Out Of Date Links From The Old Website

Please note: The links on this page are those remaining which no longer had valid URLs from the archive of our old website. You should always use the Links page on the main menu for the current list of links

If you know of the new URLs for any of the pages below, please let us know in the Forums or in the comments at the bottom of this page so we can update them. Likewise, if the pages have no current equivalent (e.g. an astronomical society which no longer exists) let us know so we can remove it from the list below.

Last links added: June 27th 2002

Local U.K. Astronomical Society Web Sites

National U.K. Astronomical Web Sites

UK Amateur Astronomy Pages Many more sites.
EARTH and SKY – Supplier of new astronomy books.
The Salopian Web. Many Other Astro Web Links Here.

International Astronomical Web Sites

NASA’s Life on Mars Homepage.
The International Supernova Network.(Italy)
IAU Meteor Pages
Notilucent Cloud WWW page.
The Lure of Lunar Domes, by George Rosenberg.
Searching for Extrasolar Planets.
Chuck Vaughn’s Astronomy Page.
Richard Evans’s Lunar Home Page.
Mel Bartels HomePage.
Mike McCall’s Amateur Astronomy Online.
Dan Murray’s Astronomy Page.
Izzy’s Skylog Page (Ken White).
The Science of Astronomy Home Page.
The Millenium Star Atlas S&T.

U.K. University Astronomy Groups

The University of Bradford.
The University of Leeds.
The University of Manchester.
The Open University.
The University of Southampton.
The University of Wales Swansea.
UMIST – Manchester.

Astronomy

BBC World Service Radio Seeing Stars program, presented by Robin Scagell.

National Space Agencies.

More Space Agencies

SpaceCraft HomePages

Manned SpaceFlight.

The Next Space Shuttle Mission Press kit Here.
NASA’s Shuttle/Mir Link-up homepages.

Presidents (with photos) of Liverpool Astronomical Society, 1881 – Present day

1881 – 1900

Mr. R. C. Johnson, President of the Liverpool Astronomical Society during 1882-1884

Mr. R. C. Johnson,
1882-1884

Rev. T. E. Espin, President of the Liverpool Astronomical Society during 1884-1885 and 1886-1887

Rev. T. E. Espin,
1884-1885, 1886-1887

Image ©Tow Law History Society

Dr. Issac Roberts, President of the Liverpool Astronomical Society during 1885-1886

Dr. Issac Roberts,
1885-1886

Mr. W. F. Denning, President of the Liverpool Astronomical Society during 1887-1888

Mr. W. F. Denning,
1887-1888

Mr. T. G. Elger, President of the Liverpool Astronomical Society during 1888-1889

Mr. T. G. Elger,
1888-1889

Image ©RAS

Rev S. J. Perry, President of the Liverpool Astronomical Society during 1889-1890

Rev S. J. Perry,
1889-1890

Image ©RAS

Mr. W. E. Plummer, President of the Liverpool Astronomical Society during 1894-1897 and 1899-1919

Mr. W. E. Plummer,
1894-1897 and 1899-1919

Mr. G. Higgs, President of the Liverpool Astronomical Society during 1897-1899

Mr. G. Higgs,
1897-1899

1900 – 2000

Dr. H. Wichello, President of the Liverpool Astronomical Society during 1923-1925 and 1931-1935

Dr. H. Wichello,
1923-1925 and 1931-1935

Mr. William Geddes, President of the Liverpool Astronomical Society during 1952-1954

Mr. William Geddes,
1952-1954

Mr. Alan C. Sanderson, President of the Liverpool Astronomical Society during 1961-1962

Mr. Alan C. Sanderson,
1961-1962

Mr. P. Leighton, President of the Liverpool Astronomical Society during 1972-1975

Mr. P. Leighton,
1972-1975

Mr. J. Ravest, President of the Liverpool Astronomical Society during 1976-1979

Mr. J. Ravest,
1976-1979

Dr. E. H. Strach, President of the Liverpool Astronomical Society during 1979-1982

Dr. E. H. Strach,
1979-1982

Mr. M. M. S. Ghorbal, President of the Liverpool Astronomical Society during 1982-1984

Mr. M. M. S. Ghorbal,
1982-1984

Dr. J. E. Jones, President of the Liverpool Astronomical Society during 1984-1986

Dr. J. E. Jones,
1984-1986

Mr. A. Williams, President of the Liverpool Astronomical Society during 1986-1990

Mr. A. Williams,
1986-1990

Mr R. Corrigan, President of the Liverpool Astronomical Society during 1990-1995

Mr R. Corrigan,
1990-1995

Mr R. Kelley, President of the Liverpool Astronomical Society during 1995-1998

Mr R. Kelley,
1995-1998

Mr. S. Hughes, President of the Liverpool Astronomical Society during 1998-2000

Mr. S. Hughes,
1998-2000

2000 – Present Day

Mr. G. J. Gilligan, President of the Liverpool Astronomical Society during 2000-2002

Mr. G. J. Gilligan,
2000-2002

2002 – 2016 images to follow

Text-only list of Presidents of Liverpool Astronomical Society, 1881 – Present day

Year from	Year to	Name
1881
1882	1884	Mr. R. C. Johnson
1884	1885	Rev. T. E. Espin
1885	1886	Mr. I. Roberts
1886	1887	Rev. T. E. Espin
1887	1888	Mr. W. F. Denning
1888	1889	Mr. T. G. Elger
1889	1890	Rev. S. J. Perry
1890	1893	Mr. W. D. Hutchinson
1893	1894	Mr. J. Gill
1894	1897	Mr. W. E. Plummer
1897	1899	Mr. G. Higgs
1899	1919	Mr. W. E. Plummer
1919	1923
1923	1925	Dr. H. Wichello
1925	1928	Mr. W. H. Watts
1928	1931	Capt J. C. Drummond
1931	1935	Dr. H. Wichello
1935	1938	Mr. W. H. Watts
1938	1942	Mr. R. W. Eldridge
1942	1952
1952	1954	Mr. B. Gedds
1954	1957	Mr. H. Davies
1957	1959	Prof A. Young
1959	1960	Mr. J. Kershaw
1960	1961	Dr. F. W. Land
1961	1962	Mr. A. C. Sanderson
1962	1964	Cmdr. Dougherty
1964	1966	Mr. B. L. Bellis
1966	1967	Mr. R. K. Allan
1967	1970	Mr. A. S. Sharp
1970	1972	Mr. P. V. Sudbury
1972	1975	Mr. P. Leighton
1975	1976	Mr. P. V. Sudbury
1976	1979	Mr. J. Ravest
1979	1982	Mr. E. H. Strach
1982	1984	Mr. M. M. S. Ghorbal
1984	1986	Mr. J. E. Jones
1986	1990	Mr. A. Williams
1990	1995	Mr. R. Corrigan
1995	1998	Mr. R. Kelley
1998	2000	Mr. F. S. Hughes
2000	2002	Mr. G. J. Gilligan
2002		Mr. D. Galvin

LAS Council Members for Session 2002-2003 (as of AGM-May 17th, 2002)

PATRON:

Mr F. S. Hughes

COUNCIL OFFICERS
2002 – 2003

PRESIDENT

Mr David Galvin

VICE-PRESIDENTS

Mr Chris Banks
Mr David Forshaw

HONORARY VICE-PRESIDENTS

Mr E.H.Strach,M.Ch.Orth.,F.R.C.S.
Mr Murad Ghorbal

HONORARY SECRETARY

Mr Ken Clark

HONORARY TREASURER

Mr Chris J. Banks

DIRECTOR OF OBSERVATORIES and CURATOR OF INSTRUMENTS.

Mr Geoff Regan

HON.LIBRARIAN.

Mr J.Knott.

ORDINARY COUNCIL MEMBERS

Mr S Southern
Mr Philip Harman
Mr Colin Murray
Mr David Whittle (Refreshments Coordinator)
Mr A.Williams (KBC and U.U. Liaison)

JUNIOR REPRESENTATIVES

Mrs Yvonne West
Mr Andrew McCracken

HONORARY AUDITOR

Mr H.V.Tracy Forster B.A. (Hons)

LAS News Circular Index, October 1995 to September 2002

July/August/September 2002 – (163/164/165) Combined Issue.

