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Members' programme

Telescope

Dark skies aren't always clear, so in addition to (hopefully) lots of observing, we also run a members' programme during our fortnightly meetings in Nowton Park. The programme below may be subject to change at short notice.

As well as planning and hosting our ever-popular Star Parties in the park, we will also be arranging a social event this year and checking out a potential new dark-sky site at West Stow.

If you're thinking of becoming a member, why not come along and join us? Your first two sessions will be free of charge, and if you decide it's not for you, then there's no obligation to stay.

2017/18 Winter Programme

DATE SUBJECT
12 October
  1. What's in the night sky
  2. Hertz Sprung-Russell diagram and how it is used to classify stars according to their luminosity, type, colour, temperature and evolutionary stage.
  3. What's topical in astronomy
26 October
  • Star Party run-through
27 October
  • Star Party 1 (set-up 3.30pm, main event 7-10pm)
28 October
  • Star Party 2 (set-up 6pm, main event 7-10pm, clear-up from 10pm)
9 November
  • Visit to West Stow
23 November
  1. Presentation on Saturn
  2. What's in the night sky
  3. What's topical in astronomy
7 December
  • Members' social event (quizzes, techno surprise, nibbles)
21 December
  • Christmas break - no meeting
4 January
  1. Presentation on the 'Ice Giants', Neptune and Uranus
  2. What's in the night sky
  3. What's topical in astronomy
18 January
  • Talk on The Early Universe, by Dr Sarah Bosman, University of Cambridge. Venue to be confirmed (provisionally Nowton Park café)
1 February
  1. Presentation on astronomy through art
  2. What's in the night sky
  3. What's topical in astronomy
15 February
  1. Presentation on gravity (Part 1 - Classical Newtonian Theories)
  2. What's in the night sky
  3. What's topical in astronomy
1 March
  1. CANCELLED DUE TO SEVERE WEATHER FORECAST
  2. Presentation on Mars
  3. What's topical in astronomy
  4. What's in the night sky
15 March
  1. Presentation on Mars
  2. The Moon
  3. What's in the night sky
  4. Overview/final checks for Star Parties
23 & 24 March
  • Star Parties in Nowton Park
29 March
  1. Presentation on astrophotography
  2. What's topical in astronomy

2018/19 Summer Programme

DATE SUBJECT
12 April
  1. Presentation on Venus
  2. What's in the night sky
26 April
  1. How to view objects in the night sky
  2. What's topical in astronomy
10 May
  1. Presentation on Mercury
  2. What's in the night sky
24 May
  1. Equatorial mounts - the what, the why and how to set them up!
  2. What's in the night sky
  3. What's topical in astronomy
7 June
  1. Hertzsprung-Russell diagram and the study of stellar evolution
  2. What's topical in astronomy
21 June
  1. Sundials and astronomy
  2. What's topical in astronomy
Stargazers