h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

According to Britannica 2001, in 1779 Mira Ceti reached magnitude +1.

Thank you, I'll make that adjustment

Good, GB.

Thank you

Are you going to read all 88 constellations? I shall look forward to your feedback however many you manage

Consider myself to have been given a fact-checking assignment, then. Just what my one source says.

Hi, GB
Andromeda: On M31, there are historical notes you might want to add. "...is visible to the naked eye..." doesn't recognize that it's not so easy if you are not specifically looking for it. Historically first mentioned by as_Sufi, and re-discovered by the German Simon Marius (965 and 1612, respectively). On physical details my source doesn't deal with all the stuff learned recently, but I found stuff about resolution into stars (in 1944). Your article here looks quite fine. I'll assume this one conversation is preferable to a seperate one for each of your articles, but correct me if I'm wrong. And if you ask me to repeat/clarify things I won't mind. I'll move along to the next in the list now.

I'm back.
Antlia and Apus: Nothing to add.
Aquarius: Please check the relevance of the following sentence from Britannica: "In the conceptual scheme of the 'Great Year'--the more than 25000 years it takes the Earth to pass in turn through the influence of each of the signs of the zodiac--the Earth is said to have passed into the age of Aquarius early in the 19th century." If this scheme differs in some way to what you refer to, you might better either deal with both or neither. "is said to" is non-referential and weak, so I would trust whatever your sources are for this analysis if I had to choose. The difference in the two sources is disturbing, but I found one error of some significance before in Britannica.

A-numbers to each article in question would be helpful, and I prefer the conversation/feedback all in one place, and here is ideal.

I'll bring Deke in on that last query, (Aquarius) as he's the author

I'll attend to the previous posting (post 6, Andromeda) and let you know when I've updated it

Post 6: A27975063 Andromeda; comments added

Righto, then. I'll check the author is you, GB, and limit my criticism on Edited entries to those seeking opinions. Deke may not want to hear my opinion on his work at this late stage.

I have invited Deke to this conversation, so he can answer that

I am happy to get feedback on my entries

Consider my deadline to be Monday morning, 9AM, your time, and I may go beyond just my Britannica to be a little more helpful. Some of it needs to be updated. I can do some web searching for that. Other stuff on my agenda, but I will do a fair amount each day.

I hold you to no deadline

I would much rather you take your time and enjoy the constellation articles,

. Thanks (I do have a lot on my plate besides) and enjoy your weekend.

You're welcome

I will be taking my son to his favourite shop then using my spare time tidying up my garden and probably kitten-polishing

Have fun.

Aquarius:
Well, it depends which way you’re going.

The relevance of the sentence from Britannica is limited. It isn’t necessarily ‘wrong’, it’s just that it refers to the ‘astrological ages’ beloved of astrologers and has almost nothing to do with astronomy.

When this series of entries were being written, those of us doing the writing, mostly gave a wide berth to anything associated with astrology. Except, that is, insofar as it applied in the ‘modern culture’ section. As apparently many astrologers can’t make up their own minds when the ‘Age of Aquarius‘ starts or finishes, it really doesn’t fit into an article concerning astronomy. It would take a braver soul than this would-be astronomer to get into that particular can of worms.


Al Sufi:
>Historically first mentioned by as_Sufi, and re-discovered by the German Simon Marius (965 and 1612, respectively).<

I think that it would be better if you referred to Al Sufi as Al, rather than ‘as’ Sufi… (Just call me Al). The name is Abd al Rahman Abu al Husain, usually referred to in most instances as Al Sufi. Certainly according to Hinckley Allen.

He, Al Sufi, identified it as the ‘Little cloud’ BTW.

Deke

retweaked Andromeda

I just noticed that Cetus, where we started has an error in its star table for phi Ceti. "planetary" should be "star".

Indeed it should! Thank you, I've made that adjustment now