Originally expected to be a reasonable binocular object under dark skies, comet Lovejoy, C/2014 Q2, has surprised us all, becoming a naked eye object visible in the winter sky to the South during January... [Read more about Sky Notes Special: Comet C/2014Q2 Lovejoy]
We still have a few copies of Night Scenes 2016 remaining.
The new expanded colour edition compiled by Paul Money, is really quite indispensable, packed full of information on the coming astronomical year.
Priced at £4.50 for members (£6.50 for non members) they are a bargain for any level of sky watcher.
Please can any members who are intending to renew subs for the coming year, try to do so before the end of the month. Subs will be held at current levels:
+ Night Scenes are £4.50 for Members [Read more about WDAS Subs 2016]
In this month's In-Focus article, Mark Dawson takes a tour of the "Heavenly G", which links bright stars in the southern winter sky.
Stellar evolution is regarded as one of the fundamental processes involved in the building of the universe we see around us today. Just as someone who studies the variety and growth of trees in a forest to fathom its evolutionary cycle, so astronomers study the forest of stars in the night sky to understand stellar cycles and the implication these have on the wider universe.
Nowhere is the life story of a star better followed than in the region bounded by the glittering array of bright luminaries sometimes referred to as the Celestial or 'Heavenly G'... [Read more about The Heavenly 'G']
In this month's edition:
There is still time to renew annual subs before the next meeting if you havn’t already done so. Subs for 2015 are:
Any Cheques made payable to: Whitby & District Astronomical Society. Please address to Mark. Anyone wishing to purchase a copy of Night scenes 2015;- hurry, only a few remain. These are priced £4 for members and £6 for non members. [Read more about Subscriptions and Night Scenes 2015 - Last Call]
We have been invited to assist at the forthcoming ‘star night’ at Eskdale school on March 4th (the night after our March meeting).
The event, which will be similar to the one held 2 yrs ago at Eskdale, where I recall we tried in vain to spot comet Pannstars, will have the cosmodrome planetarium sited in the main hall. If skies are clear our scopes will be erected outside the back of the school, hopefully observing Jupiter, Orion etc.
If you can support the event, we aim to be there for around 18:30h. I believe hot soup, buns, tea and cakes will be available to warm the cockles should it be a chilly evening. The soup was most warming last time! [Read more about Eskdale Star Evening]
| Sun | Rise | Set |
|---|---|---|
| Actual | 08:23 | 15:42 |
| Civil Twilight | 07:39 | 16:26 |
| Nautical Twilight | 06:52 | 17:13 |
| Astronomical Twilight | 06:08 | 17:57 |
| Moon | Rise | Set |
|---|---|---|
| 02:37 | 12:14 |
