The Journal of the British Astronomical Association
Volume 109, No.3: 1999 June
List of Contents
On this page: Notes and News / Articles / Letters / Reviews / Meetings /
Notes and News
From the President / Solar Section / The BAA Campaign for Dark Skies: the first ten years / CfDS attends the first meeting of the All-Party Parliamentary Astronomy and Space Environment Group / Star-spots of Venus
Articles
1927: a British eclipse ... R. A. Marriott
The total solar eclipse of 1927 June 29 was the first to be seen over the British mainland for 203 years. It caused nationwide excitement, induced mass population movement to the towns, villages, moorlands and offshore waters of Wales and the north of England, and severely tested the country's transport and communication systems. (Available for purchase from the BAA.)
The 'jamjar' magnetometer, sixteen years on ... R. J. Livesey
This paper reviews some sixteen years of experience in operating a simple suspended magnet ('Jamjar') magnetometer. (3 pp)
Intensity variations of Venus' terminator region ... Peter Wade
Variations in the estimated visual intensity of Venus' terminator region are shown to be of the form expected when light is reflected from a rough surface. Additional variations are discussed, particularly in relation to the elevation of the planet in the sky at the time of observation, subjective factors and the structure of Venus' upper atmosphere. (4 pp)
Simple photometric observations of BR Canum Venaticorum (a troublesome comparison star) ... Kevin West, John Howarth & László Kiss
During the last four years an Optec SSP3 photometer has been used to obtain lightcurves for various suspected and confirmed variable stars. Upon analysis the semi-regular variable BR CVn (formerly a comparison star for V CVn) showed clear periods of 712 and 71 days, both periods having average peak-to-peak amplitudes of less than 0.3 magnitude. The total observed range using a V-band filter has been 6.47-7.17. (4pp)
(Copies of any of these articles may be ordered from the BAA office.)
Letters
- A permanent pier for a Meade LX200 SCT ... Maurice Gavin
- Comparison of bright comets ... David R Keedy
- White clouds on Io? ... John H. Rogers
- Total solar eclipse of 1999 August 11 - duration of the total phase when observed away from the centre-line ... J. S. H. Battison
- An early observation of noctilucent cloud? ... Jonathan Shanklin
- Unusual object 1998 DK36 ... Jean Meeus
Read the letters here
Reviews
Observing Meteors, Comets, Supernovae and other transient phenomena by Neil Bone Springer-Verlag, 1999. ISBN 1-85233-0117-1. Pp x + 198, £19.00 (pbk).
reviewed by John Rogers
- The History and Practice of Ancient Astronomy by James Evans Oxford University Press, 1998. ISBN 0-19-509539-1. Pp xiii + 480, £49.50 (hbk). reviewed by David W. Hughes
- Software & Data for Practical Astronomers: The Best of the Internet by David Ratledge Springer-Verlag, 1999. ISBN 1-85233-055-4. Pp viii + 183 + CD-Rom, £24.00 (pbk).
reviewed by Lilian Hobbs
- Destiny or Chance - Our solar system and its place in the cosmos by Stuart Ross Taylor Cambridge University Press, 1998. ISBN 0-521-48178-3. Pp xvii + 229, £17.95 (hbk).
reviewed by Jerry Workman
- The Messier Objects by Stephen James O'Meara Cambridge University Press, 1999. ISBN 0-521-55332-6. £22.50 (hbk).
The Deep Sky, An Introduction by Philip S. Harrington Sky Publishing Corp., 1999. ISBN 9-933346-80-8 (pbk).
reviewed by Owen Brazell
Meeting reports
- Ordinary Meeting and Christmas Lecture, 1998 December 19
- Ordinary Meeting, 1999 January 27
Photocopies of articles, or a copy of any recent issue of the Journal may be ordered from the BAA office.
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