What's New on the Parramatta High School Website

This is WhatsGnu #10

December 4 2005 Just after sunset on December 3 the Moon displays earthshine, a somewhat difficult-to-capture phenomenon. October 17 2005 La Lune again! There was a singularly unimpressive partial lunar eclipse on Monday night, October 17. An omen for the start of the HSC? September 21 2005 Parramatta's favourite son, Richie Benaud, makes a welcome return. On this occasion he will speak in aid of his old club - Cumberland District Cricket Club. This article appeared in the Parramatta Advertiser. September 8 2005 Yesterday, Donald Horne, author, academic and former Parramatta High School student passed away aged 83. Here is the Sydney Morning Herald obituary written by another former student Tony Stephens. September 7 2005 In the latest of a series of close conjunctions, the moon slips past Venus in the early evening sky... August 27 2005 NASA's Astronomy Picture Of the Day (APOD) has long been a favourite for astronomy enthusiasts. Today they included a link to another astronomy enthusiast's site: faxmentis.org ! June 27 2005 Geoff Newsoroff from the Leaving Certificate Class of 1960 tells us that the name Parramatta has travelled all the way to the USA. In Plainfield, Illinois a mining company chose an unusual name they thought had no meaning. Geoff, who lives in Texas also tells us there is a Parramatta Lane about 16 miles north of Houston. We wonder how it came to be named that? June 16 2005 Jupiter continues his close encounters with the moon. This time, the close conjunction happened in daylight, which helped us view the gas giant while the sun was still up! June 2005 In 1947, former Parramatta High School student, Peter Pinney travelled overland from Greece to Burma. His account of that journey Dust on My Shoes has become an Australian classic. The ABC are re-telling his story using a montage of image and sound. Visit their website www.dustonmyshoes.com.au. April 25 2005 Both students and staff from Parramatta High School served in the Great War. Each year at a special assembly we stop to remember their sacrifice. March 27 2005 Easter '05 brought another near-occultation of the Moon and the planet Jupiter. Six-and-a-half years earlier, on Christmas day 1998, a similar celestial pairing started up the astronomy section of this website. January 14 2005 What colour is Comet Machholz? As the comet bids farewell to the skies over Parramatta High, the question is raised: What colour is the comet; green or blue?