From: TerryMoselaol.com
Date: Mon, 20 Dec 2004 17:49:47 EST
Subject: Mercury correction; Comet Macholz, lecture
Hi all,
1. Correction: Any of you amateur astromers who ever think that professional
astromers don't really know the sky - think again! Prof Mark Bailey, director
of Armagh Observatory (and primarily a theorist too!) was one of only two
people to spot the not-so-deliberate mistake in my last email. Mercury (& Venus)
is of course visible in the SE, not the SW, in the mornings! Sorry about that.
My excuse is that some idiot put "E" and "W" beside each other on my keyboard,
and I didn't spot that I had hit the wrong key (I'm only a 2-finger typist,
BTW!).
So thanks to Mark and to Paddy Doyle who pointed out the error.
2. Comet Macholz is now a fine sight rising up past Rigel later in the
evenings. It's quite easy to find in spite of the moonlight, and in a week or so
after the Moon is out of the way it should be fairly easily visible to the
unaided eye from a dark site.
The following orbital elements are taken from MPC 52905: C/2004 Q2 (Machholz)
Epoch 2005 Jan. 30.0 TT = JDT 2453400.5
T 2005 Jan. 24.9146 TT
q 1.205088 (2000.0) P Q
z +0.000413 Peri. 19.5023 -0.3200531 -0.7142006
+/-0.000015 Node 93.6269 +0.7651382 -0.5823175
e 0.999502 Incl. 38.5891 +0.5586855 +0.3883604
Here's a 5-day ephemeris for 0h UT on each date: Delta is distance; 'r' is
the Radius Vector; 'Elong.' is in degrees from the Sun; 'm1' is the total
integrated magnitude.
Date UT R. A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. Phase m1
2004 12 31 03 53.78 +06 51.3 0.357 1.266 136.5 32.3 4.3
2005 01 05 03 41.93 +17 17.7 0.347 1.245 132.5 35.6 4.2
2005 01 10 03 30.46 +27 57.4 0.352 1.227 126.9 39.9 4.1
2005 01 15 03 19.75 +37 57.9 0.370 1.215 120.7 44.1 4.2
2005 01 20 03 10.17 +46 46.6 0.399 1.208 114.9 47.6 4.3
3. The next EAAS meeting will be on 3 Jan at 8p.m., Thompson Primary school,
Ballyrobert, when EAAS member Paul Evans will talk on "Eclipses". £3
admission, including refreshments.
Season's Greetings to all, again!
Terry Moseley
aol.com Date: Mon, 20 Dec 2004 17:49:47 EST Subject: Mercury correction; Comet Macholz, lecture Hi all, 1. Correction: Any of you amateur astromers who ever think that professional astromers don't really know the sky - think again! Prof Mark Bailey, director of Armagh Observatory (and primarily a theorist too!) was one of only two people to spot the not-so-deliberate mistake in my last email. Mercury (& Venus) is of course visible in the SE, not the SW, in the mornings! Sorry about that. My excuse is that some idiot put "E" and "W" beside each other on my keyboard, and I didn't spot that I had hit the wrong key (I'm only a 2-finger typist, BTW!). So thanks to Mark and to Paddy Doyle who pointed out the error. 2. Comet Macholz is now a fine sight rising up past Rigel later in the evenings. It's quite easy to find in spite of the moonlight, and in a week or so after the Moon is out of the way it should be fairly easily visible to the unaided eye from a dark site. The following orbital elements are taken from MPC 52905: C/2004 Q2 (Machholz) Epoch 2005 Jan. 30.0 TT = JDT 2453400.5 T 2005 Jan. 24.9146 TT q 1.205088 (2000.0) P Q z +0.000413 Peri. 19.5023 -0.3200531 -0.7142006 +/-0.000015 Node 93.6269 +0.7651382 -0.5823175 e 0.999502 Incl. 38.5891 +0.5586855 +0.3883604 Here's a 5-day ephemeris for 0h UT on each date: Delta is distance; 'r' is the Radius Vector; 'Elong.' is in degrees from the Sun; 'm1' is the total integrated magnitude. Date UT R. A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. Phase m1 2004 12 31 03 53.78 +06 51.3 0.357 1.266 136.5 32.3 4.3 2005 01 05 03 41.93 +17 17.7 0.347 1.245 132.5 35.6 4.2 2005 01 10 03 30.46 +27 57.4 0.352 1.227 126.9 39.9 4.1 2005 01 15 03 19.75 +37 57.9 0.370 1.215 120.7 44.1 4.2 2005 01 20 03 10.17 +46 46.6 0.399 1.208 114.9 47.6 4.3 3. The next EAAS meeting will be on 3 Jan at 8p.m., Thompson Primary school, Ballyrobert, when EAAS member Paul Evans will talk on "Eclipses". £3 admission, including refreshments. Season's Greetings to all, again! Terry Moseley
