. The occultation
was visible from Australia and New Zealand. The secondary star
reappeared first, making it readily observable for many seconds
before the reappearance of the primary. Precise timings of both
events from two locations have enabled determinations of the
parameters of the binary system.
Volume 45, number 3. September 2006. Pp 14 - 18
Book Review - "Are
Angels OK?" edited by Paul Callaghan and Bill Manhire,
reviewed by William Tobin.
Volume 45, number 3. September 2006. Page 13
| Southern Stars: Volume 45, number 4. December 2006. Pp 1 - 16. | |
An Astronomical
Summer Holiday.
Robert Rae.
This paper reports on the joint meeting of the Society for
Astronomical Sciences and the Center for Backyard Astrophysics
held at Big Bear Lake in California and visits to two
observatories in Oregon.
Volume 45, number 3. September 2006. Pp 3 - 5
Rotating
Sunspots.
Harry Roberts.
As the Sun carries sunspots across its disc, amateur astronomers
can watch their evolution and decay. More detailed examination of
these spots can add further information. This papers describes
how detailed drawings of two sunspots revealed rotation within
them over a period of a few days.
Volume 45, number 3. September 2006. Pp 6 - 7
The Transit of
Mercury from Darfield, 8/9 November 2006.
Brian Loader.
The transit of Mercury on 2006 November 9 (NZST) was well seen
throughout New Zealand although many places were clouded out for
some of the time, some places for all of the time.
Volume 45, number 3. September 2006. Page 8
Mercury - the
Forgotten Planet.
Stuart Parker.
With modern telescope accessories it is now possible to obtain
scientifically useful images of the planet Mercury. This paper
describes some successful results.
Volume 45, number 3. September 2006. Pp 9 - 10
Alpha
Centauri.
Robert W Evans.
The alpha Centauri star system is the closest to us and consists
of a bright binary, A and B, and a probable third companion,
Proxima Centauri. All three of these stars have interesting tales
to tell. A and B are close enough to each other to be described
together but Proxima is so far from them that its story stands on
its own.
Volume 45, number 3. September 2006. Pp 11 - 147