Night Sky and Star Charts for July/August/September 2002.- Tony Williams.
Times for a dark sky for July/August/September 2002 – Chris Banks.
Astronomy Anniversaries and Summer 2002 meetings.
John Dobson Lecture Meeting 7pm September 20th 2002.
LAS Monthly Meeting dates for the 121st Session 2002-03.

June 2002 – (Number 162)

Night Sky and Star Charts for June – Tony Williams.
April Solar report – Eric Strach.
Have Telescopes, Will Travel – John L.Dobson.
Liverpool AS trip to NSC Leicester April 20th – report & Images Steve Southern.
Liverpool AS trip to NSC Leicester April 20th – report & Images Robert Simpson, Dave Owen, Chris Banks.
Letter of congratulations to Patrick Moore on 45 years of Sky at Night.
Cronton School to participate in Space Shuttle mission.
Russian Cosmodrome roof collapsed – many dead – BBC news.
Formation of Society for the History of Astronomy.- Stuart Williams.
Deep Sky – June 2002 Dave Owen.
Liverpool AS 120th session in pictures.
Times for a Dark Sky – Chris Banks.
June Astronomy Anniversaries and Meetings.
Dates for the 2002-2003 monthly meetings.

May 2002 – (Number 161)

Night Sky and Star Charts for May – Tony Williams.
March Solar Report – Eric Strach.
Comet C/2002 C1 Ikeya-Zhang Members images.
Comet and Andromeda Galaxy (M31) Image by Gerald Rhemann.
Astronomers do not like the light – Translated by E.H.Strach.
Pick-up details for NSC trip April 20th.
Hubble Space Telescope resumes observations after refit.
Maintenance of Voyager spacecraft from 7 billion miles away.
Dance of the Planets – April – June 2002.
BAA Out-of-Town Meeting at Cardiff.
Close call asteroid causes more worries.
Deep Sky for March – Dave Owen.
Times for a Dark Sky – Chris Banks.
May Astronomy Anniversaries and Meetings.

April 2002 – (Number 160)

Night Sky and Star Charts for April – Tony Williams.
February Solar Report – Eric Strach.
Solar Images from February – Eric Strach.
Comet Ikeya-Zhang on view in the Western Sky.
Comet returns after 341 years.- BBC Science News.
LAS Croxteth Park Star Party report & images.
LAS Visit to Leicester National Space Centre – April 20th.
Hubble Upgrade Complete/Stargazing from Orbit – John Grunsfeld.
Deep Sky for April 2002 – Dave Owen.
Times for a Dark Sky.
April Meetings, Astronomy & Space Anniversaries.

March 2002 – (Number 159)

Night Sky and Star Charts for March – Tony Williams.
January Solar Report – Eric Strach.
Members images of the Jupiter Lunar Graze on January 26th 2002.
Jupiter Lunar Graze, report of observation – Eric Strach.
Active Jupiter & Comet Linear WN1.
New Comet Ikeya-Zhang – Sky&Telescope.Com.
Amateur Space Telescope.
New Horsehead Nebula images from ESO telescope.
Catch a Minor Planet – Tony Williams.
Sir Patrick Moore lecture, January 21st – Robert Simpson.
Deep Sky for March 2002 – David Owen.
TROK 30 Telescope, progress report – David Owen.
Times for a dark sky – Chris Banks.
March Anniversaries & Meetings.

February 2002 – (Number 158)

Night Sky and Star Charts for February – Tony Williams.
December Solar Report – Eric Strach.
Members Observations & Images.
Makeover for HST – Spaceflight Now.
Space rock hurtles past Earth – BBC science news.
Happy Birthday Stephen Hawking – Uni of Cambridge.
Stellar “fireworks finale” – HST News.
Deep Sky February 2002 – Dave Owen.
Times for a Dark Sky – Chris Banks.
February Anniversaries & Meetings.
Croxteth Park Weekend of Astronomy.

January 2002 – (Number 157)

Night Sky and Star Charts for January – Tony Williams.
November Solar Report – Eric Strach.
Grazing Lunar Occultation of Jupiter – 26th January.
Occultations of Major Planets for 2002 – Rob Robinson (IOTA).
Lunar Occultation of Saturn – November 3rd 2002.
Images of Comet C/2000 WM1 (Linear) from Liverpool.
Deep Sky – January 2002 – Dave Owen.
Leonid Rates for 2001 November 18/19th – BAA.
The Astronomy Centre Star Party – By Robert Simpson.
Pluto-Kuiper Belt Mission – NASA.
UK Astronomers to build new Radio Telescope – Jodrell Bank.
Times for a Dark Sky.
January Astronomy & Space Anniversaries.
Clear Dark Skies for 2002!.

December 2001 – (Number 156)

Night Sky and Star Charts for December – Tony Williams.
October Solar Report – Eric Strach.
A Night at the Telescope – Gerard Gilligan.
Local Societies Meeting – October 20th.
Deep Sky for December 2001.
Astronomy on the Internet.
Jaw Dropping Leonids – NASA Science.
USA Returns to Mars – NASA Science.
First Glimpse inside a Sunspot – BBC Science news.
Finding Comet C/2000 WM1 (Linear) – BAA Comet Section.
Times for a dark sky – Chris Banks.
December Anniversaries and Meetings.
Happy Christmas to all our readers.

November 2001 – (Number 155)

Night Sky and Star Charts for November – Tony Williams.
September Solar Report – Eric Strach.
LAS International links take on astronomical proportions.
Deep Sky – November 2001 – David Owen.
Comet Borrelly flyby images from NASA Deep Space 1 spacecraft.
A “perfect storm” on Mars.
My holiday to Australia – Robert Simpson.
Times for a Dark Sky – Chris Banks.
November astronomy & space anniversaries, meetings.
Agenda for Local Societies Meeting – October 20th 2001.

October 2001 – (Number 154)

Night Sky and Star Charts for October – Tony Williams.
Sir Fred Hoyle 1915-2001.
NASA give nod for first Mercury Orbiter.
May-August 2001 Solar reports – Eric Strach.
2001 June 21st Total Solar Eclipse Report – Jan “Honza” Urban.
2001 June 21st Shadow Band reports – Eric Strach.
Deep Sky – October 2001 – David Owen.
How I outran the Moon’s Shadow – Eric Jones.
UK observers witness rare planetary satellite occultation.
Times for a dark sky – Chris Banks.,br>
October astronomy & space anniversaries, meeting details.

July, August, September 2001.Combined issue (Number 151-153)

Night Sky and star maps for July-September – Tony Williams.
Times for a dark sky for July-September – Chris Banks.
Anniversaries and meetings during Summer break.

June 2001 (Number 150 1987-2001)

Sky News and star map – Tony Williams.
Newscircular hits 150 not out – Roy Billingsley.
The Society year in Pictures (colour) 2000-2001.
Mission status – Pioneer 10. NASA.
April 2001 Solar Report – Eric Strach.
Halo – What is that Up there?. – David Forshaw.
June Opposition of Mars Part 2.
Hubble looks at Horsehead Nebula.
Oppositions of Mars 1901-2035.
Total Solar Eclipse of 2001 June 21st. (Not UK).
The Golden age of amateur astronomy.
Deep Sky June 2001 Dave Owen.
First light for the Liverpool Telescope TTL Ltd.
Times for a dark sky – Chris Banks.
June Anniversaries & Meetings.
Copy of first LAS newscircular November 1987.

May 2001 (Number 149)

Sky News and star map – Tony Williams.
March 2001 Solar Report – Eric Strach.
Large Sunspot Observations.
Deep Sky for May – David Owen.
Mir meets fiery end – BBC News.
The Red Planet is Back – S&T.
2001 Mars Odyssey – NASA science news.
NASA’s Mars Odyssey launch report.
Aurora Observations March 31st/April 1st & April 11th/12th.
Hubble Space telescope Images Whirlpool Galaxy M51.
Planet Mars Data.
Times for a Dark Sky – Chris Banks.
May Astronomy & Space Anniversaries, Meetings for May.

