The Journal of the British Astronomical Association

Volume 115, No.4: 2005 August

Contents

On this page: Notes and News / Articles / Observers' Forum / Reviews / Meetings / BAA Update


Jupiter in 2005

These amateur, Earth-based images show the appearance of Jupiter shortly after opposition in 2005 April. See the Section note by Dr John Rogers in Notes & News below.
Images by Isao Miyazaki (Japan), Ralf Vandebergh (Netherlands), Jesus Sanchez (Spain), Damian Peach (in Barbados), Zac Pujic (Australia), Dave Tyler (England) and Martin Mobberley (England).


Notes and News

From the President: All change at Burlington House (Tom Boles) / The face of Jupiter in 2005 (John Rogers) / A favourable year for the Perseids (Neil Bone) / The solar eclipse of 2005 October 3 (John W. Mason) / Aurora Section (Ron Livesey) / Fifth European Dark-Sky Symposium (Bob Mizon)/ Solar Section (Mike Beales)


The 2004 BAA Presidential Address

Supernovae as tools for astronomers ... Tom Boles The Universe is a dichotomy. It is a dangerous and hostile place with deadly radiations, winds and explosions capable of destroying life. Yet, it is also friendly. It provides surprises and tools to unravel the mysteries that it sets for us. It is as though the Universe were a cosmic puzzle, yet a puzzle that it wants us to solve. As problems get more difficult to solve it has provided tools along the path to allow us to progress. It makes each element shine with discrete colours allowing its presence to be recognised billions of light years away. It pops off supernovae to help us uncover the Universe's mysteries - two different types of supernova - one to uncover the alchemy of the stars, the other as a method to measure the size of the Universe and so to calculate the very time of its creation. (10pp)

Refereed papers

The nearly forgotten scientist Ivan Osipovich Yarkovsky ... George Beekman Recently discovered documents have helped the author to piece together the life of Ivan Osipovich Yarkovsky, an almost unknown Polish Russian engineer, who first described the orbital effect that bears his name. (6pp)

The aurora 2003 ... R. J. Livesey

This report summarises observations of the aurora relating to the northern hemisphere collected by members and correspondents of the Aurora Section in 2003. (6pp)


Copies of any of these articles may be ordered from the BAA office


Reviews

In Association with Amazon.co.uk

(Here is an easy way to obtain your astronomy books, and help the BAA at the same time. Any books or other goods, including videos, computer software and music, ordered from Amazon after following a link from this site - not just books reviewed here - will generate a small commission for the BAA.)

  • Fred Hoyle - a life in science by Simon Mitton
    Aurum Press, 2005. ISBN 1-85410-961-8. Pp xi + 369, £18.99 (hbk)
    Reviewed by Roger O'Brien
  • Astronomy with a home computer by Neale Monks (Ed.)
    Springer-Verlag, 2005. ISBN 1-85233-805-9. Pp v11 + 202, £24.50 (pbk)
    Reviewed by Callum Potter
  • Sky phenomena by Norman Davidson
    Lindisfarne Books, 2004 (revised). ISBN 1-58420-026-X. Pp xvi + 207, £13.40 (pbk).
    Reviewed by Bob Mizon

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    Letters

  • Modelling the transit of Venus ... David Thomas
  • Jeremiah Horrocks ... Mike Gainsford
  • Transit tales from history ... Terry Moseley
  • The transit observed from Orkney ... John Vetterlein
  • Observing Venus near the Sun ... Mike Hendrie
  • Giant sunspot groups ... Peter Norman

  • Observers' Forum

  • Observing the Veil nebula ... Stewart Moore
  • A major 'lunar standstill' ... Fiona Vincent

  • Meeting reports

  • Out-of-London Meeting, 2004 September 11-13 at the Manx Museum, Douglas, Isle of Man
    ... Bob Marriott & Howard Parkin
  • Joint meeting with the Royal Meteorological Society, 2004 November 27 ... Dominic Ford

  • Sky notes for 2005 August & September

      by Neil Bone


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