“16 Tee Revoe— Wee, Mach, 1988
April: last month
_ to see Jupiter

ag L am sure that most of you will have
noticed Venus and Jupiter in the western
sky during clear March evenings. At the
beginning of the month the two planets
were close together with Jupiter slightly
higher in the sky. Now Venus is much
higher and the separation between the
planets is quite large. In a break in the
clouds on March 21, I made this drawing
of their positions and that of the waxing
crescent moon.

i a
by Allen Wooton

Nad vores crescent moon

@ Vanus

~ You will notice that the planets and the Moon are all more or less
_ ina line. This is because the solar system is fairly flat so that all the
planets appear only in a band across the sky — the same band in
which the Sun is found at different times of the year. This band is
also the area where the zodiac constellations are found. As a result,

the Sun, Moon, and planets all move about amongst these par-

ticular constellations. Venus will be located in the constellation
Taurus during April, for example.

Since the solar system is nearly flat, it can easily be represented on
a piece of paper. That was the basis for the diagram I included in
March’s Astronomy Calendar. This month I have included a section
of this same diagram. This section shows the Sun and the movernent
of Earth and Venus during April. It is drawn as you would see the
motion if you were looking down on the solar system from the
north.

VENUS

Position of Venus at
s Greatest Easterly Elongation
April 3

_ As you-can see f
Earth, the Sun, and Venus is very large now. As a matter of fact it is
at its greatest separation (a point called the greatest easterly elonga-
tion) of 46 degrees on April 3. This means that when the Sun sets
Venus will be high above the western horizon — about 40 degrees
up. This large separation makes for good observation of Venus, and
though the separation will decrease as time goes on, the planet will
be an interesting object all month.. .

I encourage you to look at Venus with binoculars. When you do
this you can see that Venus shows phase changes just as the Moon
does. When Venus is on the far side of the Sun compared to us you
see an almost full Venus. At greatest elongation you will se that
about half of Venus appears lighted, and as Venus and Earth con-
tinue in their orbits this month, Venus will become more and more
crescent shaped, The reason for these phase changes are, of course,
that Venus is lighted by the Sun. The side of Venus that faces the
Sun will be completely illuminated, but what we see of this il-
luminated face determines the phase viewed from Earth.

Not only does the phase change, so does the apparent size of
Venus. When it is nearly full Venus is quite small. Asit changes to a
half phase, Venus appears larger. It appears largest in its crescent
phases. The difference is quite spectacular as my scale drawings in-

icate:

¢ from the diagram, the separation between the .

Students:
‘building
telescope —

The Skeena Junior Secondary ao
Science Club is putting the. —:

es)

Just as the phases of Venus depend on the position of the planet
with respect to Earth, so does its size. When Venus shows a crescent
it is much closer to us than when it is full. .

Venus is a really bright object, brighter than any other except for
the Sun and Moon. It is even bright enough to be seen without op-
tical aid in the daytime if you know where to look. This exceptional
brightness results from the planet’s dense atmosphere of carbon
dioxide and sulphuric acid clouds. As well, the atmosphere keeps
both the day and night sides at nearly constant temperature of
about 455 degrees celsius. The few spacecraft that have visited the
planet did not last long in these less than salubrious conditions.

After its long period of . visibility, Jupiter is quickly -moving
hehind the Sun. As a result you will not be able to see it after about
mid-April.

Saturn and Mars are visible in the morning, At sunrise they will
be fairly low in the south, with Saturn to the west of Mars.

Remember that on clear Tuesday nights: I set up my telescope in

the park near the Terrace Public Library from about 8 - 9:30 p.m. If

you would like a view of Venus or other objects through the

telescope, you are most welcome.

Fire report

On Friday, March 18 at ap-
proximately 6:20 p.m. the Ter-
race Fire Department attended a
house fire on Cramer Street.

m Message
from the

finishing touches on their 1988
Science Fair entry, a 10-inch
Newtonian reflector telescope. —

Science Club teacher-
coordinator Al Wootton said
the telescope is based on the
principle that a parabolic
shaped, concave mirror will
reflect light to a specific point of
focus. He said the Skeena pro-
ject is based on.a 25-centimeter
primary concave mirror (the ob-

jective) with a 125-centimeter

focal length.

Wootton said Skeena Science
Club students began the project

last fall and have worked hard =

all winter in order to have it
completed in time for the
Science Fair.

He added that they have
received support for their pro-
ject from a variety of sources.

The mount for the diagonal —

(secondary) mirror and_ the
finder scope are presently being
constructed in the school’s
metalwork shop, and the City of

Terrace donated a piece of sewer -

pipe which was used as a bearing

for the “up and down’ ‘motion .

of the telescope.