April 2001 (Number 148)

Sky News and Star map – Tony Williams.
February 2001 Solar Report – Eric Strach.
Liverpool Young Astronomers day – March 3rd 2001.
Alston Hall Astronomy Weekend, April 20th-22nd.
The End is Mir – Science at NASA.
New Images of Comet Hale-Bopp – ESO Observatory.
Gamma-Rays from an asteroid – Science at NASA.
LAS Members Image Galley, Meet the Men from Mir.
Observations from Brenig, North Wales – Tony Williams.
Deep Sky for April 2001 – Dave Owen.
Times for a dark Sky – Chris Banks.
April Astronomy & Space Anniversaries, Meetings during April.

March 2001 (Number 147):

Sky News and Star Map – Tony Williams.
January 2001 Solar Report – Eric Strach.
Observations from Lyln Brenig 28th/29th Jan 2001 – Dave Owen.
Society members Image Gallery.
Deep Sky for March 2001 – Dave Owen.
NEAR Shoemaker Spacecraft Landing on 433 Eros – NASA/JHUAPL.
LAS Sidewalk Astronomers events during January – Dave Owen/Dave Thomson.
NASA shuttle status Feb 11th 2001.
Skywatches guide to the Moon – Space.com.
Times for a Dark Sky – Chris Banks.
March Anniversaries and Meetings.

February 2001 (Number 146):

Sky Notes and Sky Map – Tony Williams.
Solar Report for December 2000 – Eric Strach.
The Sky at Knighthood – Sir Patrick Moore CBE.
The Moon turned to blood, The January 9th Total Lunar Eclipse – David Forshaw.
Deep Sky February 2001 – David Owen.
Near Shoemaker Spacecraft to Land on Asteroid 433 Eros.
Cassini/Galileo space probes double up to study Jupiter.
Russia sets January 18th as deorbit day for MIR spacestation.
Times for a dark sky – Chris Banks.
February Meetings plus Astronomy & Space Anniversaries.

January 2001 (Number 145):

Sky Notes and Sky Map – Tony Williams.
Solar Report for November 2000 – Eric Strach.
Total Lunar Eclipse – January 9th 2001.
Deorbiting of MIR spacestation.- Spaceviews.
A new star in the sky.- NASA science news.
Space shuttle STS-97 mission update- – NASA.
Mars Home to Ancient Lakes – NASA.
Minor Planet 2000 WR106 could be bigger than Pluto?.
Deep Sky for January 2001.- Dave Owen.
Times for a dark sky – Chris Banks.
January anniversaries & Meetings.
Salford AS Christmas Lecture 13/12/00.

December 2000 Issue:

Sky Notes and Sky map – Tony Williams.
Solar Report for October 2000 – Eric Strach.
An Observing Extravaganza – Steve Southern & Juan Rivero.
Asteroid 2000 SG344 – IAU
ISS Crew settles in – Spaceviews.
Cassini spacecraft images of Jupiter – NASA/JPL.
Deep Sky for December 2000 – Dave Owen.
Times for a dark sky – Chris Banks.
December anniversaries & Meetings.
Croxteth Park Star Party 2000.

November 2000 Issue:

Sky Notes and Sky map – Tony Williams.
Solar Reports for August & September 2000 – Eric Strach.
Delay to Pluto Spacecraft – Spaceviews.
UK Aurora Watch web site – York University.
Jupiter Image from Cassini Spacecraft.
Visitors from Vlasim – Report by Eric Strach.
Deep Sky November 2000 – Dave Owen.
Comet 1999/S4 Linear Observations by Dave Galvin.
Iridium Flare Images – Colin Murray.
Disappearing Solar Filament – 2000 October 9th/10th.
Times for a Dark Sky – Chris Banks.
November Astronomy & Space Anniveraries and LAS meeting & event details.

October 2000 Issue:

Whats Up! and sky map – Tony Williams.
Solar Reports for May,June & July – Eric Strach.
LAS Patron Philip Leighton 1915-2000.
Astronomers get a new view of Mercury – spaceviews.
Astronomers witness the demise of Comet Linear – spaceviews.
Astronomers confirm existance of new Jovian Moon.
Sir Isaac Newton papers for sale – 6 million pounds.
SPA meteor section – Perseids report.
Amateur Micheal Oates discovers his 67th (200th) SOHO comet.
Fireball over ST.Helens – Dave Forshaw.
Visit to Liverpool by Vlasim AS, (Czech Republic).
Deep Sky – David Owen.
LAS Meetings & Events for October.
Times for a Dark Sky – Chris Banks.

July/August/September 2000 (Special 3 in 1 issue).

Night Sky and Star Maps (July – September)- Tony Williams.
Orbital elements for Comet C/1999 S4 (Linear).
Moon Phases for July-September.
Astronomy & Space Anniversaries for July-September.
Summer Meeting Details.

June 2000:

Night Sky and Star Map for June – Tony Williams.
Solar Report for April 2000 – Eric Strach.
Astronomy Centre’s milestone.
Photographing Spectacular Sunsets – Murad Ghorbal.
USA improves quality of GPS signal – Spaceviews.
Sorry – No Doomsday Today – Spaceviews.
Astronomers push the limits of the observable Universe – Spaceviews.
IAU public lectures at Manchester University – August 2000.
Deep Sky June 2000 – Dave Owen.
Moon phases for June 2000.
June astronomy & space anniversaries.
June Meeting dates.

May 2000:

Night Sky and Star Map for May – Tony Williams.
Solar Report for March 2000 – Eric Strach.
April 6th/7th Aurora Display reports.Images by Dave Thomson.
Solar System get together – G.Gilligan
LAS Planetary section visit to Pex Hill – John Knott.
Martin Suggett 1951-2000 – G.Gilligan.
Photographing Satellites and Iridium Flares – Colin Murray.
Iridium to shut down, deorbit satellites – Spaceviews.
Liverpool A.S. sidewalk astronomers (LASSA) – Dave Owen & Gerard Gilligan.
Deep Sky, May 2000 – Dave Owen.
Telescope for sale – Michael Sutton.
Shabla, August 1999 – Angela Strach.
Times for a Dark Sky – Chris Banks.
May Astro & Space Anniversaries.
Events & Meetings for May.

April 2000:

Night Sky and Star Map for April 2000 – Tony Williams.
Solar Report for February 2000 – Eric Strach.
Chasing Eclipses – A Nonastronomers View! – Ann Ghorbal.
General Overview of Hubble Space Telescope – NASA.
Lost Moon’s of Uranus recovered – Univ of Arizona.
SOHO sees Right Through the Sun – NASA science news.
New Comet Linear (C/1999 S4).
Deep Sky, April 2000 – Dave Owen.
Times for a Dark Sky – Dave Owen.
April Astro & Space Anniversaries.
Events & Meetings for April.

March 2000:

Night Sky and Star Map for March 2000 – Tony Williams.
Solar Report for January 2000 – Eric Strach.
January 21st Lunar Eclipse Report – W.Heyes.
Observing Asteroids – G.Gilligan
Deep Sky for March 2000 – Dave Owen.
Shuttle SRM Mission – NASA.
NEAR at 433 Eros – JHU.
JMU Liverpool Telescope use by amateurs.
National Science Week Events 17th – 26th March.
Times for a Dark Sky – Chris Banks/Dave Owen.
Events & Meetings for March 2000.

February 2000:

Night Sky & Star May for February – Tony Williams.
December 1999 Solar report – Eric Strach.
Shuttle Releases Hubble – Spaceviews report.
Shuttle landing report 27/12/99 – NASA.
NEO Task Force set up – DTI News.
Mars Polar Lander Crashed in Canyon.- Spaceviews report.
Galileo spacecraft finds new evidence for liquid ocean on Europa.
Astronomers Reduce estimates for NEO’s – Spaceviews report.
Deep Sky for February 2000 – Dave Owen.
Observatory Report – Geoff Regan.
Lunar Craters Diophantus & Delisle – John Knott.
Phases of the Moon for February.
Febuary anniversaries & Meetings.

