ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE STARS AND ASTRONOMY IN SA

SKY GUIDE 2019 WILLEM ANKER Astronomical Society of Southern Africa and Struik Review: Karen Watkins

SOMEONE once told me there are more stars in the sky than grains of sand on earth. Mind boggling. I’ve never forgotten it. Get away into nature away from city lights and gaze up at the sky and you will see into the depths of infinity.

No wonder the Karoo was chosen as one of the sites for MeerKAT, a project of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA), a joint initiative between Australia and South Africa.

Where do we begin to learn about those billions of twinkly dots and shadows? What is going on up there? What is a star and what is a planet? What is the difference between a meteor and a meteorite, an asteroid and a comet. And what are dwarf planets? When is the next eclipse and what causes it?

A good way to begin is with this handy resource.

The guide is compiled by the Astronomical Society of Southern Africa and intended as a reference work for everyone with an interest in astronomy, from the casual skywatcher to professionals, from those with binoculars to others with telescopes. This is its 73rd year of publication.

The first half of this slim book is divided into four pages for each month with a calendar at the top and lunar phases highlighted. It also shows school terms, official holidays, interesting sky events and astronomical celebrations.

There are sunset and sunrise times, and moonrise and moonset, as well as lunar highlights and star charts. There is also a quick guide to the visibility of planets and stars, and a summary of occultations (there is a glossary at the back).

The second half of the book includes the story of astronomy in South Africa, sites of historical interest and fascinating astronomical trivia. Included are people behind the scenes, such as Abbé de La Caille, who compiled the first comprehensive catalogue of southern stars in Cape Town, published in 1763. And then there are historical events to commemorate during 2019, including astronomer Thomas Maclear, who died 140 years ago and is buried at the Royal Observatory, Cape.

There is a beacon on top of Table Mountain on the eastern end of the plateau at 1 086m above sea level, commemorating a triangulation station used in the calculation of the curvature of the earth.

The guide will show you where to go and how to observe the ever-changing sky. It also shows you how to pronounce star names such as Betelgeuse, Fomalhaut and Procyon. And there is a fascinating section on African star lore.

It is good to keep the guide next to your bed and dip into it monthly or more.

On Monday and Tuesday, March 22 and 23, you will find me watching the Lyrid meteor shower. These are also good nights to see Antares and the constellation of Scorpius, with its curvaceous tail.

Worthwhile and highly informative, an excellent resource to add to your reference books.