Club members working on the
‘project included grade eight
students Justin Briand and

Travis Stoner; T-Jay Mackenzie,

Kyle Lindsay and Nick Pelletier
from grade nine; and grade 10
students Richard Blower and
Chris Harker.

4-H event
in Smithers

Smithers will be the site of the

Real Estate

Fire Chief Clifford Best said
nobody was home at the time of
the fire. The house received ex-
tensive heat and smoke damage..

kkk kkk

By Hans Stach

4988 Provincial 4-H Speaking
.. Competition April 22-24, 1988.
Ten senior 4-H finalists have
- been selected from across British
-Columbia to represent their
regions at this annual 4-H event.
“The 4-H members prepare and
- deliver their awn speeches, start-
. ing at club level. The top speak-
ers go on to a district, then a
-- regional competition,’’ says
-< Regional 4-H Specialist Irene
-.Borysowich. All ten of the 4-H
“members will deliver a 5 - 7
minute prepared speech and a 1
_~»2 minute impromptu speech.
The competition will take
“place. April 23, 2 p.m. at
<.the.- Aspen Motor Inn banquet
. room. The general public is in-
“vitéd to attend.

Winners will be announced at

seekers’.

firm prospects.

agreement.

CURIOSITY SEEKERS

If you intend to implant a “For Salo by Owner” sign in
your front yard, be prepared for the inevitable “curiosity
You'll probably spend more time tramping
through the house with curiosity seekers than showing it to

Your "For Sale by Owner” sign leaves you open to all

_ types of people and problems. For example, a visitor may
present an offer to buy on which he doesn't intend to follow
through, You may make plans based on accepting it, only to

learn that the "prospect" had no intention of completing the

An agent has the experience to unmask the insincere of-
fer and turn it away before it does any harm. If fact, the
presence of an agent usually will discharge any attempts of
that sort. He will qualify prospects in advance and allow on-
ly those who are definitely prospective buyers — not
curiosity seekers — to inspect your home. ;

REALTOR

"a batiquet planned for 6 p.m.

Saturday night at the Aspen.

- Any 4-H families interested in
attending the banquet should
contact Wally Storey at
- 949-9744 by April 18, 1988,

OFFICE: 635-6361

| Tiekels are $10,

If there is anything | can do to help you in the
- fteld of real estate, please phone, or drop in at:
CENTURY 21 Wightman & Smith Realty Ltd.
"9997 Kalum Street, Terrace, B.C.

_ tam here to help!

HOME: 635-3739

Stars
Your Week Ahead Horoscope"

Wait until the end of the week fo promote your
plan for progress and expansion, Stay focuscd on

the long range objective,

Animportant relationship conres up for review.
Lots of new ideas come to you but don‘t put them

lo thetest just yel.

Mix business with pleasure ina subtle fashion. A
bright soclal life in the next few weekslooks prom-
ising for fameand fortune. : ae
Watch your step regarding professional or com:
niunity affairs, How you express yourself has a
profound effect on your associates. ;
Forge ahead with your ambitlons. Academic °
matters bring you in touch with peaple who ad- :
mire you forattempling anew approach.

Pay careful attention to handling assets of another,

Mar. 21-Apr. {9

TAURUS
Apr. 20-May 20

GEMINI
May 21-Juse 20

CANCER
June 2t-July 22

LEO
July 23-Ang. 22

VIRGO
Aug. 23-Sepl. 22

Oct,23-Nov.21 front, Look for more efficient methods tobe used

in gettingthe work done.
SAGITTARIUS
Nov.22-Dec2t the unfolding picture on the employment front.
Young people are prominent. .
CAPRICORN
Dec. 22-Ja0.19 © action on your part could threaten the status quo,
Others may feel threatened. ;

Be considerate of those who secm to be just a bil

stow itt getling started, Remember the torlolse =
anid thehare fable. oo .
Look for Innovative ways to make your moncy
work for you. Deware of offers that sound too
good tobetrue.

BERT’S DELICATESSEN

AQUARIUS
Jan.20-Fel, 18

PISCES
Feh, (9-Mar. 20

WE HAVE...

~*,,.a large varlety af
meals, cheeses, European
fovalties, super
sandwiches, fresh salads. .

We cater for large and
smali parties and picnics.
635-6440

“ :
4603 Park Ave. Terrace (across from the library)

A stratige legal development is quite disconceri- °° = vou _ a -
ing. . _ boaieeie: :
LIBRA Clear away any misunderstandiigs withone who -
Sept. 23-Oet,22 is near and dear. Fresh interests pul new life in’
the relationship. — a
SCORPIO Changing times call for new skills on the work

Astroke of good fortune brings a happy twist to a | -

Home and fanstly matters come first. tmpetuous res