The M.A.S. Newsletter
Journal of the Mauritius Astronomical Society
September 98
Meeting:
The next meeting, weather
permitting, will be held at 8hr00 pm on Friday 25th September 1998 at the St Esprit
College, Quatre Bornes.
Opposition of Jupiter:
Jupiter is at opposition on the 16th of this month. This implies that the apparent size of the planet's disc will be the largest on that date. This is a very favorable time to observe such details as the red spot and shadow transits. On the night of our meeting, there will be a shadow transit starting at 9hr09 pm ending at 11hr24 pm.
The table shows the time at which the red spot will be facing our planet, and the starting and ending time of observable shadow transits. For the observation of such details a telescope aperture of about 90mm is required.
| Date | Time | Shadow Transits |
| 17 Sept | 00hr59 am - 3hr14 am | |
| 18 | 3hr54 am, 11hr45 pm | 7hr25 pm - 9hr40 pm |
| 19 | 7hr37 pm | |
| 20 | 5hr32 am | |
| 21 | 1hr23 am, 9hr15 pm | |
| 22 | 3hr06 pm - 6hr11 pm | |
| 23 | 10hr53 pm | |
| 24 | 2hr43 am - 4hr58 am | |
| 25 | 4hr39 am | 9hr09 pm - 11hr24 pm |
| 26 | 00hr31 am, 8hr22 pm | |
| 27 | ||
| 28 | 10hr00 pm | |
| 29 | 6hr22 pm - 9hr28 pm | |
| 30 | 3hr47 am, 11hr38 pm | 3hr06 am - 5hr44 am |
| 1 Oct | 7hr30 pm | |
| 2 | 5hr25 am | 10hr54 pm - 1hr08 am |
| 3 | 1hr16 am, 9hr08 pm | |
| 4 | 5hr20 pm - 7hr34 pm | |
| 5 | 10hr46 pm | |
| 6 | 9hr41 pm - 00hr49 am |
The sky this month:
The constellations visible in
the east are Andromeda, the Whale (Cetus), the Fishes (Pisces) and the River (Eridanus).
In the constellation of the Whale is the long period variable star (332 days) Mira. Mira
was the first variable to be discovered.
Recovery of SOHO:
The Solar and Heliospheric
Observatories space probe was lost on the 24th of June. According to preliminary inquiries
the loss of contact has been attributed to mistake made in the programming by NASA
technicians. After considerable efforts, on the 8th of August, communication with SOHO was
reestablished, but the return to working order is still not complete.
Serge Florens, Secretary