January 2000:

Night Sky & Star Map for January – Tony Williams.
Details of 2000 Jan 21st Total Lunar Eclipse.
September Solar report – Eric Strach.
November Solar report – Eric Strach.
Leonid Meteor Shower report – Dave Thomson.
The LAS Leonid Sinai Expedition – Dr Eric Jones.
Reported Leonid Meteor impacts on Moon.
Trace spacecraft sees Mercury Transit.
Deep Sky – David Owen.
Phases of the Moon during January 2000.
January anniversaries and Meetings.

2000

December 1999:

Night Sky & Star Map for December.
Strong Leonids Peak Reported – SpaceNews.
Leonid Prediction Spot On – RAS Press Office.
Shadow of planet crosses distant Star – Univ of California Press release.
December LAS Members Night on Weds 8th at 7:00pm.

November 1999: NOT PUBLISHED!

October 1999:

Sky Notes & Star Map for October.
Solar Activity – May 1999, Eric Strach.
Eclipse from Turkey – Elaine Corry.
Postcard from Austria – Total Success! – Gerard Gilligan & John Knott.
Eclipse of Turkey – Ron Kelley.
Total Eclipse from Goydun, Sivas, Turkey – Dave Forshaw.
Total Eclipse from Bad Tatzmannsdorf, Burgenland, Austria – J.Eric Jones.
Trip to Penzance 10/9/99 – Robert Simpson.
Pex Hill Dates.
Deep Sky – Dave Owen.
The Tears of Saint Lawrence from Turkey – Win Corry.

July, August, September 1999 Issues Not Published.

June 1999 Issue:

Sky Notes & Star Map for June.
Solar Activity for April 1999 – Eric Strach.
Barren Mars Once Hummed with Magnetism – Chris Banks.
Pex Hill – CCD Imaging Trial 22nd April 1999 Pt1 – Rob Johnson.
Pex Hill – CCD Imaging Trial 22nd April 1999 Pt2 – Rob Johnson.
Pex Hill meeting dates.
Pex Hill – New Telescope Mount – David Galvin.
Martian Sundial Designed for 2001 Space Mission in unveiled – Chris Banks.
Pulsars More Complicated than previously thought.
Hubble Space Telescope Ailing Gyroscope Fails.
Pex Hill Trails Update – Chris Banks.
Deep Sky – Dave Owen.
Observatory News – Geoff Regan.
Occultation of Regulus – 24th April 1999 – Chris Banks.
“Chasing The Moon’s Shadow” Public Lecture on July 28th 1999.
William Lassell 1799 – 1880 – Dr Allan Chapman. Lassell’s 200th Birthday on June 18th.
Times for a Deep Sky.
Meetings & Anniversaries for June 1999.

May 1999 Issue

Sky Notes & Star map for May.
Solar Activity for March 1999 – Eric Strach.
Observatory News – Geoff Regan, Director.
Pex Hill Dates, May – July 1999.
Deep Sky for May 1999 – Dave Owen.
Deepest Amateur Image.
Internet Space & Astronomy News.
Times for a dark sky.
Meetings & Anniversaries for May 1999.

April 1999 Issue

Sky Notes and Star Chart for the Month.
Deep Sky Notes for April – Dave Owen.
Observatory News from the Director – Geoff Regan.
Gunter Archenhold (1904 – 1999 )- Eric Strach.
Solar Activity Report for February – Eric Strach.
Times for a dark Sky.
Anniversaries & Meetings for April.

March 1999 Issue

Sky Notes and Star Chart for the Month.
Deep Sky Notes for March – Dave Owen.
Observatory news from Director Geoff Regan.
Solar Activity for January 1999 – Eric Strach.
The Status of Pluto as a planet – IAU.
What Can you do to help minimise light pollution?. – Bob Mizon CfDS.
Times for a Dark Sky.
Anniversaries & Meetings for March.

February 1999 Issue

Sky Notes and Star Chart for the Month.
Deep Sky Notes for February – Dave Owen.
Hubble Looks Down a Barrel of Gas.
Cold Dust in Hot Gas of Ancient Galaxies.
Holliman Honoured.
Observatory News – Geoff Regan.
Pex Hill Dates – February and March 1999.
Pluto Reigns.
Light Levels During a Total Solar Eclipse – Dr J.Eric Jones.
Solar Activity December 1998 – Eric Strach.
Times for a Dark Sky.
Meetings and Anniversaries for February.

January 1999 Issue

Sky Notes and Map for January 1999.
Solar Activity for November’98 – Eric Strach.
Deep Sky for January – Dave Owen.
Croxteth Park Thank you.
Pex Hill meeting dates January – March 1999.
Times for a Dark Sky for January.
January Meetings and Anniversaries.
Happy Holidays and Clear Dark Skies for 1999!.

December 1998 Issue

Sky Notes and Map for December.
Celestial Fireworks – Observation by Geoff Regan.
100th Pulsar found.
Slide Scanning – Tony Williams.
Solar Activity – September 1999 Eric Strach.
Directors Report – Geoff Regan.
Solar Activity – October 1998 Eric Strach.
Telescope for Sale – Steve Southern.
One Night at Brenig Phil Fitzpatrick & Dave Thompson.
Pex Hill Dates Dec 1998 – March 1999.
ISO unveils a violent early Universe.
Deep Sky for December 1998 – Dave Owen.
The Universe: Expanding Slowly,But Accelerating?.
Example of Early Solar System Disk Found?.
Croxteth Park Star Party – November 27th, 28th and 29th.
Times for a Dark Sky for December.
December Meetings and Anniversaries.

November 1998 Issue

Sky Notes and Map for November.
Solar Activity for July and August 1998 – Eric Strach.
Deep Sky for November – Dave Owen.
The Leonids are Here.
Hubble Sees Even Further.
New Extrasolar planets found.
Times for a Dark Sky.
November Meetings and Anniversaries.
November Star Party – 27th – 29th (FREE POSTER).

October 1998 Issue

Sky Notes and Map for October.
Solar Activity for May and June 1998.- Eric Strach.
Deep Sky – October 1998 – Dave Owen.
North East Astro Group Visit to Pex Hill – Robert Simpson.
Images from above visit on the Internet.
First Light at VLT.
Times for a Dark Sky.
Manchester Astro Day – October 3rd.
October Meetings & Anniversaries.

July/August/September 1998: NOT PUBLISHED.

June 1998 Issue

Sky Notes and Map for June.
Solar Activity report for March/April – Eric Strach.
Record Gamma-Ray Burst.
Astronomers detect planet building zone.
Times for Dark Sky for June.
June Meetings & Anniversaries.

May 1998 Issue

Sky Notes for May.
Constellation Map for the Month – Tony Williams.
Solar Activity for March 1998. – Eric Strach.
Feb’98 Solar Eclipse report – Eric Jones.
Merlin and Hubble Collaborate.
We need You at YAD! – Colin Murray.
Milky Way smaller than we thought.
Faint Objects found beyond Pluto.
ISO completes its mission.
Times for a dark sky for May.
May Meetings & Anniversaries.

April 1998 Issue

Sky Notes for April.
Constellation Map for the Month – Tony Williams.
Solar Activity for February 1998 – Eric Strach.
Evidence of ice at the Lunar Poles.
Shadow Bands recorded on Video – Eric Strach.
Cassini on target for Venus flyby.
Near-Earth Asteroid in near miss?.
New Distance record set.
Astronomers track down asteroids using HST images.
Times for a dark sky.
April anniversaries and meetings.

March 1998 Issue

Sky Notes for March.
Constellation Map for the Month – Tony Williams.
News from the Internet.
Solar Activity for January 1998 – Eric Strach.
More news from the Internet.
The ageing of Spacecraft.
Times for a dark sky.
Meetings and Anniversaries for March.

February 1998 Issue

Sky notes for February.
Constellation Map for the Month – Tony Williams.
Solar Activity for December 1997 – Eric Strach.
Astronomy & Space News via the Internet – Chris Banks.
Selsey Under Attack!.
Croxteth Star Party I 1998.
Times for a dark sky.
February Anniversaries & Meetings.

