CIAS Newsletter Feb 2015

The next meeting of the Cayman Islands Astronomical Society will be on Friday 20^th February at St Pedros Castle, starting at 7:00 PM

All are welcome. On arrival please dip headlights. In the event of more than 50 percent cloudy cover the meeting will be cancelled. If in doubt ring 925 7657 (no text messages please. Please confirm if you are coming so I can anticipate numbers and the appropriate scope(s) to bring

We have a busy month ahead – I have another evening session on the following evening at the Marriot on Saturday 21^st – if any member would like to help please let me know,

On February 28^th – the following Saturday we will be down Astronomical Avenue at the “Red Sky At Night Festival” . Again volunteers are needed to help out and hopefully raise some money. If you are not aware of this event it is surely one of my favorites in Cayman each year. I liken it to Caymans “Glastonbury Festival”. We have a limited number of tickets for helpers. Typically over the past two years we have had hundreds of visitors over the course of the evening see http://www.artscayman.org/cayfest for more details.

Next month has the UCCI STEM Conference “The next Big Thing” 17th -20^th March . There are some great speakers this year- the keynote speaker is Dr Hakeem Oluseyi – see next newsletter for more details but heres the schedule. http://stem.ky/prog/schedule.shtml

Finally before we get down to viewing – its now February and we are looking for renewal of membership fees please. Some people have paid up and some escaped in the dark from last month’s meeting! Subscriptions can be renewed either at the next Public meeting or by dropping them off at Kirks Stationary to Myriam Madaigan – cash or a cheque made out to the CIAS. Alternatively you can post the cheque to me Chris Cooke PO Box 1601 GT KY1 1110
The next new Moon is called apparently a Black Moon. Ive not heard of this one before but as you know we are in an interesting sequence of lunar and solar eclipses at the moment.  The slightly worrying name seems to describe one of three possible events – in this case the 3^rd Super moon of the season. We might have some slightly higher tides than normal but nothing of the occult to  write home about – unless you are Black Sabbeth of course- ( I believe Black Moon is a track from one  of their earlier albums)
We are in for a real treat at the meeting on Friday – the 2 day old Moon will be very close to Venus and Mars – a real nice line up – get those binoculars out! And on Saturday Venus and Mars pass within ½ degree of each other – the closest since Sept 2008 . The planet Uranus is close by too . Although at magnitude 6 it will be found 1 degree to the Moons west (bright) side
Jupiter on Sunday 22^nd reaches opposition (peak visibility) at magnitude -2.5  and will be a great an easy target in the evening sky. That leaves Saturn (in Scorpius) and Mercury (low in the East) now in the early morning sky Clear Skies everyone

Chris

Tel 925 7657 –cpcooke@aol.com

The following chart is from Chris Peats excellent site “Heavens Above” is for Saturday 21^st at  8 PM