Space & Astronomy/Space and Astronomy (October 1993).iso/pc/text/spacedig/v10_3/v10_383.txt

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Subject: SPACE Digest V10 #383

SPACE Digest                                     Volume 10 : Issue 383

Today's Topics:
CRESCENT SIGHTING: THU 28 DEC 1989 - JUMMAH dul THANI, 6th ISLAMIC MONTH.
         Re: proposed "space-mail" incentive
           Re: Launching AUSSAT on Chinese rockets
           Re: Launching AUSSAT on Chinese rockets
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: 28 Dec 89 19:10:10 GMT
From: cunixc!cunixb.cc.columbia.edu![e-mail]  (Mohib N Durrani)
Subject: CRESCENT SIGHTING: THU 28 DEC 1989 - JUMMAH dul THANI, 6th ISLAMIC MONTH.

Standard Disclaimer: This info is independent of Columbia Univ.

                         Bismillah hir-Rahman nir-Rahim
   ( I begin with the name of ALLAH, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful )

          THE MUSLIM STUDENTS' ASSOCIATION (MSA) of COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY
            102 Earl Hall, Columbia University, NEW YORK, N.Y. 10027

          SUBJECT: CRESCENT MOON: FIRST VISIBILITY (every lunar month)
         **************************************************************

        NEXT CRESCENT (NEW) MOON, HILAL:  Thu 28 DEC 1989, evening  (*)

            for the 6th. Islamic Month of JUMA dul THANI, 1410 AH,
           the month starting - probably - on Fri 29 December, 1989,
                    for USA-CANADA and S.America.


           It is IMPOSSIBLE for the Crescent Moon to be visible
                 on evening of  Wed 27 Dec 1989, worldwide.


        See also postings in Soc.culture.african, ..arabic, ..turkish.

   (*)      Hilal (crescent) sightings would be in the evenings,
        at least 10 minutes after sunset, usually before 20 minutes,
   and upto 40 to 90 minutes after sunset; near and along the sun's path.


        We are conducting research/survey on the recorded WORLD-WIDE
          first sightings of the "CRESCENT MOON, FIRST VISIBILITY"
                  in the evenings, for every lunar month.
                    Some TECHNICAL INFO. is at the end.

                  PHOTOGRAPHS / SLIDES ARE MOST WELCOME
               since they are very helpful in the research.

              Please also pass on the request to your friends
               who are interested in astronomy/physics and to
                 your local amateur astronomy associations.

                  We would very much like to hear from you.
                Please respond either by email or by letter.

       The survey results are to enhance the present ATMOSPHERIC MODEL
          and fine tune some parameters regarding SCATTERING/VISION.


  When reporting actual Crescent-Hilal sightings, (even if you do not see it)
                        PLEASE INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:

HILAL was visible to naked eye?......... Hilal sighted in binoculars?.........
EXACT TIMES: Complete Sunset at......... Hilal First Visible....... End.......
HEIGHT-Degrees: Hilal highest........... Hilal lowest (faded/set).............
ORIENTATION: Ends of Hilal Curve:  Start at.......'O Clock:End at.....'O Clock
(Right is 3'O Clock:Bottom is 6'O Clock: Left is 9'O Clock:  Top is 12'O Clock)
WEATHER condition: Rel.Humidity......... Temperature..... Pressure............
Sky near western horizon: Clear?........ Hazy?........... Cloudy?.............
OBSERVER: Age.... Eyesight: Glasses?.... Far sighted?.... Near sighted?.......
Name....................... Date........ Location.............................

                                 Thanks.

        Email to:  [e-mail]  (Dr.Mohib.N.Durrani)

        Mail:      Dr.Mohib.N.Durrani
                   Islamic Amateur Astronomers Association
                   (Research Division)
                   601 West 113 Street, Suite 11-K
                   Columbia University
                   NEW YORK, N.Y. 10025
                   United States of America

 *****************************************************************************

        Some ORBITAL details for the SUN and MOON:

        Lunation No.: 829
        NEW MOON (not crescent visible moon):
        1989 December 28d 03h 20m UT (Universal Time), Thursday.
       (Universal Time, i.e. mean solar time on the meridian of Greenwich)

           EQUATORIAL coords.(0h UT)       ECLIPTIC coords.(for 0h UT)
   Date    Sun    Sun     MOON   MOON      Sun      MOON   MOON      MOON
   DEC     R.A.   Decl.   R.A.   Decl.     Long.    Long.  Lat.      true Elong
   '89     Alpha  Delta   Alpha  Delta     Lambda   Lambda Beta      from Sun
           hr     deg     hr     deg       deg      deg    deg       deg