January 1998 Issue

Sky notes for January.
Constellation Map for the Month – Tony Williams.
Solar Activity for October 1997 – Eric Strach.
Times for a dark sky.
January Anniversaries & Meetings.

December 1997 Issue

Sky notes for December.
Consellation Map for the Month – Tony Williams.
Solar Activity for August & September 1997 – Eric Strach.
Astronomy & Space News from the Internet.
The last Apollo – Ken Clark.
Times for a dark sky.
December Anniversaries & Meetings.

November 1997 Issue

Special 10th Anniversary Internet Front Page.
LAS News Circular 1987 – 1997.

October 1997 Issue

Sky details for the month and star chart for mid-month.
Astronomy and Space News – Gerard Gilligan.
Solar Activity for June and July 1997 – Eric Strach.
March 1997 Total Solar Eclipse Report – Dr J.E.Jones.
Croxteth Park Star Party Dec 6th – 7th 1997.
Meeting Details at Pex Hill Observatory for 1997 – 98.
Times for a dark Sky – October.
October Meetings, Anniversaries, and Events.

September 1997 Issue Was Not Published.

August 1997 Issue Was Not Published.

July 1997 Issue

Sky details for the month and star chart for mid-month.
Astronomy and Space News – Gerard Gilligan.
Solar Activity May 1997 – Eric Strach.
Deep Sky – David Owen.
North West Astronomy at Jodrell Bank.
Croxteth Park Weekend Dec’97.
Campaign for Dark Skies Report – Gerard Gilligan.
Space news – Gerard Gilligan.
Times for a Dark Sky.
July Meetings, Anniversaries, and Events.

June 1997 Issue

Sky details for the month and star chart for mid-month.
Astronomy & Space News – Gerard Gilligan.
LAS trip to Jodrell Bank – 26/4/97 Robert Simpson.
Deep Sky – David Owen.
Solar Activity – April 1997 Eric Strach.
Times for a Dark Sky.
June Meetings and Events, Anniversaries.

May 1997 Issue

Sky details for the month and star chart for mid-month.
Astronomy & Space News – Gerard Gilligan.
Hale-Bopp, a sight to behold – Gerard Gilligan.
Deep Sky – Dave Owen.
Observatory News & Views – Dave Owen.
Solar Activity – March 1997 – Eric Strach.
Hale-Bopp observations from North Wales – Chris Banks.
Comet Photos for display at next meeting.
Times for a Dark Sky.
May Astronomy & Space Anniversaries.
40 years of BBC T.V.’s Sky at Night. Presented every month by Patrick Moore.

April 1997 Issue

Sky details for the month and star chart for mid-month.
Solar Activity February 1997 – Eric Strach.
Comet Hale-Bopp reports.
Observatory News and views – David Owen.
Deep Sky – David Owen.
Comets and Light Pollution – Gerard Gilligan.
Astronomy and Space News – Gerard Gilligan.
News from Liverpool A.S. Council – Ron Kelley.
Lunar Drawings – John Knott.
Double Star Castor in Gemini, Observations by David Thompson.
Times for a Dark Sky.
Meetings and Anniversaries for April.

March 1997 Issue

Sky details for the month and star chart for mid-month.
Deep sky – David Owen.
Observatory News and Views – David Owen.
Astronomy and Space News – Gerard Gilligan.
News from the Cosmos – Gerard Gilligan.
Solar Activity January 1997 – Eric Strach.
Wanted.
Comet Hale-Bopp observations – Geoff Regan.
Croxteth Park Hale-Bopp star party.
Times for a dark sky.
Meetings and Anniversaries for March 1997.

February 1997 Issue

Sky details for the month and star chart for mid-month.
Deep Sky – David Owen.
Observatory News and Views – David Owen.
Astronomy and Space News – Gerard Gilligan.
Solar Activity for November and December 1996 – Eric Strach.
Telescope for Sale.
Croxteth Park Hale-Bopp star party details.
Times for a Dark Sky.
Meetings & Anniversaries for February 1997.

January 1997 Issue

Sky details for the month and star chart for mid-month.
Deep sky – David Owen.
Observatory News and Views – David Owen.
Times for a Dark sky.
Meetings and Anniversries for January 1997.

December 1996 Issue

Sky details for the month and star chart for mid-month.
The Armada to Mars – Gerard Gilligan.
Deep Sky – Dave Owen.
Observatory News and Views – Dave Owen.
Space Shuttle News – Gerard Gilligan.
The International Ultraviolet Explorer, 1978 – 1996. – Gerard Gilligan.
The Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance Lassell Telescope Project, The Recreation of Astronomical History.- Gerard Gilligan.
The Position of Lassell’s Original Telescope Site – Eric Jones.
Solar Activity, October 1996 – Eric Strach.
The William Lassell Quiz, The Answers – Gerard Gilligan.
Times For a Dark Sky.
December Astronomy & Space Anniversaries/Events.

November 1996 Issue

Sky details for the month and star chart for mid-month.
Partical Solar Eclipse On Oct 12th – David Galvin.
Total Lunar Eclipse on Sept 27th – Chris Banks.
Deep Sky – Dave Owen.
Observatory News and Views – Dave Owen.
Solar Activity, September 1996 – Eric Strach.
Times for a Dark Sky.
November Astronomy & Space Anniversaries/Events.

October 1996 Issue

Sky details for the month and star chart for mid-month.
Deep sky – Dave Owen.
Observatory News and Views – Dave Owen.
Items for Sale.
Solar Activity for May – Eric Strach.
William Lassell and the Suspicious Looking Star – Gerard Gilligan.
Neptune the facts – Gerard Gilligan.
Triton the facts – Gerard Gilligan.
Triton discovery – 150th anniversary celebrations.
The William Lassell quiz.
Times for a Dark Sky.
October Astronomy & Space Anniversaries/Events.

September 1996

Sky details for the month and star chart for mid month.
Life on Mars!.
Europa Unlocks her secrets.
Deep Sky – Dave Owen.
Observatory News & Views – Dave Owen.
Lunar Eclipse 27th Sept.
Trip to Llyn Brenig, Aug 10/11th 1996 – Gerard Gilligan.
Happy Anniversary Neptune!.
National Astronomy Week Sept 21st – 28th.
NAW Events at Liverpool.
Times for a Dark Sky.
September Dates & Events.

August 1996

Sky details for the month and star chart for mid month.
Deep sky – Dave Owen.
Observatory report.
Comet Hale-Bopp Seen at Last – Dave Thompson.
Times for a Dark Sky.
Dates and Events for August.

July 1996

Sky details for the month and star chart for mid month.
ESA Suffers Setback.
Shuttle Mission STS-77.
Deep Sky – Dave Owen.
Internet news – Gerard Gilligan & Dave Owen.
CCD image of variable star in M13.
Observatory Notes.
Comet Hale-Bopp news.
Pioneer 10.
Galileo’s next Encounter.
Times for a Dark Sky.
Dates and Events for July.

June 1996

Sky details for the month and star chart for mid month.
Deep Sky – Dave Owen.
Drawing of M12 in Ophuchius by Geoff Regan.
Internet News – Gerard Gilligan & Dave Owen.
Times for a Dark Sky.
Dates and Events for June.
Pex Hill members Evenings, June 14th & July 19th 1996.

May 1996

Sky details for the month and star chart for mid month.
Pex Hill Observing News – Dave Owen.
Pex Hill LAS members Evening May 10th.
Deep Sky – Dave Owen.
April Lunar Eclipse Report – Chris Banks.
Solution to LAS#7.
Times for a Dark Sky.
Comet Hyakutake C/1996 B2 – Drawing by Geoff Regan.
Dates and Events for May.

April 1996

Sky details for the month and star chart for mid month.
HST images of distant Pluto.
Comet Hyakutake – The Great Comet of 1996? – Gerard Gilligan.
Voyager Report.
The One That Got Away.
National Astronomy Meeting – Public Lecture details.
Image of NGC 2419 by Dave Thompson.
New Object in the Milky Way.
NEAR, yet so far.
Deep Sky – Dave Owen.
Occultation of SAO 109907, 22nd February 1996 – Reports of.
LAS WORD #7 and solutions to LASWORD #6 – Pete Malley.
Times for a Dark Sky.
Dates and Events for April.

