This evening is a chance for members to pass on their wealth of knowledge to others through informal sessions and demos, including: Demo of using guided mounts Image processing demonstration for astrophotographers (with a live demo using some moon footage taken by Richard) Lunar observing (if the weather is good) Trevor Clifton giving a live […]

Dr Leon Hicks' research focusses primarily on meteorites and samples returned by space missions, identifying, analysing, and classifying them. Studying meteorites is important in understanding the origins and evolution of the Solar System.

Solar physics is the branch of astrophysics that specialises in the study of the Sun. It deals with detailed measurements that are possible only for our closest star. It intersects with many disciplines of pure physics, astrophysics, and computer science, including fluid dynamics, plasma physics including magnetohydrodynamics, seismology, particle physics, atomic physics, nuclear physics, stellar evolution, space […]

Jay Tate, director of the Spaceguard Centre The most significant natural danger to life on Earth comes from asteroids and comets. The Spaceguard Centre is a working observatory, and the main source of information about Near Earth Objects in the UK. Jay Tate is one of the country's leading experts and will explain the structure […]

John Cook is Assistant Director (data analysis) of the BAA Solar Section, which promotes every aspect of solar astronomy and works closely with the BAA Radio Section. John will give us up to date data on magnetic activity and other phenomenon.

The invention and use of the spectroscope was important development in the history of astronomy, sometimes with the aid of gifted amateurs. The birth of astrophysics led to our present understanding of the nature of the universe. For the first time astronomers were able to directly compare our view of the distant universe with experiments […]

Dr Broomhall is from the department of physics at Warwick University, and her research focuses on solar and stellar physics, specifically helioseismology and asteroseismology.

The Leviathan of Parsonstown is the unofficial name of the Rosse six-foot telescope. This is a historic reflecting telescope of 72 in (1.8 m) aperture, which was the largest telescope in the world from 1845 until the construction of the 100-inch (2.5 m) Hooker Telescope in 1917. The Rosse six-foot telescope was built by William Parsons, 3rd Earl of Rosse […]

An important date for your diary, and your chance to have an input into the workings of the Society.

Dr McGee is from the school of physics and astronomy at Birmingham University.  He works on galaxy formation and evolution, with particular interests in how the growth of cosmic structures affect the formation of galaxies; how gas is accreted into galaxies and the formation of the first generation of stars and black holes.

Dr Onions is an astrophysics researcher.  He will discuss what metals are to an astronomer, how do they get made, and what can they tell us about the history of the universe in terms of stars and galaxies.

In a change to the originally scheduled talk, Dr Julian Onions will return to give us his talk on the far side of the Moon. The Moon is a shy body, it only ever shows one sides of itself to the Earth. Before the space age, we had no idea what was on the far […]

A members' discussion evening.  Bring your own equipment and ideas, we will have several bases round the room covering different activities. This format is brought back by popular request! 1. Night Sky - how to navigate your way around (Steve Wootton) 2. Astro Photography the easy way, including by smartphone (Cath Adams & Doug Bickley) […]