  *28 Th   18.46 -23.23   18.35 -26.83    276.37   274.75 -3.48      W  4
   29 Fr   18.54 -23.20   19.28 -24.84    277.39   287.44 -2.56      E 10
   30 Sa   18.61 -23.17   20.19 -21.53    278.41   300.33 -1.49      E 22

 *****************************************************************************

    1989 DECEMBER 28 (Thu) evening         Event times are approximate
    1410 JUMA dul'THANI(6th Islamic Month) Civil - clock - Standard times
      (nearest)    (+N,-S) (W)     SUN     MOON   At-Sunset  Unaided-Eye
        CITY          LAT  LONG    SET     SET    AGE-MOON   SIGHTING
      *************   deg  deg     h  m    h  m     h  m    **********

        MAKKAH-S.Arab  20  320    17 50   18 07    11 30    DIFFICULT
        MOSCOW - USSR  56  320    15 52   15 37    09 32    IMPOSSIBLE
        CAIRO - Egypt  30  330    17 09   17 23    11 49    DIFFICULT
        ISTANBUL-Turk  40  330    16 42   16 51    11 22    IMPOSSIBLE
        CAPETOWN-S.Af -35  340    18 56   19 32    14 36    DIFFICULT
        LAGOS-Nigeria  10  355    17 28   17 54    14 08    DIFFICULT

      % GREENWICH-Engl 50    0    16 05   16 09    12 45    IMPOSSIBLE

        DAKAR-Senegal  10   20    18 08   18 38    15 48    PROBABLE
        RIO DeJENEIRO -20   45    18 42   19 22    18 22    PROBABLE
        PARAMARIBO-Suri 0   55    17 45   18 23    18 25    PROBABLE
        BUNOS ARESarg -35   60    19 16   20 02    19 56    PROBABLE
        LIMA-Peru S.A -10   80    18 43   19 26    20 23    MOST PROBABLE

    (#) = May be visible on Previous Evening, with Difficulty.

      % (add 1 hr to event time, during summer DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME,
             from nearly early April to nearly end of October)


 *****************************************************************************

    1989 DECEMBER 28 (Thu) evening         Event times are approximate
    1410 JUMA dul'THANI(6th Islamic Month) Civil - clock - Standard times
      (nearest)    (+N,-S) (W)     SUN     MOON   At-Sunset  Unaided-Eye
        CITY          LAT  LONG    SET     SET    AGE-MOON   SIGHTING
      *************   deg  deg     h  m    h  m     h  m    **********

      % HALIFAX -CNDA  44   65    16 49   17 12    17 29    DIFFICULT
      % NEW YORK -USA  40   75    16 42   17 10    18 22    PROBABLE
      % JACKSONVIL-Fl  30   80    17 29   18 02    19 09    PROBABLE
      % SAN DIEGO-USA  35  115    16 36   17 12    21 16    MOST PROBABLE
      % SAN FRANCISCO  40  120    16 42   17 18    21 22    PROBABLE
      % VANCOUVER-CND  50  125    16 25   16 55    21 05    DIFFICULT

      % ANCHORAGE-Als  62  150    14 38   14 45    21 18    IMPOSSIBLE
      % HONOLULU -Hwi  20  160    17 10   17 59    24 50    MOST PROBABLE

    (#) = May be visible on Previous Evening, with Difficulty.

      % (add 1 hr to event time, during summer DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME,
            from nearly early April to nearly end of October)

        When the CRESCENT is visible - in the evening - anywhere from
   Halifax, New York, Jacksonville, San Diego, San Francisco, to Vancouver,
          then in the USA-CANADA the next Islamic month will start.


