Editorial

We’re well into Winter now and a week or so of very unseasonal weather notwithstanding, the evenings are largely crisp and clear. A quick peek at the Jewel box and Omega Cen. amongst many others, confirm that the Winter Constellations really are worth dressing warmly to see. Our fellow Astronomers in the Northern Hemisphere really do not see the magnificence that we do here "down South".

Would you believe that 13 years after the event, a scientist working on the Voyager images of Uranus has discovered an 18^th moon orbiting the gas giant. It makes one wonder just what other discoveries await us within the megabytes of data collected and transmitted back to Earth by that venerable spacecraft.

Bill Wheaton has given us an update on three of NASA and JPL’s high interest missions, including some of the problems which beset such missions and how they have been overcome, and Wolf Lange has produced an interesting article on "The super-pilots who also navigate by sun, moon and stars!"…intrigued?…well read it to find out who or what he’s writing about.

We have scanned the Astronomical Press for bits ’n pieces of interesting Astronomical news…or should we say, that which we consider interesting…….we hope you are of the same opinion. Read these "headlines" under "Snipperts of Astronomical News".

Eben van Zyl has provided a thought provoking piece on Interstellar Travel, which contains some very pertinent bits of information that show just how far the habitable ( for us that is ) stars, are away from our solar system and some of the things that have to be taken into account when planning for such a long trip, and Danie has given us another interesting Variable of the Month that in his words "is not actually a star in the accepted sense of the word.". Included in his article is a "bonus" variable as well.

We would like you all to consider persons whom you feel would be appropriate for election to the ASSA Johannesburg Centre Committee. The AGM is just around the corner - remember the bring ’n braai on the 14^th of July…….well it's actually the AGM, the braai is just for socialising after the meeting. Please note that anyone nominated to serve on the committee must themselves be willing to be nominated for this office. The successful candidates will attend a monthly meeting at the Sir Herbert Baker Library, where the business of the society is conducted. This includes the state of our assets ( telescope and domes etc…) the library and planning for meetings ( speakers etc…) and outings ( Swinburne, Boyden etc…) during the year to come. These meetings usually run for about an hour and are held from about 17:45 on the Monday preceding our monthly ASSA Johannesburg Centre meeting.

We have received some good articles this month, but even so, the plea is always there for articles…..as far as we are concerned, the more the merrier.

The Editors

Chris chris@aqua.co.za,
Ray   raymondb@is.co.za
Lori   barbour@global.co.za