March 1996

Sky details for the month and star chart for mid month
Lunar drawing of Valentine Dome by John Knott.
Report of Croxteth Park Star party.
New Moon Observation record.
Deep Sky – Dave Owen.
Galileo at Jupiter.
New Planets and Hubble looks deep into Space.
Times for a Dark Sky.
LAS WORD #6 and solution to last month’s LASWORD #5.
Dates amd Events for March.

February 1996

Sky details for the month and star chart for mid month
Binocular Views – Dave Owen
News from the Internet – Dave Owen & Gerard Gilligan
Good Lighting Award to Liverpool City Council
Deep Sky – Dave Owen
Pex Hill Observing – Dave Owen
Occultation of Zeta Piscium, 29th Dec 1995 – Dave Owen
Apollo 14 – Back to the Moon – Ken Clark.
Some Notes on the Photography of Sunspots – Bruce Hardie
LASWord #5
Times for a Dark Sky
Dates and Events for February

January 1996

Sky details for the month and star chart for mid-month
Deep Sky News – Dave Owen
An Early Start to the New Solar Cycle – Eric Strach
Leonid Watch Report – Chris Banks
Croxteth Star Party
Times for a Dark Sky
LasWord #4, solutions to LasWord #3
Dates and Events for January

December 1995

Sky details for the month and star chart for mid-month
Deep Sky News – Dave Owen
Hale Bopp News
Messier Marathons
Hubble Space Telescope – New Images
Sky & Telescope at W.H.Smith
Which why is North? – Chris Banks
Galileo Jupiter Probe
Planet Discovery Confirmed
YAD meeting & Croxteth Star Party
LASWord #3 and Answers to last month’s LasWord by Pete Malley
Times for a Dark Sky and Events this Month

November 1995

Sky details for the month and star chart for mid-month
Deep sky at Madogs Wells, Llanfair, Wales by Dave Owen
LAS Word 2 and Answers to last months Astro Crossword by Pete Malley
Times for Dark Sky and Events this Month

October 1995

Sky details for the month and star chart for mid-month
Deep sky by Dave Owen
Comet Hale-Bopp C/1995 01
Talking Digital by Dave Thompson
Trip to Brenig – Sept 2nd/3rd report by Geoff Regan
Times for Dark Sky and Events this Month
LAS Word – Astro crossword by Pete Malley

Members’ Observations of Comet C/2002 C1 (Ikeya-Zhang), March, April and May, 2002

Comet C/2002 C1 (Ikeya-Zhang), taken by Richard Sargent in Chester using an SX Mono Starlight Express CCD, exposure 11x average 1min, 210mm lens at 19:56 UTC on March 13th 2002

Comet C/2002 C1 (Ikeya-Zhang) path across the sky for April and early May 2002

Observations from Liverpool & North West England: March – April 2002

Andrew Bate – Hatton,Nr Chester
David Forshaw – St Helens, Merseyside
Murad Gorbal – Liverpool
Rob Johnson – Broadgreen, Liverpool
- Image 1 – 19:25UTC March 10th/11th 6″ reflector, 5mins expos, Starlight Xpress CCD
- Image 2 – March 13th/14th 6″ reflector, 10mins (20x30s stacked),Starlight Xpress CCD
- Image 3 – April 1st/2nd 6″ reflector f6, 9mins SX CCD estmated mag 3.7
John Locker – Upton, Wirral
John Quirk – Walton, Liverpool
- Image 1 – 19:52UTC March 16th/17th 8″ reflector, 6 sec expos, Olympus C2040400 ISO
- Image 2 (image is missing)
Richard Sargent – Chester:
- Image 1 – 19:26UTC March 11th, SX Mono Starlight Express CCD, 2mins, 35mm lens
- Image 2 – 19:56UTC March 13th, as above but 11x avg 1min, 210mm lens
- Image 3 – April 3rd 5×10 sec expos
- Image 4 – April 3rd 2x combined 70mm lens
Jim Stacy – Crosby, Sefton
Dave Thomson
- Little Sutton, Cheshire
  - Image 1 – 20:00BST April 1st/2nd ST4 CCD Mounted onto 28mm f2.8 lens, 10 sec unguided
  - Image 2 – 15th April, 50mm & SBIG ST4 CCD, 16inch F6
  - image 3 – May 2nd, 50mm & SBIG ST4 CCD, 16inch F6, 3×15 second expos
- Forest Hills, Aberfoyle, Scotland
  - Image 1 – 6th April, 50mm lens & SBIG ST4 CCD, undriven 2×12 exposures
  - Image 2 – 7th April, 50mm lens & SBIG ST4 CCD, undriven 3×12 exposures
Andrew & Val White – Warrington
Tony Williams – Huyton, Mersyside

Observations from other sites in the UK & World.

Society News and Night Sky Notes – May 2002

Society News Headlines

May ***: Noctilucent Cloud Season begins late May until August.
May 4th: Mars 2° north of the Moon.
May 4th: Mercury greatest elongation East at 21° (evening sky).
May 5th: Eta Aquarids Meteor Shower max
May 5th: Uranus 4° north of the Moon.
May 7th: Venus 2° north of Saturn.
May 10th: Venus 0.3°north of Mars.
May 13th: Mercury is 3° north of the Moon.
May 14th: Saturn is 1.1° south of Moon.
May 14th: Venus is 0.8° north of Moon.
May 14th: Mars is 0.6° north of Moon.
May 15th: Asteroid Vesta is 1.1° south of the Moon.
May 15th: Comet Pons-Winnecke at Perihelion (1.258AU).
May 15th: Comet C/2001 T4 (NEAT) at perihelion (8.568AU).
May 17th: AGM of Liverpool Astronomical Society at the Crypt Concert Room, 7pm – 9:30pm – followed by Members Observational reports.
May 18th: Webb Society AGM at the Rutherford-Appleton Laboratory Nr Oxford.
May 24th: 40th Anniversary (1962) of Aurora 7 launch (Scott Carpenter).
May 26th: Prenumbral lunar eclipse -(not seen from Liverpool).
May 27th: Mercury at Inferior conjunction.
May 29th: BAA Ordinary Meeting: speaker Dr Xiolueu-Liu on Planetary Nebulae.
May 31st: Launch of STS-111 space shuttle Endeavour on mission UF-2 to ISS.
May 31st: Neptune 4° north of Moon.

THE NIGHT SKY DURING THE MONTH OF MAY 2002

Will it be cloudy to-night?, ask the The U.K. Goverment Met Office Weather service.

The Night Sky as seen from Liverpool at any time, Click Here.

The Sun and Moon

All times are in BRITISH SUMMER TIME (BST). Times For Observer in Liverpool, Merseyside, England, U.K.

Latitude 53 degs 24 mins North.
Longitude +3.0 degs West.

           May 1st       6th       11th      16th      21st      26th        30th
SUNRISE    05:39        05:29      05:19     05:11     05:04     04:57       04:52
SUNSET     20:41        20:50      20:58     21:07     21:15     21:22       21:28

PHASES OF THE MOON DURING MAY 2002
NEW MOON on 12th at 1h:46m	FIRST QUARTER on 19th at 20h:43m	FULL MOON on 26th at 12h:52m	LAST QUARTER on 4th at 08h:17m

THE PLANETS THIS MONTH.

MERCURY.

Mercury finishes off its excellent evening apparition which began last month. See April’s sky page. On the 4th it reaches its greatest elongation east and will be visible for about 2 hours after Sunset.On the 12th Mercury is 5° north of Epsilon Tauri whilst on the 14th is 3.5° north of the Moon.

VENUS.