               (INCREASE   date one day, if crossing   EAST TO WEST)
  ######################    INTERNATIONAL DATE LINE    ######################
               (DECREASE   date one day, if crossing   WEST TO EAST)


    1989 DECEMBER 28 (Thu) evening         Event times are approximate
    1410 JUMA dul'THANI(6th Islamic Month) Civil - clock - Standard times
      (nearest)    (+N,-S) (W)     SUN     MOON   At-Sunset  Unaided-Eye
        CITY          LAT  LONG    SET     SET    AGE-MOON   SIGHTING
      *************   deg  deg     h  m    h  m     h  m    **********

        SYDNEY-Austra -35  210    19 16   19 35    05 56    IMPOSSIBLE
        TOKYO - Japan  35  220    16 36   16 30    04 16    IMPOSSIBLE
        PEKING -China  40  245    17 02   16 56    05 42    IMPOSSIBLE
        JAKARTA-Indon -10  250    18 03   18 19    07 43    IMPOSSIBLE
        DHAKA -B.Desh  20  270    17 30   17 39    08 10    IMPOSSIBLE
        AGRA  - India  30  280    16 49   16 55    08 29    IMPOSSIBLE
        PESHAWAR -Pak  35  290    17 16   17 21    08 56    IMPOSSIBLE
        BUKHARA -USSR  40  295    16 22   16 25    09 02    IMPOSSIBLE
        TEHRAN - Iran  35  310    16 36   16 45    10 16    IMPOSSIBLE


 *****************************************************************************
    Please note that the Islamic dates start from Sundown of a previous day.
 *****************************************************************************

  ISLAMIC GREGORIAN  MOON - MOON - MOON - MOON - MOON        Sun - EARTH
   YEAR     YEAR    NEW MOON   MOON-PERIGEE MOON-APOGEE
   MONTHS   LUNA. (NOT visible)  (nearest)  (farthest)
             NO.  (All times are in UT = Universal Time)
   1410     1989       d  h  m        d  h        d  h         d  h

  1 MUHARAM  824  AUG  1 16 06   JUL 23 07   AUG  7 15
  2 SAFR     825  AUG 31 05 44   AUG 19 12   SEP  4 08    SEP 23 01 Equinox
  3 RABI-I   826  SEP 29 21 47   SEP 16 15   OCT  1 20
  4 RABI-II  827  OCT 29 15 27   OCT 15 01   OCT 28 22
  5 JUMA-I   828  NOV 28 09 41   NOV 12 13   NOV 25 04
* 6 JUMA-II  829  DEC 28 03 20   DEC 10 23   DEC 22 19    DEC 21 21 Solstice

 *****************************************************************************

    Perihelion = Earth Closest to Sun      (Sun moving FASTEST in sky: Jan  1)
    Equinox    = Earth has Equal Daylight and Darkness      (Mar 20 & Sept 22)
    Solstice   = Sun   apparantly Stationary in Declination
                      (Maximum of Summer: June 21  OR  Min. of Winter: Dec 21)
    Aphelion   = Earth Farthest from Sun   (Sun moving SLOWEST in sky: Jul  4)

    Perigee    = Moon  Closest  to   Earth (Moon moving FASTEST in sky)
    Apogee     = Moon  Farthest from Earth (Moon moving SLOWEST in sky)

 ****************************************************************************
 ****************************************************************************

      APPROXIMATIONS TO DIRECTION OF KA'BA (MAKKAH Saudi Arabia)

    In most places of the UNITED STATES of AMERICA, an APPROXIMATION
    to the direction of KA'BA, to determine the DIRECTION OF SALAT
    (PRAYERS), can be obtained by noting the direction of your SHADOW
    near the time of SUNSET.  The direction in which your shadow goes
    is usually a little north of east DURING WINTER.  This is the
    direction in which salat can be performed, as an approximation.
    This direction of the shadow changes during the different months
    of the year but is a good approximation when there is no magnetic
    compass to determine the exact direction.  During summer, the
    shadow goes south of east and hence we would have to turn further
    north from the shadow, i.e. further to the left of the evening shadow.
    For locations in the West of America the direction is even further
    North from the shadow, i.e. even further to the left of the shadow.
    Technical details will be posted shortly, inshallah (God Willing).

 ****************************************************************************

    Copyright  Dr.M.N.Durrani, 1989
    Permission to copy for free distribution is granted to all,
    please do give credit and reference. Thanks

     For further information, please feel free to contact:

        Mail:      Dr.Mohib.N.Durrani
                   Islamic Amateur Astronomers Association
                   (Research Division)
                   601 West 113 Street, Suite 11-K
                   Columbia University
                   NEW YORK, N.Y. 10025
                   United States of America

        Email to:  [e-mail] (Mohib.N.Durrani)


 ***************************** End of Document ******************************
 ------------ >>>>>>>>>>>>>                                           )
  Look For The CRESCENT MOON ( HILAL ),                                   )
   It Is One Of THE MOST BEAUTIFUL OF CREATIONS;                      ))
    Then Offer An INTENSE PRAYER To The ONE CREATOR,                 ))
     All Sincere DEVOTIONS Are Surely ACCEPTED.                    ))
      ----------- >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>                      )

