Offa’s Dyke Astronomical Society

ODAS meets on the last Thursday of each month in Chapel Lawn Village Hall at 7.30pm for talks, lectures and observational sessions

Visitors are always warmly welcomed

Notes for September 2007

At 10am on 23^rd September, the Sun crosses the celestial equator and day and night are of equal length anywhere on the world on this date.

the nights rapidly draw in during September. On 1^st, the Sun seta at 7.59pm but by 27^th, an hour earlier at 6.58pm.

The planets, at least Venus, Mars and Saturn are all to be seen during the early hours.

Venus on the morning of 9^th at around 5.30am - look in the South and you will see a thin crescent moon; Venus, a little to the right of the Moon and Saturn lower down to the left very close to Regalus, the brightest star of Leo. By the 25^th, Venus will be extremely bright shining at -4.6, a most beautiful sight.

Mars is moving through Taurus, rising at about 11pm on the 1^st and 10.20pm on the 25^th. Now slowly increasing in size and brightness. On the night of 16^th, Mars will be just above M1- the Crab Nebula; this is the remnant of a supernova that was seen in 1054 AD. So, if you have a telescope, this would be a good time to see the Crab Nebula M1 and Mars as well.

Jupiter can still be seen very low down in the south west after sunset. On 1^st it will set at 10.45pm and on 25^th by 9.33pm – so very little time to observe.

New Moon – Sept 11^th, 1st Quarter Sep 19^th

Full moon - Sept 26^th, last Quarter Oct 4^th

The next meeting of the Society will be on 4^th October at 7.30pm

For more details contact Graham Arnold, Chairman, on 01547 530205