International Union of Amateur Astronomers
I. U. A. A.

COMMUNICATIONS

THE NEWSLETTER OF THE UNION

LA CIRCULAIRE DE L'UNION

n. 17, April 1999

From the President of the European Section

Dear friends of the IUAA,

This year we celebrate the tenth anniversary of the formation of IUAA's European Section. It was a beautiful sunday morning that 4 June 1989, a day with a clear sky and pienty of sunshine, when we assembled to form our Section in the marvellous city of Locarno, Switzerland. Locarno, which is called the Citv of Peace" and the "City of the Sun". *

We celebrate this cheerful event together with the third General Assembly of our Section, and together with the IUAA's tenth global Assembly, at Bucharest, Romania, on the occasion of the total solar eclipse on 11 August 1999.

During these ten years, our Section has matured and has published a notable number of 17 COMMUNICATIONS, including the present one, as well as 2 PROCEEDINGS, focussing not only on the more important European countries as France, Italy, England and Germany, but addressing also several countries in eastern Europe, as Austria, Slovakia, Poland, Romania and others, where we have aroused a notable interest.

We have chosen Bucharest for our event and for the observing of the eclipse because it is there, and in addition in the proximity of this town, that the maximum duration of this eclipse occurs, namely 2 minutes and 23 seconds. The sun will be high in the sky, 59 degrees over the horizon, and the eclipse will take place at a very favourable time around 14h 07m local time. And the weather prospects, based on the last 10 years, are reasonably well. The probability to see the eclipse is estimated to be about 65%.

Having observed several total eclipses in Africa, Asia and even in Siberia in the eighties, and also the eclipse of February 1961 in Europe, i highly recommend our amateurs not to focus too much on instrumentation, as this eclipse is rather short and time is running fast! instead of gazing at the sun through the ocular of a telescope or a camera, observe with the naked eye and enjoy the unforgettable emotion! Observe intensively the solar corona, how fast it turns up, look for the purple red chromosphere with its protuberances. Look for the pianets Venus - to the east of the sun - and Mercury - to the west - both near to the sun. Try to find the stars Regulus, Procyon, Castor and Pollux, Capella, perhaps Sirius low in the south-west and Betelgeuze. Have a look at the multicoloured horizon, as its aspect changes in very short time from dusk to dawn, and at the rapid advance of the moon's shadow on the ground. Don't forget to look for the elusive shadow bands, caused by the jagged profile of the moon, some 10 seconds before and after the totality.

3 During the progress of the eclipse, the air temperature varies, and with this the humidity too, so it will be interesting in the partial phases to sense these variations. Maybe you note the famous but weak solar wind. An unforgettable experience is also to observe the animal world during the eclipse, in particular the birds. When i was observing the solar eclipse in Africa, in proximity of the equator and in full savannah, I saw, already several minutes before totality, a general nervousity of the animals. They became silent and began suddenly to run around, looking for a convenient shelter.

Please take note that we are welcomed in Bucharest by the Astronomical Institute of the Romanian Academy and are located at the Faculty of Physics. The latter is situated at the outskirts and south of the City. We are very thankful to professor Erika Suhay and professor Mircea Rusu for the organisation of our Assembly. We wilI be lodged at the Hotel Magurele lying just outside the entry of the Faculty Campus, and we will take our meals in the Cantina of the Faculty. In this manner, we are looking forward to a very comfortable and agreeable meeting.

Closing these brief considerations, let me remember the late Cav. Franco Marchesini of Bologna. He was one of the principal promoters of an European Section within the IUAA, and his indefatigable effort finally led to the constitution of our Section in Locarno. In addition i transmit my special thanks to two people within the Section, for their incessant effort in favour of its well-being. They gave an invaluable help in the publication of the COMMUNICATIONS and the PROCEEDINGS. These thanks go to Mr. Andreas Tarnutzer (treasurer) of Luzern, and prof. Achille Leani (vice president) of Cremona. The latter arranged a notable financial help for the printing of our publications.

Prof. Rinaldo Roggero, president of IUAA's European Section.

* Conference of Locarno: 5 to 16 October 1925 between the leading countries of Europe and Ieading to the "Pact of the Peace".

In Locarno there are in the average about 240 cloudless days, 60 clear days without ram and about 60 overcast days with possibility of precipitations.

