The Journal
of the British Astronomical Association
Volume 120, No.5: 2010 October
Summary
contents page
Detailed contents: Notes and News / Articles / Observers' Forum /
Reviews / Letters / Meetings / BAA Update
On the cover
Two of the best amateur images of Jupiter recorded in 2009, taken by
Damian Peach from Barbados on 2009 Sept. 10 and 11. See the article by
John Rogers on page 267.
Top: The Great Red Spot
region, and disturbance all through the North Equatorial Belt including
the source of the NEBn outbreak.
Bottom: Oval BA, with Io and
its shadow in transit. Io’s dark red polar caps are well resolved, and
the shadow appears elongated because of the phase angle.
From the President (David Boyd) / New
fireball impacts seen on Jupiter (John
H. Rogers) / Tethys and Titan
from Cassini (NASA/JPL) / This autumn's
meteor activity (John W. Mason) / Rapa
Nui 2010: A magical solar eclipse (Francisco
Diego)
/ Jupiter in 2009-2010: an
interim
report (John
H. Rogers) / More supernova
discoveries for Tom Boles (Stewart L.
Moore) / Project PLUTO 2009 (Richard
Miles) / Solar Section (Lyn
Smith) / The publication archives of the BAA (Richard Chambers) / Nice
one,
Annabel! (Annabel
Forshaw)
The 2009 Presidential Address
Variable stars and stellar
evolution: Part 2 ... Roger
Pickard
In Part One I described
the evolution
of Sun-type stars of around 0.8 to no more than 2 solar masses,
describing how
they contract from vast interstellar molecular clouds to the point
where they
become hot enough and dense enough in their core to commence
thermonuclear
burning. After spending most of their lives on the Main Sequence - in
the case
of the Sun, the best part of some 10 billion years - they expand to
become Mira
stars or long period variables, and finally leave behind a planetary
nebula and
a white dwarf star.
In this second part I shall
concentrate
on more massive stars, typically those from 2 to 8 solar masses. (More
massive
stars are certainly known but are extremely rare). I shall then look at
the
evolution of double stars to see how the close proximity of such stars
affects
them during the course of their evolution.
Refereed
paper
The great perihelic opposition of
Mars, 2003: Part 1 ... Richard
McKim
The 2003 great perihelic opposition - marginally the closest for tens
of thousands of years - fortuitously coincided with revolutionary new
techniques of imaging and image processing. In Part I we show how
several albedo changes resulting from the 2001 global storm persisted,
notably the fading of Mare Tyrrhenum
north of Trinacria, and the
darkening of Phasis, whilst Solis Lacus returned to its
pre-storm
shape. Significant dust storms commenced in Isidis Regio/Hellas, Chryse
Planitia and Chryse/Valles
Marineris, the last attaining large Regional
status, commencing seasonally very late. Several small dust events were
seen upon and adjacent to the recessing S. polar cap. In Part II of
this report we analyse white clouds and polar regions. Over 14,000
observations from 248 contributors covered the period 2002 October to
2004 June.
Report
of the Council and Accounts for the session 2009-2010
Meetings
- Ordinary
Meeting, 2009 December 12, held at
the Royal Astronomical Society, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London W1
... Dominic Ford
Why not join us at a BAA meeting near you? Meetings are open to
all and you will be made very welcome. Click here for the
latest
Meetings Diary
- A cost effective low-power
eyepiece anyone can make ...
Simon Dawes
- Miss Botley and the Grangers
... Storm Dunlop
- Observing Saturn this apparition
... Mike Foulkes
- Adjectival nouns ... Ian Ridpath
Reviews
The
life of stars by Giora Shaviv
Springer, 2009. ISBN 978-3-642-02087-2. pp 504, £89.99 (hbk).
Reviewed
by Roger Pickard
The Big Questions: The Universe by Stuart Clark
Quercus Books, 2010. ISBN 978-1-84916-238-8. pp 208, £12.99
(hbk).
Reviewed
by Steve Owens
CLICK HERE to read scores more
authoritative book reviews from the BAA Journal
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Unusual shadow bands observed at the 2010 July 11 total
solar eclipse ... Nick James
NGC 7293 – the Helix nebula ... Stewart Moore
Radio Astronomy Group: The solar outburst of 2010 August 1 ...
Paul Hyde
Sky
notes for 2010 October & November by Callum Potter
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