Papers – Page 21 – British Astronomical Association

High resolution imaging of mutual events of the Jovian satellites during the 2014/2015 apparition

During the 2014/2015 Jupiter apparition several mutual occultations and eclipses of the Galilean satellites took place. These mutual events occur every 5.93 years. A number of the events were recorded using 14-inch [355mm] or larger telescopes and different types of cameras. Processing programs like Registax 6.1 or Autostakkert2! struggle to grade, align and stack the tiny images of the Jovian satellites. To obtain high resolution images different processing procedures were employed to optimise the quality of the images, including hand selection and the use of master frames. Several occultations and eclipses were recorded at high resolution.

The period of R Scuti

R Scuti is a variable star which, for over a century, has shown episodes of RV Tauri-type behaviour, together with significant spectral variations that appear to be associated with its brightness. This paper examines the photometric data amassed by the BAA and the AFOEV, and finds periods of nominally 71 and 142 days.

A lunar dome north-east of the crater Schröter

In this study we examine a lunar dome identified using Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera Wide-angle Camera (LROC WAC) images, Selene-1 (Kaguya) and Clementine multispectral data, the Chandrayaan-1’s Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3), and the LROC WAC-based GLD100 DTM.

Short paper: Photometric and spectroscopic observations of the outburst of the symbiotic star AG Draconis between 2016 March and June

The symbiotic star AG Draconis experienced a double-peaked outburst of 0.6 magnitudes in 2016 April and May. Photometry and spectroscopy through the outburst showed the B-V colour index varying linearly with the V magnitude and enabled the temperature variation of the hot star to be calculated from the changing flux in the Hb and He II 4686Å emission lines.

Saturn in 2000 − 2001

In 2000-2001 Saturn was extremely well-placed for observers at north temperate latitudes, coming to opposition on 2000 Nov 19, when its declination was +17°. This paper presents and analyses BAA observations for this apparition.

The brighter comets of 2008

A report of the Comet Section (Director, 1990 − 2015: J. D. Shanklin). This report describes and analyses the observations of the brighter or more interesting comets discovered or at perihelion during 2008, concentrating on those with visual observations.

An oddity in the times of the Moon’s perigees

The times of the passage of the Moon through perigee repeat near the same calendar dates after four years. Yet the time intervals show an odd variation.

Noctilucent cloud over Britain and Western Europe, 2013–2014

A summary of observations of noctilucent cloud reported to the BAA in the 2013 and 2014 NLC seasons.

Patrick Henry Hepburn (1873 − 1929) – Part II: A decade of highs and lows

The life and times of one of the BAA’s most extraordinary Presidents and eclipse chasers is described, including his fascination with the rings of Saturn, his remarkable physical and mental stamina, his complex home life and his tragic demise.

Analysis of a Perseid fireball spectrum

Analysis is presented of a Perseid fireball spectrum recorded by videography on the night of 2013 August 12/13. Two significantly different spectra were obtained in one of the video frames, which we interpret as being due to an afterglow following an end flare of the fireball and emission from the surviving fragment.