670315Planetary7a_p2

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Planetary Section, Bulletin No.7             -2-

                      DATA FOR THE 1967 APPARITION OF MARS
                                   0 hrs. U.T.
   Date      R.A.     Decl.     Diameter      Mag.      Central       Transit Time of
                                of Disk                Meridian       Central Meridian
March 15   14h 06m    -10°04'    12.8"        -0.6         41°           21h 50m
April  1   13  54       9.08     14.5         -1.0        249             7  34
April 21   13  26       7.07     15.6         -1.3         74            19  31
May    1   13  13       6.11     15.4         -1.2        346             0  54
May   15   12  59       5.29     14.4         -0.9        222             9  23
June   1   12  56       5.51     12.8         -0           68            19  58


SATURN

This planet was observed frequently by Section members from October through December 1966
While the rings of Saturn thinned from night to night, the effect was most inspiring as
it was realized that this thin thread of light at a distance of 800 million miles sub-
tended only 1/20th of a second of arc on the evening of October 26. The following 23
observers made detailed observations of the ring system during the closure period as
summarized below:

     Date         Observer      Centre     Aperture                Remarks
October 20,1966   M.Gerasimoff  Windsor    2.4" O.G.   Rings, bright, white, clear
        23        S.Brown	Montreal     4"        Steady
        23        D.Levy	  "          8" refl.  Steady
        23        M.Gerasimoff	Windsor    2.4" O.G.   Slight averted vision helped
        25        A.Ostrander	Toronto      6" refl.  Very faintly seen
        25        M.Gerasimoff	Windsor    2.4" O.G.   Seen occasionally, only averted
        26             "          "         "    "     Not visible
        26        A.Capper      Montreal    3¼" Ques.  Visible
        26        A.Ostrander   Toronto      6" refl.  Not visible
        26        D.FitzGerald    "          6" refl.  Not visible
        26             "          "          8" refl.  Visible
        26        R.V.Ramsay      "          8" refl.  Visible - very thin
        26        R.R.Thompson  Maple,Ont.   6" O.G.   Visible - easy
        26        I.Williamson	Montreal     6" O.G.   Visible
        26        S.Brown         "          6" O.G.   Visible
        26        L.Nikkinen      "          6" O.G.   Visible
        27        A.Capper        "         3½" Ques.  Very thin
        27        M.Kalbfleisch Toronto    12½" refl.  Doubtful
        27        R.Racine      Richmond    24" refl.  Not visible
                                Hill,Ont.
        28        Scheeline                  6" refl.  )
        28        R.Prezanent                6"	refl.  ) Traces
        28        D.Levy                     8"	refl.  )
        28        C.Papacosmas               6"	refl.  )

From 28 October to 17 December 1966, the non-illuminated face of the ring system could
be seen from earth. The possibility that reflected light from Saturn might illuminate
this side of the ring or that the rings were sufficiently transparent and thin to permit
some sunlight to filter through challenged sane members to attempt observations.
R.V. Ramsay and D.J.FitzGerald of Toronto both reported negative results on November 20
when the rings were tilted ¼° to their line of sight. R. Racine, using the David Dun-
lap 24" reflector, reported that he succeeded in detecting faint threads of the rings
during moments of good seeing.
                                           Archie L. Ostrander, National Co-ordinator,
                                           75 Rabbit Lane,
March 15, 1967.                            Islington, Ontario.