IMPORTANT - IMPORTANT - IMPORTANT

As you may see in the minutes of last Committee meeting, the duration of our Congress at Bucharest has been reduced and takes place from 1999 August 10 to 12. See page 10 of this COMMUNICATIONS. Accordingly, the cost have been lowered too.

We hope these measures will render the Congress even more attractive. As there are still vacancies for hotel room and for the Congress, you have the possibility to participate at this interesting event even if you did not book yet. But book please without delay, as your registration will be considered in the order of arrival.

We enclose in this COMMUNICATIONS a new revised Booking Form. Please note the new deadime for booking, which 5 set for 31 May 1999.

We would welcome some more papers from the participants!

GENERAL ASSEMBLIES

Agenda of the Business Session

1. Welcome words by the Presidents

2. Eiect the vote counters

3. Approve the Minutes of the General Assembly 21 June 1996 in Lucerne, Switzerland

4. Accept the President's and the Treasurer's report. Accept the Auditor's report. Exonerate the Executive Committee

5. Accept the Budget 199912001. Decide on the membership fees for this period

6. Eiect the Presidents, First and Second Vice-Presidents, Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Treasurer and Editor

7. Eiect the Auditors

8. Vote on election of any candidates for Honorary Membership

9. Consider any resolution proposed by the Executive Committee and any items from members

10. Propositions for date and place of the General Assembly 2001

11. Miscellaneous

Please take note that items from members for inclusion on the Agenda of the General Assembly (i.e. item 9 above) must be submitted to the Secretary at least three months before the start of the General Assembly (i.e. before 12 May 1999)

INTERNATIONAL UNION OF AMATEUR ASTRONOMERS EUROPEAN SECTION

COMMITTEE MEETING AT LOCARNO ON 16 JANUARY 1999

Condensed version of minutes

Attending:

Prof. Dr. Rinaldo Roggero, President - Prof. Achille Leani, Vice President - Andreas Tarnutzer, Treasurer

Excused:

Mrs. Trudy Mùller, Secretary - Mrs. Christine Sheldon, Editor - Henryk Brancewicz, Vice President - Wilhelm Knùlle, Councillor - Mariàn Lorenc, Councillor - René Verseau, Councillor

1 - MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF 9 MAY 1998 AT LOCARNO

Acceptance of the minutes

2 - FINANCIAL REPORT OF THE TREASURER

The treasurer presents the actual statement. Few paying members resulting in a low in funds. The heaviest expenditures arose from the printing of 2 PROCEEDINGS - due to the delay of the one of the previous period - and the mailing of PROCEEDINGS and COMMUNICATIONS.

The main reason for the loss of the assets are the membership fees in vigour during this period, which have been flxed much too low at the General Assembly 1996, lower even then these effective in the former period. As an absolute minimum, the Executive Committee proposes to the General Assembly the following fees for the next 3 - year period:

These fees are based on the assumption the printing of COMMUNICATIONS is provided at no cost by prof. Leani. As before, the officers are willing to pay by themselves some expenses, as phone and fax calls, postal taxes, displacements etc.

3 - GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1999

A long discussion arose about the duration of the Congress in Bucharest, which was considered too long by the majority of the officers present. The following skeleton programme was finally adopted:

Tuesday 10 August 9 to 10 Paper session - Afternoon excursion.

Wednesday 11 August Observation of the eclipse

Thursday 12 August 9 to 12 Paper session - Afternoon General Assemblies - Evening: Farewell dinner

Committee meetings at the evenings

As the Congress has been shontened, the Congress fees too are reduced to:

Seniors USD 30

Juniors USD 20

Singleday USD 10/7 (Senior/Junior)

Non-refundable deposit USD 30 Special rates will be fixed for Romanian people by prof. Erika Suhay according to her necessities, payable in Lei.

The deadime for inscription ha been postponed to end of May.

Prof. Leani tries to arrange a Coach for Italian and adjoining people, departing from Milano Sunday 8 August 1999 and arriving at Bucharest on Monday 9 evening. This Coach could be at the disposition of participants during their stay and will return Friday 13 morning.

These measures should render the Congress more attractive.

4 - COMMUNICATIONS No. 17

Will be mailed as soon as possible, even before the official date, due to the modiflcations of the Congress. A revised Booking Form will be included.

5 - NEXT MEETING, DATE AND PLACE

30 April 1999, at Locarno, Switzerland

6 - ANY OTHER BUSINESS

Have resigned their charges, effective on the General Assembly 1999: Mrs. Trudy Moiler, Secretary, and Mr. Andreas Tarnutzer, Treasurer.

