The Journal of the British Astronomical Association

Volume 106, No.1: 1996 February

List of Contents

Notes and News

Articles

Stellar spectroscopy with CCDs - some preliminary results ... Maurice Gavin

The appeal of CCDs is speed - getting instant results (like the visual observer) and supreme sensitivity. Although the CCD user may now have a permanent record to tweak at leisure, nothing compares to that initial view. When coupled to a simple prism innocuous points of starlight give up their secrets in real-time. A technique of using an objective prism before a reflecting telescope with a CCD detector to record stellar spectra is described and some results explained. The spectral sensitivity of the camera can be tested as a byproduct. (5 pages)

The phase of Venus appears slightly concave when Sun-Earth-Venus geometry indicates that it should be exactly half illuminated. A suggested explanation for the phenomenon is presented. (3pp)

A summary and analysis of observations of this comet by BAA and other observers. (3pp)

Immanuel Halton was born in Cumberland, studied at Grays Inn, London during the later stages of the English Civil War and, during the Commonwealth, entered the service of Henry Howard, later 6th Duke of Norfolk. He pursued his mathematical and astronomical interests while auditor to the Duke of Norfolk. He met with John Flamsteed, encouraged the latter's interest in mathematics and astronomy and became his first patron, as well as contributing observations to Flamsteed's published works. A short biographical piece on Immanuel Halton appeared in the Journal in the early 1950s, consisting mostly of quotations from Flamsteed's 'Self Inspections' and Baily's 'Life of Flamsteed'. 1996 is the 350th anniversary of Flamsteed's birth, and it is hoped that this fuller account will flesh out the bones of his first patron. (7pp)

We present the first detailed observations of LL Andromedae made during a recent rare outburst. Photometric and spectroscopic observations were obtained as well as a precise position. We have confirmed that this star is indeed a dwarf nova. Superhumps were observed at maximum light and the outburst amplitude is near 6 magnitudes. These two facts lead to the conclusion that LL And is likely to have a short orbital period (1.32 hr) and may belong to the Tremendous Outburst Amplitude Dwarf Novae (TOAD) subclass. (4pp)

Following the return of Comet P/Swift-Tuttle the previous autumn, the 1993 Perseids were anticipated with great interest in the news media and elsewhere. Much speculation - some informed, most rather less so - surrounded the possibility of elevated activity. Observations show the regular Perseid maximum on August 12-13 to have been normal, with ZHR around 80, preceded by a much higher, short-lived peak around 03h15m UT on August 11-12 with ZHR in excess of 150. (7pp)

The purpose of this contribution is to study the possible existence of the 90-day longitude oscillation of Jupiter's Great Red Spot (GRS) which had been discovered in the 1960s, over long time intervals. Additionally, further possible periodicities in the longitudinal motion of the GRS in the 40 to 400 day range are considered. (4pp)

Letters

• More British impact craters ... David W. Hughes
  
• Seeing Venus in daylight ... Paul Leyland, Steven Anderson
  
• The sad tale of 'Planet Sallit' ... Martin Mobberley
  

Reviews

Meeting reports