Hi Astronomers

There is a huge interest in carter Observatory from everyone, and as someone who has worked and helped out at Carter over the years I would like to see the place open and back up and running.

My main concern is where has the funding gone? Also the lack of communication about what’s going on with the Observatory.

Maybe its time for the

RASNZ Astrophotography Section-

http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/rasnzaps/

To be holding all the Astrophotography completions and postings?

I really enjoy images and how people have worked hard to capture there images. But a dedicated Astrophotogroup might be the way to go?

New Zealand Almanac 2009 and the International Year of Astronomy

As you will know 2009 is the International Year of Astronomy and, as part of New Zealand’s contribution to this, the Royal Society will be using ‘Almanac 2009’ as a leading publication.  So Almanac 2009 will be a very special issue and probably larger than normal.  It will include all of its current features plus the following:-

1) The calendar grid will notify all special events put on for the public by astronomical societies and institutions around the country.  This will include all conventions, conferences, observatory open days, special observing programs, and special presentations put on for the public.

2) The Almanac will include a map of New Zealand identifying the location of every astronomical society or institution in the country along with a contact person/s and phone numbers. 

3) The main calendar images (12) will be a selection of the visually best astronomical photographs taken in New Zealand past and present.

4) The side images (12) will be a selection of the best or most interesting New Zealand observatories and or telescopes (professional, society, or amateur).  Because people add interest and scale to a photograph it would be good to have images which include the owner/operators. 

5) Up to 4 additional feature pages on different astronomical topics – if you have a great idea let me know. 

6)  There will be space for adverts by societies, institutions and suppliers of astronomical equipment.  There will be a charge for these.

We and the Royal Society would like to see the Almanac 2009 distributed by all astronomical societies and institutions and that at least one copy ends up at every school around the country. 

How you can help

We need to start gathering images (thumbnails at this stage) for selection and information that is to be included on the calendar grid.   The deadline for inclusion in the Almanac will be June 30^th so the sooner we get the material the better.  If you or members of your Society have images or information you would like to see in Almanac 2009 email me at: hamal@...

Richard Hall

Hi Astronomers

A really good dark Sky observing night is planed for this weekend, with the great weather and Solar Activity on the rise this should be a great night. Meeting details can be found below.

1, Wellington Phoenix Meeting Details
2, Wairarapa Phoenix Meeting Details
3, WAS – Phoenix BBQ Observing Evening
4, WAS meeting Details
 
Thanks Edwin
 
 
Phoenix Meetings for March 2008
 Wellington Phoenix Meeting
Thursday the 27th of March
7:25pm @ Science House (Royal Society Buildings), Turnbull Street
http://www.astronomynz.org.nz/society-meetings/society-meetings.html
 
Wairarapa Phoenix Meeting
Friday the 28th of March
7:25pm @ the Phoenix clubrooms, Ahiaruhe, Wairarapa
http://www.astronomynz.org.nz/society-meetings/society-meetings.html
 
 
Program
 
7:30pm Society News
7:35pm International Year of Astronomy - presented by Marilyn Head
The United Nations has designated 2009 international Year of Astronomy to commemorate 400 years since Galileo first turned a telescope to the heavens. The International Astronomical Union has put together an excellent IYA organisation which has developed a number of cornerstone projects for he world to share and participate in. There are over 100 contributing countries of which Aotearoa NZ is , of course, one - see the excellent website developed by Roland Idaczyk at www.astronomy2009.org.nz.  Marilyn Head who is NZ's Single Point of Contact for IYA will give an overview of what has been developed and planned to date and is keen to hear members ideas for ways to contribute to and participate in IYA. So come with some good ideas!
 
8:00pm 'Bend it like Einstein' - a presentation by Aarno Korpela
Light rays bend in gravitational fields. This was already presumed by Newton, and correctly derived by Einstein. The effect is known as gravitational lensing, and it occurs in different scales, from entire galaxies lensing the images of more distant galaxies and quasars, to individual stars lensing the light from background stars. The smaller scale effect is known as microlensing, and it requires that the alignment of source, lens and observer is nearly perfect.  Such alignments are very rare, but can still be detected by regularly monitoring large numbers of stars. The MOA project uses telescopes at Mt John Observatory to search for such events by monitoring starfields towards the Galactic bulge and the Magellanic clouds. Originally microlensing observation programmes were started for searching dark matter, but currently one of the most interesting outcome is the detection of extrasolar planets. In this talk Aarno will touch on the history, physics and applications of light ray bending, including an update on the latest planet findings.
 
 9:00pm Supper
 
 
 
 
Combined Wellington Astronomical Society and Phoenix Society Fun BBQ and Observing Evening
 
Starting from 6pm everyone is welcome along for a BBQ and drinks. Observing will start from 8pm, and there will be a late night Science Fiction movie, 2001 A Space Odyssey from Arthur C Clark I'm sure would be a great pick.  
 
 
WAS – Phoenix BBQ & Observing Evening
Saturday the 29th of March
With Master Observers Ian Cooper and Chris Picking
6:00pm @ the Phoenix clubrooms, Ahiaruhe, Wairarapa
http://www.astronomynz.org.nz/observing/observing.html
 
 
Hi Wellington Astronomical Society members
 
The Phoenix Astronomical Society would like to invite the Wellington Astronomical Society to join us for a social gathering on the 29th March 2008 at the Stonehenge-Aotearoa site starting with BBQ at 6pm followed by an observing evening. 
 
Please extend this invitation to all your members. It is a BYO food and drink but we will put on some extra sausages. Coffee and tea will be provided too. Anyone is welcome to bring their own telescopes if they want to.  If the weather doesn't cooperate we will still go ahead with the BBQ and show a movie later in the evening.
 
We look forward to seeing you there.
 
Antony Gomez
on behalf of TPAS Council
E-Mail a.gomez@... Cell 021 2534979 
 
 
 
Wellington WAS Meeting
Please note change of Venue
Thursday the 3rd of April
7:25pm @ Level 3 Former dominion Building near the central public libary
http://www.was.org.nz/
 
 
The Meeting will start with drinks & nibbles
 
@7:25PM sponsored by the Alliance Francaise
 
 
Speaker: William Tobin 
 
Topic: M51 Silvered Glass and the Internet
 
M51, the Whirlpool, is the nebula in which spiral structure was first discovered, in 1845, by the Third Earl of Rosse using his 'Leviathan' reflecting telescope with giant, 6-foot bronze mirrors. 
 
A recently-unearthed drawing of M51 made in 1862 with Léon Foucault's newly-completed 80-cm silvered-glass reflector in Paris is better than all other 19th-century drawings of the nebula. 
 
However the superiority of metallized glass or ceramic mirrors over bronze ones comes as much from their greater rigidity and the faster focal ratios achievable via the sensitive optical testing techniques initiated by Foucault.
 
As for the internet, the burgeoning numbers of 19th-century texts available on-line with full-text search capability makes it possible to investigate questions such as how M51 acquired its 'whirlpool' epithet. Surprisingly, the astronomical appropriation of 'whirlpool' predates the discovery of spiral structure.
 
 
 
 
Thanks Edwin
 

Laintal on the Web

Homepage http://laintal.screenrevolution.co.nz/

http://groups.google.co.nz/group/NZAstroChat/