SETI - Search for ExtraTerrestrial Intelligence

The probability that we are alone, the sole sentient species in this immense universe, is just too minuscule to contemplate. Every credible cosmological study of the past thirty years has pointed to the likely existence of countless intelligent species scattered throughout the cosmos. And because our star is young on a cosmic scale, we are the newcomers. They've been out there for billions of years. They certainly are calling us and others, very likely using some form of electromagnetic communication. lt Is cheap, quick, and universally avail-able. Photons are the fastest spaceships. NASA has funded a SETI search, but in 1993, after nine years, the US Congress slashed the funding. Since then, SETI is continuing on a private basis by professionals and amateurs. There are two groups involved in this domain:

The SETI League, Inc.

This group launched 1996 the Project Argus All Sky Survey, beginning with 5 small radiotelescopes. They hope to grow to 5000, scanning the entire sky for the telltale microwave signatures of alien civilizations from 1420 to 1660 MHz. Participants are free however to pursue whatever strategy they find most appealing. Any antenna, small ones or big dishes may be used. SETI League provides kits, plans, software and Coordination. A demonstration station is fully documented in a Technical Manual. The SETI League, Inc., is a membership supported, non-profit scientific and educational corporation. Fulì membership fee is USD 50 I year. More information at: SETI League, Inc., 433 Liberty Street, P.O. Box 555, Little Ferry, NJ 07643, USA, or by

e-mail: info@setileague.org

Web: http://www.setileague.org/

THE PLANETARY SOCIETY

This society is primarily interested in and supporting meaningful projects to advance the cause of planetary exploration. Among these, the Project BETA searches the sky on a quarter of a billion radio frequencies simultaneously for possible signals from other civilizations. They also operate Project META Il outside Buenos Aires, Argentina, covering the skies of the Southern Hemisphere. And there is Project SERENDIP at the giant Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico. Membership fee 5 USD 40 I year. Members will receive the bimonthly magazine The Planetary Report. More information at The Planetary Society, 65 N. Catalina Ave., Pasadena, CA 91106-2301, USA.

Website: http// www.planetary.org

Book Review

Harrington, Philip 5.: ECLIPSE! The what, Where, When, why & How. Guide to Watching Solar & Lunar Eclipses. John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, 1997. 280 pages GBP (£) 11.99, USD 14.95. ISBN 0~71-12795-7 paperback.

Observing lunar and solar eclipses is a fascinating enterprise and has many aspects. This book is a comprehensive guide for all activities related to these eclipses, from simple naked eye observations to costly travels to exotic observing sites. lt is written in a sympathetic, direct and easy to read language. The author first explains how an eclipse works, then he considers the different types of solar eclipses, i.e. total, partial, annular and the rare annular-total ones, the shadow contacts and the Saros cycles. He shows what to 100k for and what equipment may be used. Special emphasis Is given for "safety first", a vita consideration in solar observations. Simple observations may be made with pinholes or pseudo pinholes, as inter-twining branches of trees, or by projection with telescopes or binoculars. The observation of the elusive shadow bands Is treated too. Lunar eclipses, penumbral, partial and total ones, are next discussed. Here, a thankful scope for amateur observations is the determination of the eclipsed moon's luminosity by the Danjon or Fischer scales, or by comparing the brilliance of the reflected moon on a Christmas-tree ornament with a star, or by looking through a pair of binocular backward. A table gives for the latter solution the correction factor for the magnitude. Timing of contacts and craters are explained in detail. Eclipse photography in all its aspects and the use of video and CCD cameras Is treated thoroughly. Planning the observation is discussed in a separate chapter of the book. Specific advice is given not to overload the programme, a pitfall for many amateurs (including the reviewer...). The second half of the book contains detailed maps and circumstances of all eclipses, solar and lunar, from 1998 to 2017: Coordinates of the centre line, times of penumbral and umbral contacts, and weather prospects. Several appendices indicate equipment suppliers, bibliography, societies, solar eclipse tour companies and a request form for the extensive NASA solar eclipse bulletins (which are edited by Fred Espenak). This Is really a compendium for all eclipse chasers, from beginners to advanced amateurs. lt may also highly be recommended to teachers and to amateur clubs for their observation sessions of eclipses.

A. Tarnutzer

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