Sky chart: Planetary alignment, dusk, May 5th, 2002

Sky chart: Planetary alignment, dusk, May 13th – 15th, 2002

Sky chart: Planetary alignment, dusk, May 31st, 2002

Venus reaches its peak throughout May and is visible high up in the west-north-west. As soon as the Sun has set you can try searching for this extremely bright planet especially on the 7th when Venus and Saturn lie 2.5° apart with Saturn approaching from above left from the start of the month. On the 10th at 22:00 Venus and Mars are a mere 18′ apart and with Jupiter also approaching the area the scene is set for a nice quadruple arrangement of planets. The 14th and 15th see the Moon putting some distance between it and the horizon then it too gatecrashes the party. As the month advances Venus passes from Taurus into Gemini lying close to some naked-eye stars in both constellations.

MARS.

Mars in its inevitable path towards the Sun is starting to set earlier and earlier, its fast apparent motion not enough to keep up with the faster Earth. By the end of May sets at 23:17. As mentioned above its close association with Venus on the 10th is a highlight worth looking out for whilst earlier, on the 4th, Mars and Saturn are 2° apart at 15hrs.

ASTEROIDS.

1 Ceres can be found on the Aqr/Cet border at mag 9.3

For More information on Asteroids Click Here.

JUPITER.

Jupiter moves further away from the Moon at each month’s conjunction. In May the two bodies lie 1.5° apart at 12:00 on the 16th. Look back at January and February when they were so close that Jupiter was actually occulted and look ahead to November and December when will be nearly 4° apart at their closest point.

Launched in October 1989, the Galileo Jupiter Probe entered orbit around the great planet on December 7th 1995. The Project Galileo Homepage will give you up-to-date information and the very latest images returned.

SATURN.

Saturn is starting to get entangled in the evening twilight but there is still time for a high magnification view through a telescope whilst binoculars will show the apparent relationship between Saturn,Jupiter, Venus and Mars as detailed above.

URANUS and NEPTUNE.

Sky chart: Path of Uranus in 2002

Uranus is starting to become favourable among the stars of Aquarius It shines at Mag 5.9

 Positions for the 1st May:

                          R.A.                   DEC                    TRANSIT TIME           MAG
                      22h:03m:16s           -12°:42':30"                   07h:39m             5.9

Sky chart: Path of Neptune in 2002

Bluish Neptune is in Capricornus at this time, less brighter than Uranus. Both should be seen in dark sky location with clear skies.

 Positions for the 1st May:

                          R.A.                   DEC                    TRANSIT TIME           MAG
                      20h:53m:31s           -17°:24':05"                   06h:29m           7.9

PLUTO.

Sky chart: Path of Pluto in 2002

Best time to look for the almost 14 mag planet is around New Moon. The dates below will be a guide for planning observations.

Positions for May are when pluto's elongation angle is greater than 90°.

DATE                      R.A.                   DEC                   TRANSIT TIME
May   1st              17h:08m:07s            -12°:44':04"                 02h:43m
May  11th              17h:07m:16s            -12°:42':01"                 02h:02m
May  21st              17h:06m:17s            -12°:40':19"                 01h:22m
May  31st              17h:05m:14s            -12°:39':05"                 00h:42m

On June 7th Pluto at 13.8 Mag reaches opposition in Ophiuchus. It can be found above and to the right of the 4th magnitude star eta Ophiuchi and below and to the left of zeta Ophiuchi.You will need an 8-inch or larger telescope and the best time to see Pluto is when the Moon is not around.
It is best seen between May 4th – May 19th.

METEORS.

May 5th Eta Aquarids (35 per hour) Fairly favourable.
May 13th ALPHA SCORPIIDS (5 per hour) Favourable.
May Meteors.

COMETS.

May 15th:Comet 7P (Pons-Winnecke) at Perihelion (1.258AU).
May 15th:Comet C/2001 T4 (NEAT) at Perihelion (8.568AU).

Plus these pages will give daily and weekly reports of this and other Comets progress.

OCCULTATIONS.

May 25th at 01h:31m Disappearance of mu Librae

The Midnight Sun from Norway, by Tony Williams

The Midnight Sun, taken by Tony Williams in Norway

The Liverpool Astronomical Society trip to the Leicester National Space Centre, Saturday 20th April 2002

You realise you’re in for a treat as you approach the National Space Centre building. An odd hi-tech shape with a rocket tower reaching 130 feet (42m) into the sky.

Two photographs may be missing from this entry. If you have access to these photographs please let us know so we can restore them to their rightful place!

The LAS space trek to a far distant part of the galaxy called Leicester National Space Centre took place on 20th April 2002.

Liverpool AS group at the National Space Centre in Leicester, Saturday April 20th 2002

It was early Saturday morning when the 49 seater coach, that had seen too many such missions, left the centre of the Universe otherwise known as City Centre, Liverpool, right on time to make it’s only scheduled payload pickup at the outpost known as Pex Hill. The remaining 18 LAS members met the coach at the gates to the Pex Hill road making up a full crew compliment of 31 plus the pilot – err coach driver – sorry!

Timed passed very quickly as members discussed telescope making, astronomical observing, astro-photogaphy, trips to NASA(!) and Society matters. Astronomy Now and Sky & Telescope magazines were very evident throughout the coach and I noticed one member taking the opportunity to revise his GCSE Spanish. What a hi-brow lot we are!

The quaint 15 year old Volvo had a certain harmony as it venomously ate up the 124 miles to Leicester arriving exactly as planned at 10:30am.

Chris Banks and I completed the admin at the NSC check-in desk. Chris dished out the tickets and I explained the logistics of the centre, return time, space theatre booking (1:20pm) and the various lunch options which varied from the cafe at the foot of the Blue Streak and Thor rockets to enjoying the warm weather outside.

We split into groups, wandering around the centre, working our way through all the amazing exhibits. What a treat, a whole day with colleagues, to indulge in our favourite pastime. So what of the exhibits themselves, well you will have to visit the centre yourself to fully enjoy them but here’s a brief rundown of what’s there;

Outside the entrance, the 2 rockets can be seen through the hi-tech tower material. As a point of interest the Blue Streak is actually on loan from Liverpool Museum.
Once in the entrance to the centre an old Soviet Soyus space capsule hangs above you. This was rescued from a courtyard in Georgia in 2000.
The centre is split into several theme areas
- Into space, which displays and explains the rigours of space travel from muscle wastage to the crammed conditions of a tin can in space. Did you see if you would be space sick? According to the NSC, there has been something in space made in Leicester since the mid-60’s!
- Exploring the Universe, took you through black holes, the creation of the universe, birth and death of stars and even making your own alien.
- The planets gave you a complete walk through our Solar System with moon rock and a working Martian rover (a model I believe as no one has been and brought the real one back yet!). Mixed with huge models of the planets, moon systems and asteroids.
- Orbiting Earth demonstrated what our artificial satellites do for us. From the GPS system that hi-tech telescopes use to those satellites giving us environmental monitoring and communications. Did you try the weather forecasting studio?
- Space Now had information about current & future space missions and models of probes such as Huygens. The big screen viewer showed various ‘space now’ images and short films. While we were there a demonstration on what a comet is made of and how it reacts with space proved very popular. Space Now was also the home to the NEO information centre. This was opened on the day. Info can be found at www.nearearthobjects.co.uk
- The Space Theatre planetarium held 160 people in suspense as we were whisked off to distant parts of the universe without leaving our reclined seats, all narrated by Richard Attenborough. The vehicle that took you around the universe in 25 minutes was the ‘Spitz ElectricSky video projection system’ – that plus other projectors delivered the whole experience. Many of the shows are created at the NSC.
- Last but not least is the rocket tower whereby viewing the rockets and other space vehicles can be observed and examined on the many different levels up to the very top of the rockets.
- When the exhibits have been completed, there is always the Cargo Bay shop with lots of goodies to spend your money on.

David & Pam Forshaw examine the Sun

Steve Southern at the National Space Centre, Saturday April 20th 2002

Steve Southern – a man with a mission!

Andrew and Steven MacCarken, and Chris Banks

Making a Comet

Finally, the day finished at 3:30pm when we departed on time to head back to Merseyside. A somewhat quieter return journey as our space heroes young and old rested after a very long day touring the Cosmos. The coach dropped off at Pex Hill at 5:45pm then made it’s final leg of the trip back to Liverpool city centre.

