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Southern Stars Abstracts.


Volume 47: March 2008 to December 2008

No 1 March 2008 No 2 June 2008 No 3 September 2008 No 4 December 2008
March 2008 June 2008 September 2008 December 2008
 
Southern Stars: Vol 47 Contents. Index for other years RASNZ Home Page

Southern Stars:  Volume 47,  number 1.  March 2008.  Pp 1 - 32.

Awarua Tracking Station.
Radio Astronomy for the Masses: Radio Jove.
Radio Astronomy for the Masses: Sudden Ionospheric Disturbances.
The Development of the Astronomy Curriculum for New Zealand Secondary Schools.
The Hα: Long Lived Prominences in January and February 2008.
RASNZ Annual Report for 2007.
Book Review - Astronomy Aotearoa.
March 2008

Awarua Tracking Station.
R W Evans.
Followers of the launch of the Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) Jules Verne on 2008 March 9 will have noticed the prominent part that the Awarua Tracking Station played in the spaceship's orbital insertion. Members of the Southland Astronomical Society have followed with particularly keen interest and excitement the establishment of the European Space Agency (ESA) tracking station on our doorstep.
Volume 47, number 1. March 2008. Pp 3 - 4

Radio Astronomy for the Masses: Radio Jove.
Stuart Weston, Tim Natusch
The NASA Radio Jove project presents opportunities for schools and the amateur to become involved with an international Radio Astronomy project. Some first hand experience is provided to assist perspective participants to this field. The establishment of a collaboration between NZ installations and The Swinburne RadioJove Solar/Ionospheric Observation, Education and Outreach program (SUT Melbourne Australia) and the suitability of Radio Jove as a tool for introducing Radio Astronomy and related technologies to Schools will be discussed.
Volume 47, number 1. March 2008. Pp 5-8

Radio Astronomy for the Masses: Sudden Ionospheric Disturbances.
Stuart Weston
We present an indirect method of recording Solar Activity through Sudden Ionic Disturbances (SID) and possibly Gamma Ray Bursts (GRB) by the monitoring of Very Low Frequency (VLF) transmissions. Also the establishment of collaboration between New Zealand and the Stanford Solar Center, Stanford University, USA who provided a SID VLF Monitor and software. It is felt that this is another excellent tool and project for Schools to introduce pupils to Radio Wave Propagation, Solar Activity and Atmospheric Properties.
Volume 47, number 1. March 2008. Pp 9-11

The Development of the Astronomy Curriculum for New Zealand Secondary Schools.
Robert Shaw
On 26 February 2004, the New Zealand Qualifications Authority extended the secondary school science curriculum. They set out what would be assessed for three unit standards in a new Domain called Astronomy. This paper records the intention behind those standards, the mechanics of the process that established the standards, and how the Carter Observatory established an e-learning platform to make the standards available to every secondary school student in the country.
Volume 47, number 1. March 2008. Pp 13-15

The Hα: Long Lived Prominences in January and February 2008.
Harry Roberts
In January 2008 we had the first Cycle 24 sunspot group (see page 9). It caused some excitement but lasted only about 24 hours and wasn't seen by many astronomers. More spectacular events occurred in the H-alpha band in which was seen a burst of prominence activity in the mid to high latitudes.
Volume 47, number 1. March 2008. Pp 16-18

Royal Astronomical Society of New Zealand Annual Report of Council for 2007.
President's Remarks, Treasurer's Report, Membership Report, RASNZ Publications, RASNZ Section Reports.
RASNZ Council Volume 47, number 1. March 2008. Pp 19-30

Book Review - "Astronomy Aotearoa - NCEA Level 1." by Robert Shaw reviewed by R W Evans.
Volume 47, number 1. March 2008. Page 12


Southern Stars:  Volume 47,  number 2. June 2008.  Pp 1 - 16.

Harry Williams (1911-2008).
Graham Blow, FRASNZ.
Observations of Lunar Occultations of Double Stars.
Protecting a most valuable heritage - the Starlight Reserve Initiative.
Book Review - America in Space: NASA'S First Fifty Years.
June 2008

Harry Williams (1911-2008).
Grant Christie.
The well known Auckland astronomical entity Harry Williams died peacefully on 2008 May 3rd. This obituary is based on the one the author wrote for the Journal of the Auckland Astronomical Society.
Volume 47, number 2. June 2008. Pp 3 - 4

Graham Blow FRASNZ.
At the 2008 AGM, Graham Blow was elected Fellow of the Society. Here is the supporting statement for the nomination of Graham Lindsay Blow as Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society of New Zealand.
Volume 47, number 2. June 2008. Page 5

