Editorial

How many of you managed to visit ScopeX 2002? For those of you who didn't make it, you really missed out on an excellent outing followed by a very good Star Party. The weather was on our side for once and our members and those visitors who chose to brave the cold were rewarded by some interesting views of the Major Planets which were clustered together a little above the horizon just after sunset. Also of wide interest were objects such as Alpha and Omega Centauri and the Jewel Box, as well as the various components of the Southern Cross etc…

Eben van Zyl has submitted another article on the genius of Kepler and how he deduced the mathematical relationship between the times of revolution of, and the average relative distances of the Planets from the Sun, and Dave Gordon has given us some feedback on the opening of the Blue Hills observatory as well as some initial feedback on ScopeX.

Brian Fraser gives us some pointers to a few heavenly happenings for the next 2 months, including a table of the rising and setting of the Sun and the 5 "original" planets. Remember, if you need the tables for the Sun, Moon and Planets - just dive into the website to pick up data covering the whole year. Chris Stewart and Lerika Cross have submitted a thank-you message after the success of ScopeX.

Interesting…NASA is going to attempt to resurrect the dormant NEAR/Shoemaker spacecraft which soft-landed on the surface of the asteroid Eros - here's wishing them success in the venture.

ECLIPSE chasers - remember we have a solar eclipse on 4^th December. If you would like to be there, contact a committee member, or Brian Fraser for further details on how to get to the area of interest.

Some more sad new for ASSA members. Bob Stobie passed away during May and we've included a short note that Cliff Turk sent out to members.

The Editor - chris@penberthy.co.za

 The 2001/2 Committee of the Johannesburg Centre