Steve Southern

Society News and Night Sky Notes – April 2002

Society News Headlines

April 1st – Transit of Jupiter across the Sun. Begins 05:54BST.
April 2nd – Zodiacal light observational period begins.
April 4th – Planned launch of STS-110 Space Shuttle Atlantis on ISS assembly flight 8A.
April 6th – Comet C/2002 B2 (Linear) at Perihelion (3.843AU).
April 6th – Neptune is 4° North of Moon.
April 7th – Mercury at Superior conjunction.
April 8th – Uranus 4 ° North of Moon.
April 10th – Comet C/2002 C2 (Linear) at Perihelion (3.254AU).
April 14th – Venus 3° North of Moon.
April 15th – Astronomy Week USA begins (ends April 21st).
April 16th – 30th Anniversary (1972) of the Apollo 16 launch. 5th Manned lunar landing.
April 16th – Lunar Occultation of Saturn begins 21:55 BST from Liverpool.
April 16th – Wilbur Wright born to-day in 1867.
April 17th – Vesta 0.7° South of Moon.
April 18th – Jupiter 1.6° South of Moon.
April 19th – LAS Monthly Meeting, 7pm Crypt Concert Room, RC Catherdral.
April 20th – Astronomy Day USA.(See above)
April 20th – Comet C/2002 B1 (Linear) at perihelion (2.271AU).
April 20th – Comet C/2002 A3 (Linear) at perihelion (5.147AU).
April 22nd – Lyrids meteor shower maximum.
April 23rd – Comet C/Utsunomiya (2002 F1) at perihelion (0.459AU).
April 27th – BAA Out of Town Meeting Cardiff University.
April 27th – The SPA April MeetingCockburn Theatre, St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington, London.
April 29th – Mars 6° North of Alderbaran.
April 29th – Comet C/2002 C1 (Ikeya-Zhang) closest approach to Earth (0.405AU) Morning Sky.
April 30th – Comet C/2002 SV74 (Linear) at perihelion (3.542AU).

THE NIGHT SKY DURING THE MONTH OF APRIL 2002

Will it be cloudy to-night?, ask the The U.K. Goverment Met Office Weather service.

The Night Sky as seen from Liverpool at any time, Click Here.

The Sun and Moon

All times are in BRITISH SUMMER TIME (BST). Times For Observer in Liverpool, Merseyside, England, U.K.

PLEASE NOTE CHANGE TO BST

Latitude 53 degs 24 mins North.
Longitude +3.0 degs West.

           Apr 1st     Apr 6th     11th      16th      21st      26th        May 1st
SUNRISE    06:47        06:35      06:23     06:11     06:00     05:48       05:49
SUNSET     19:47        19:56      20:05     20:14     20:23     20:32       20:41

PHASES OF THE MOON DURING APRIL 2002
NEW MOON on 12th at 20h:22m	FIRST QUARTER on 20th at 13h:49m	FULL MOON on 27th at 04h:01m	LAST QUARTER on 4th at 16h:30m

THE PLANETS THIS MONTH.

MERCURY.

Info Sheet: Mercury, Venus, Saturn and the Moon in the western evening sky during April and May 2002

Mercury starts off a very favourable evening apparition this month and it is worth making the effort to locate this swift-moving planet. From the 21st onwards look to the right of west about 10° above the horizon at the time of civil twilight, using THIS TABLE to help guide you. Evening apparitions always start off bright with the magnitude fading as the planet’s phase lessens. On April 16th Mercury is magnitude -1.4 but ny May 16th this has dropped to +2.7 with an almost full phase early on, shortening to 13% crescent phase at the end of the apparition. On April 29th/30th Mercury lies 1.5° south of the fine, wide open star cluster the Pleiades in Taurus.

VENUS.

Venus should by now be highly visible in the west, setting just on two hours after the Sun does. On the 14th the Moon passes 3.5° south of Venus at 19hr whilst on the 21st/22nd Venus passes 4° south of the Pleiades star cluster.

MARS.

Mars is starting to fade but is still hanging on in the western sky, setting two hours after the Sun. Watch over April and May as Mars and Venus start to move closer to each other, leading up to a close encounter early next month. Travelling through Taurus Mars passes 3.5° south of the Pleiades on the 14th, 4.5° north of delta Tauri on the 23rd, 3.5° north of epsilon Tauri on the 25th and also on the 25th to close 10′ north of kappa Tauri. On the 16th Mars is 3° north of the Moon.

ASTEROIDS.

3 Juno is at solar conjunction on April 28th.
4 Vesta remains in Taurus during the Month.

For More information on Asteroids Click Here.

JUPITER.

Jupiter is travelling through Gemini with the Moon lying in close attendance less than a degree south of the Moon on the 19th.

SATURN.

Saturn, can be found in Taurus, a good way to the right of Jupiter. On the 24th a view through a pair of binoculars will show Saturn passing 2° north of the star cluster NGC1647 but the highlight of Saturn’s year is an occultation by the Moon at 21:55 on the 16th. Like Jupiter’s occultations earlier this year Saturn will spend several tens of seconds gradually disappearing behind the Moon’s dark limb. Saturn reappears from behind the Moon’s bright limb at 22:25. If the sky is dark enough use a telescope to search for Saturn’s large satellite Titan to the right of the planet as this will be occulted at 21:53 therefore giving a couple of minutes warning of the approaching lunar disk.

Saturn’s Lunar Occultation on April 16th

Info Sheet: Lunar Occultation of Saturn, 20:45 on 16th April, 2002

Image ©SPA

Moon is 15% illuminated.

Titan Disappearance 21hr:53m:39sec BST
Saturn Disappearance 21hr:55m:02sec BST
Saturn Reappearance 22hr:25m:15sec BST (Bright Limb)

URANUS and NEPTUNE.

Uranus is slowly recovering from its February solar conjunction, and can be seen at Mag 5.9 in Aquarius.

 Positions for the 1st April

                          R.A.                   DEC                    TRANSIT TIME           MAG
                      21h:59m:02s           -13°:04':11"                   09h:33m             5.9

Like Uranus, Neptune is recovering from its solar conjunction in January and at mag 7.9 in Capricornus the approaching twilight will hinder chances of locating this outer planets.

 Positions for the 1st April

                          R.A.                   DEC                    TRANSIT TIME           MAG
                      20h:51m:44s           -17°:31'02"                   08h:25m             7.9

PLUTO.

Pluto can be found on the border of Ophiuchus at mag 13, below and to right of the 4th magnitude stars eta Ophiuchi, and below and to the left of zeta Ophiuchi.The best time to look for the planet is around New Moon. The dates below will be a guide for planning observations.

Positions for April are when pluto's elongation angle is greater than 90°.

DATE                      R.A.                   DEC                   TRANSIT TIME
April  1st             17h:09m:44s            -12°:51':24"                 04hr:42m
April 11th             17h:09m:23s            -12°:48':52"                 04hr:02m
April 21st             17h:08m:51s            -12°:46':23"                 03hr:22m

Pluto is best seen between April 4th – April 20th.

METEORS.

April 12th VIRGINIDS & alpha Virginids (6 per hour) Favourable
April 22nd/23rd APRIL LYRIDS (15? per hour) Fairly Favourable.
April 28th ALPHA SCORPIIDS (5 per hour) Unfavourable.

COMETS.

6th April Comet C/2002 B2 (Linear) at Perihelion (3.843AU).
10th April Comet C/2002 C2 (Linear) at Perihelion (3.254AU).
20th April Comet C/2002 B1 (Linear) at Perihelion (2.271AU).
21st April Comet C/2002 A3 (Linear) at Perihelion (5.147AU).
29th April Comet C/2002 C1 (Ikeya – Zhang) closest to Earth at 0.405AU).
30th April Comet C/2000 SV74 (Linear) at Perihelion (3.542AU).

Plus these pages will give daily and weekly reports of this and other Comets progress.

OCCULTATIONS.

April 21st at 02h:53m Disappearance of gamma Cancri.
April 16th at 21h:55m Disappearance of Planet Saturn. mag 0.3.
April 16th at 22h:25m Reappearance of Planet Satrun. (Bright Limb).

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