Observations of Lunar Occultations of Double Stars.
Brian Loader.
Accurate times of lunar occultations of both components of a double star by two or more well dispersed observers will enable useful determinations of the separation and position angles of the pair to be made. Lunar occultations observations can also detect hitherto unknown double stars, or confirm or reject suspected close doubles. Results for observations of three double stars are presented.
Volume 47, number 2. June 2008. Pp 6 - 9

Protecting a most Valuable Heritage - the Starlight Reserve Initiative.
Graeme Murray.
This is the text of Graeme Murray's After-dinner Speech at the Royal Astronomical Society of New Zealand's 2008 Conference at Lake Tekapo.
Volume 47, number 2. June 2008. Pp 10 - 13

Book Review - "America in Space: NASA's first fifty years." Edited by S.J. Dick (NASA chief historian), R. Jacobs, C. Moore, A.M. Springer and B. Ulrich reviewed by William Tobin.
Volume 47, number 2. June 2008. Page 14


Southern Stars:  Volume 47,  number 3.  September 2008.  Pp 1 - 12.

Beverly-Begg Observatory's New Telescope.
Anomalous Flaring in Cycle 23?
Nighttime - Our Environment.
Patrick Moore honoured.
September 2008

Beverly-Begg Observatory's New Telescope.
Robin Gledhill.
It is always exciting being near the moment of birth when a new creation is set adrift to achieve a dream. So it was at the dedication of the newest telescope at the edge of the Robin Hood ground where Dunedin's Beverly-Begg Observatory lives.
Volume 47, number 3. September 2008. Pp 3 - 4

Anomalous Flaring in Cycle 23?
Harry Roberts.
Wolf's Relative sunspot number or index (Ri) is the most venerable and simplest of all measures of solar activity. There are, however, some other activity measures available that may lead to interesting conclusions.
Volume 47, number 3. September 2008. Pp 5 - 6

Nighttime - Our Environment.
Steve Butler.
This presentation at the 2008 Annual Conference held in Tekapo is intended to provide an extended view of the issue of light pollution from that provided by the guest speaker Mr Bryan King. Light pollution has a real impact on a wide range of our environment. Mr King's talk is from the lighting industry point of view and provides much hope of improvements in New Zealand's outdoor lighting.
Volume 47, number 3. September 2008. Pp 7 - 8

Patrick Moore honoured.
compiled by R W Evans.
One of our society's two Honorary members is Sir Patrick Moore. On July 9th this year he was further honoured for his life's work in astronomy by the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom with the award of Distinguished Honorary Fellow.
Volume 47, number 3. September 2008. Pp 9 - 10


Southern Stars:  Volume 47,  number 4.  December 2008.  Pp 1 - 28.

Heliacal Leo - Obnubilated Draco.
Mt John University Observatory: the past, the present and the future.
An Eye on the Universe.
Observatory Automation - is it for you?
Introducing the AUT 12m Radio Telescope.
Astronomy at the University of Canterbury, Report for 2007.
September 2008

Heliacal Leo - Obnubilated Draco.
Ed Budding.
A personal, descriptive account of the 10th Asian Pacific IAU Regional Meeting, Kunming, China. August 3-6, 2008.
Volume 47, number 4. December 2008. Pp 3 - 5

Mt John University Observatory: the past, the present and the future.
John Hearnshaw.
A Conference paper presented at the Annual RASNZ Conference, Lake Tekapo, May 2008.
Volume 47, number 4. December 2008. Pp 6 - 11

An Eye on the Universe.
R W Evans.
"An Eye on the Universe" is the name given to the astrophotography exhibition that is to tour New Zealand during the International Year of Astronomy 2009.
Volume 47, number 4. December 2008. Page 11

Observatory Automation - is it for you?.
Tom Richards.
In an effort to get a good night's sleep and a good night's observing, the author decided to automate his observatory and instruments. He describes his mount, dome including rain protection, instruments and computing.
Volume 47, number 4. December 2008. Pp 12 - 14

Introducing the AUT 12m Radio Telescope.
Sergei Gulyaev and Tim Natusch.
A 12m radio telescope was launched in New Zealand, 70 km North of Auckland. It is a fully steerable fast slewing antenna of Cassegrain design. The radio telescope is equipped with a dual-band (S/X) dual-polarization (LCP/RCP) feed system designed for astrophysical and geodetic research. Equipped with a Hydrogen maser clock and Gbps fibre optic data links it will allow New Zealand to contribute to international VLBI and eVLBI research and service. The launch of the radio astronomical observatory and the corresponding educational program at AUT University are important steps for New Zealand towards its participation in an Australasian SKA.
Volume 47, number 4. December 2008. Pp 15 - 17

Astronomy at the University of Canterbury Department of Physics and Astronomy and Mt John University Observatory.
John Hearnshaw.
The Annual Report of the Department for 2007.
Volume 47, number 4. December 2008. Pp 18 - 26


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