LOOKING AT THE STARS

New Zealand Listener, Volume 16, Issue 405, 28 March 1947, Page 20

LOOKING AT THE STARS

Monthly Talks on the Night Sky

in the. belief that listeners should have an opportunity to learn something more about the night sky as visible in New Zealand, is arranging, with the help of the Carter Observatory, for a series of six talks to be given by prominent members of the Royal Astronomical Society of New Zealand. One talk will NZBS talks department,

be given each month, from April to September inclusive, the first by I. L. Thomsen, director of the observatory. These talks-they will be nontechnical as far as possible and acceptable to the layman-will deal with objects to be seen in the sky each month and their periodic changes as the earth moves in its orbit. Titles will be "The Night Sky in April" (and May and so on). The idea is simply to give listeners a greater interest in the stars and planets and draw their attention to obvious objects which they can find for themselves. And the subject matter is designed for the average listener rather than those already acquainted with astronomy. The plan of the talks will take in the legends of the stars, and give details of objects on or near the meridian which, if' you’ve forgotten, means the point where the stars attain their greatest altitude and splendour. In April, Orion, Scorpio, Saturn, and the Milky Way, for instance, will be the principal topics of discussion. In May there will be a comparison with April’s sky, and references to Saturn’s setting and the growing prominence of Jupiter; the Southern Cross and its history, and so on. June’s talk will include something about the distances of the stars, their temperature,

colour, and other properties. In July the planet Jupiter will be the principal topic, and there will be an explanation of the differences between-a star and a planet. In August the apparent twinkling, and the differing coloration of stars and planets will be explained; and the final talk in September will summarise the series. Our photograph of the night sky as it will appear at 9.0 p.m. on April 1,

will help observers to pick out the stars for themselves. The outside of the ellipse is the astronomical horizon andthe vertical line is the" meridian. The semi-circular arc is the celestial equator, and the points where it cuts the horizon areethe exact east and west points. To use the chart effectively it should be held overhead, with the meridian in a north-to-south line, and the east and west corresponding with east and west.of the earth. The planets aré not shown, but their position and nature will be described by the speakers. Further details of aspects of the night sky, and of the ‘appearance through a telescope of various objects, will be dealt with as a special feature on the public evenings at the Carter Observatory. Listeners living in or visiting New Plymouth, Wanganui, and Dunedin, will find first-class instruments there, and expert demonstrators to guide them through the maze of constellations. Here are the details for listeners to note: Talks from Station 2YA at 9.15 p.m. on Tuesday, April 1; on May 6, June 3, July 1, August 5, and September 2; from 3YA at 8.40 p.m., on Monday, April 7; on May 5, June 2, July 7, August 4, and September 1; and from the other main National Stations later in the first half of each month. = eh on ee See oe ae | SU Ue ,.. .. ee