The M.A.S. Newsletter
Journal of the Mauritius Astronomical Society
January 98
A.G.M.
The Annual General Meeting, will be due on Friday 30th of January 1998 at 7hr30 pm at the St Esprit College, Quatre Bornes.
AGENDA:
Reading and approval of
previous AGM minutes.
Matters araising.
President's address.
Treasurer's report.
Committee members for 1998.
A.O.B.
NOTE:
Members wishing to from part
of the committee should send their letters to reach the Secretary not later than Tuesday
the 27th of January.
We hope to see you for this important meeting.
MY ADDRESS:
Serge Florens
47, Rue Vengta
Solférino
MAURITIUS
Occultation of Saturn:
Saturn goes behind the moon on Monday the 5th of January at 14hr29 and emerges at 15hr43 according to Redshift (Note that the different softwares available to the members of the club disagree about the times of entry and exit). The event, although happening in broad daylight, can be observed using binoculars. At the beginning of the occultation, the moon is about 32° above the eastern horizon and is 49% illuminated (first quarter). As always, Saturn goes behind the eastern side (in the case also the darker, lower side) of the moon and therefore care must be taken to start observing at about 14hr00.
The sky this month:
The constellation Perseus
contains the prototype eclipsing double (binary) star Algol ( b Persei ). The
brightness of Algol, then at its minimum ( @ 19hr40 on the 31st of December 97 ), varies
from magnitude 3.4 to 2.1, at maximum, with a period of 2.87 days. The "Demon
star" marks the winking eye of the Gorgon's head.
Variations with a period of 1.862 years in the spectrum of Algol reveal the presence of a
third star.
Serge Florens, Secretary