XN000022-1977-11-01 — Page 9

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 1977

OBSERVATORY'S CALENDAR NOW ON SALE

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THE ROYAL OBSERVATORY'S 1978 CALENDAR FEATURING MANY INTERESTING ASPECTS OF METEOROLOGICAL AND ASTRONOMICAL INFORMATION IS NOW ON SALE AT $7 EACH.

THE INFORMATION-PACKED CALENDAR IS AVAILABLE FROM THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS CENTRE AT THE GPO BUILDING, HONG KONG, THE ROYAL OBSERVATORY IN TSIM SHA TSUI AND LEADING BOOKSHOPS.

IN ADDITION TO DAYS AND DATES, THE CALENDAR LISTS TIMES OF SUNRISE, SUNSET, MOONRISE AND MOONSET, AND HIGH AND LOW TIDES. IT ALSO CONTAINS CHARTS OF NIGHT SKY AND TYPHOONS, THE DATES OF ECLIPSES AND THE 24 SOLAR TERMS OF THE CHINESE CALENDAR.

THE KING-SIZED PAGES FOR EACH MONTH FEATURE SOME ASPECTS OF THE NATURAL WORLD WHICH TOUCHES UPON HONG KONG.

FOR NOVEMBER 1978, THE GREAT ORION NEBULA IS HIGHLIGHTED. ORION (THE HUNTER) IS THE MOST EASILY DISTINGUISHABLE CONSTELLATION IN THE NIGHT SKY OF HONG KONG DURING WINTER AND IT CONSISTS OF SEVEN RELATIVELY BRIGHTER STARS.

IMAGINARY LINES LINKING THE STARS PRODUCE THE OUTLINE OF THE FIGURE OF A HUNTER WITH A BOW AND SWORD SHEATH HANGING AT HIS BELT. IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS BELT IS THE GREAT ORION NEBULA. TWO PHOTOGRAPHS BY LOCAL SKY-WATCHERS ILLUSTRATE THE CONSTELLATION AND THE NEBULA.

ALTHOUGH THE CALENDAR SAYS THE NEBULA PRESENTS A PARTICULARLY SPECTACULAR SIGHT IN LARGE ASTRONOMICAL TELESCOPES IT IS ALSO SUITABLE FOR VIEWING WITH ORDINARY BINOCULARS.