        Next New Moons  (Not visible):
         (ONLY CRESCENTS ARE VISIBLE)
          1989 Dec 28d 03h 20m    UT
           1990 Jan 26d 19h 20m  UT
            1990 Feb 25d 08h 54mUT

------------------------------

Date: 29 Dec 89 02:52:20 GMT
From: cs.utexas.edu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!helios.physics.utoronto.ca!ists!yunexus!utzoo![e-mail]  (Henry Spencer)
Subject: Re: proposed "space-mail" incentive

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Jim Bowery) writes:
>Save your breath, Steve.  Henry and Kieran are just making noises.
>HR2674 is the correct solution.

"If this is the answer, what's the question?" :-)  HR2674 is one very
small step in the right direction.  A "solution" it's not.  It would help.

>By the way, I've noticed a marked decline in Henry's critical
>thinking skills since Kieran showed up on the net with his nauseating
>sophistry.  Too bad for Henry.

Actually, Kieran has been around for years, although he hasn't posted
often until recently.  Any decline in my critical thinking skills is
entirely coincidental. :-)  If one is looking for a correlation for
this supposed decline, the arrival on the net of one J. Bowery would
match much better... :-)

One thing there *has* been somewhat of a decline in is my willingness
to follow a debate to the bitter end.  This is simply a consequence of
a busier life plus a relatively short expiry time on news.  There are one
or two old topics I do intend to follow up on at length when I find time.
--
1972: Saturn V #15 flight-ready|     Henry Spencer at U of Toronto Zoology
1989: birds nesting in engines | uunet!attcan!utzoo!henry [e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: 29 Dec 89 21:26:47 GMT
From: cs.utexas.edu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!utgpu!utzoo![e-mail]  (Henry Spencer)
Subject: Re: Launching AUSSAT on Chinese rockets

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Tom Neff) writes:
>Anthony's primary argument is MORAL, and convincing.  These are the
>butchers of Tiananmen Square.  We should not be doing business with
>them...

Ah well.  That decides it.  We can't do business with the butchers of
Tiananmen Square (death toll, several hundred as I recall).  We'll just
have to go back to doing business with the butchers of Afghanistan
(death toll, over a million and counting).
--
1972: Saturn V #15 flight-ready|     Henry Spencer at U of Toronto Zoology
1989: birds nesting in engines | uunet!attcan!utzoo!henry [e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: 30 Dec 89 01:56:21 GMT
From: bfmny0![e-mail]  (Tom Neff)
Subject: Re: Launching AUSSAT on Chinese rockets

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Henry Spencer) writes:
>Ah well.  That decides it.  We can't do business with the butchers of
>Tiananmen Square (death toll, several hundred as I recall).  We'll just
>have to go back to doing business with the butchers of Afghanistan
>(death toll, over a million and counting).

Henry has looked better than this!  When Afghanistan was invaded we
*did* embargo trade.  With the accession of Mr Gorbachev things have
been unfrozen; the USSR has publicly and formally apologized for
Afghanistan in the last months.  (The legacy remains, but such is
life.)  By contrast, the butchers of Tiananmen Square are SMUG about
their atrocious response to 1989's wave of democracy.  They flaunt their
dictatorly arrogance and cynically count on the West's selfish sense of
economic expediency to rescue them from hard consequences.  Rewarding
such horrendous thuggery with hard currency and launch contracts is nothing
less than the old, infamous folly of APPEASEMENT.  Neville Bush!

Let us get things into perspective.  Nobody NEEDS Long March, except
China's fledgling technocrats, who would like a profit center and
international respect despite their regime's bloody hands.  The rest of
the world can get along without this launcher's limited manifest
perfectly well.  If China were on good behavior Long March would be an
interesting new source of competition, worthy of encouragement by all
sides including the US.  But China is NOT on good behavior -- it is an
outlaw state, which defies the world to hold it accountable for its
murderous oppression.  We cannot in good conscience throw it a bone
while it remains at war with its own people.

I know my Canadian friend means to affect a properly evenhanded
skepticism in this matter, but it falls flat.

I apologize to the net for the non-technical nature of this posting,
but it still beats the Face On Mars. :-)

--
To have a horror of the bourgeois   (\(    Tom Neff
is bourgeois. -- Jules Renard        )\)   [e-mail]

------------------------------

End of SPACE Digest V10 #383
*******************