| A Few Things 11-03-99 Hello AIG membersJust a few quick items: (1) You'll be happy to know that we already have 49 AIG members! It is really wonderful to see how much interest the AIG has generated for the Friends Society. |
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| We ALL benefit from this of course, since new members are
keen to receive the BIG & Museum newsletters too, as well as take part in activities
other than astronomy. (2) Don't forget that this coming Friday is our first viewing opportunity of the month (7 PM, Marist Brothers College). If it's overcast, we will try again on Saturday. Unfortunately I have to be in JHB this weekend, but Raymond Field will be there, together with Astronomical Society members who will be operating the observatory telescope (which has new mirrors, by the way!). So, do go along and invite your friends. You are encouraged to take along deck chairs & refreshments for yourselves. Tomorrow evening Space Station Mir will be coming over Durban at 7:02 PM, moving from SW to NW to NE, about 40 degrees above the horizon (your fist held at arm's length covers about 10 degrees of sky). Even if you are not at Marist Brothers, why not go outside at look out for it - a big, bright shining light moving across the sky. (3) Last night we enjoyed a top-class presentation by Prof. Watkeys on the geology of Mars. What a fascinating planet Mars is! Did you know that most of its geological processes are still a mystery to us, even after two successful missions to its surface? All the more reason for us humans to go there ourselves I say! You may be interested in wonderful close-up images of Mars available off a local Web site: www.southafrica.co.za/mars/nav.html NB - PLEASE NOTE THAT THESE WEDNESDAY TALKS (AND REFRESHMENTS AFTERWARDS) ARE ARRANGED BY THE ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY. Although they don't mind AIG members attending a few times, they have asked us to please join the Astronomical Society if we intend going regularly (only R55 per year, and you will receive a detailed and really interesting monthly newsletter). Thanks. I'm sorry if I hadn't made this clear before. (4) Finally, I have attached a wonderful image of the largest volcano in the Solar System - Olympus Mons on Mars. It is 27 km high (three times the height of Mount Everest) and its diameter, from one foothill to another, is 550 km - the distance from Durban to JHB!! Who says the Age of Discovery is over?...........it's only just beginning! Have a great weekend! Regards Mario |