Newbury Astronomical Society
Pegasus
The July edition of Pegasus, NAS's monthly newsletter, is available at the link below, alongside back issues of What's Up, whose next edition will be out in September
Forthcoming Meetings
For our first speaker meeting of the 2024-2025 season, we are delighted to welcome Dr Chris Pattison of the University of Portsmouth, who will be talking about The Next Generation of Space Telescopes: Revealing the Universe in New Ways.
After the break with the all-important doughnuts, we willl have our usual second half talks from members. We are always looking for new faces to present in this slot - remember it's a short talk for no more than 15 minutes or so, and can be on any relevant subject of interest from latest observations to a place you've visited or a book you've read or observing hints and tips. If you might have something of interest, let the Communications Lead know on communications@newburyastro.org.uk and we can see if it might work!
The speaker meeting will be at the usual location of The Fair Close Centre, Newtown Road, Newbury: RG14 7BH. (click here for a map and further details of the session's meetings).
If you wish to be a member of the society for this season and haven't completed your membership form yet, please complete a copy and bring it with you to the meeting.
We also offer an ICS Calendar file of all the meetings (main & beginners) of the session to add to your phone or email client:
Recent meetings:
For slides and other details from recent meetings, head to the Meeting Presentations page. Latest additions are details from Dr Tim Haymes about forthcoming occultations including one scheduled to pass over western Newbury, and the slide deck from Stephen Mullaly's recent second-half talk on Radio Astronomy.
Headlines.....
June Outreach
Though the last society meeting was early June, last month has not been quiet for NewburyAstro with multiple outreach events including the Tadley Treacle Fair, RAL Open Week and Thatcham Family Fun Day. The events have all been busy, but the long queues of eager visitors keen to view the sun, plus dozens of contacts gathered, invitations received to visit schools, and hopefully new members recruited shows how hugely valuable these events can be in bringing the joy of astronomy to audiences young and old. Though some members will have collapsed in an exhausted heap come the evening of Sunday 30th, they can do so with the satisfaction of a job well done.
Some of the society members who helped out at the RAL Open Week
Solar image taken on 2nd July by Alan Dowdell, using a Seestar fitted with Baader Solar filter
NAS Summer Event
The schools have started breaking up for summer and lo and behold, the temperature plummets and cloud rolls in! However, though the Newbury Astro meeting schedule is in its annual recess, there’s still things to look forward to – the next event being the annual NAS summer gathering. This year it’s being hosted by Kath Nurse at her house near Kintbury on Saturday 10th August from 3pm. If the weather is clement there should be plenty of telescopes around for solar observing; please bring your favoured choice of beverage and nibbles though Kath does say she can provide hot dogs also. We may also be able to co-ordinate lifts if someone needs help getting there. All in all it should be a great afternoon.
Kath is keen to have a sense of numbers so if you’re interested, please let us know as soon as possible at communications@newburyastro.org.uk and your details will be passed onto Kath so she can reach out with directions and clarify any other questions you might have.
BAA Autumn Meeting 2024
NewburyAstro along with RAL Space are thrilled to be hosting the British Astronomical Association's Autumn Meeting this year at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory at Harwell in South Oxfordshire. These events are always enjoyable and high informative, but can fill up quickly so it's good to book early; the booking site is now open at the following link:
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/baa/1288347
The cost includes attendance to hear all talks as well as light refreshments (lunch can be purchased separately in the RAL restaurant) - current NAS members who are not also BAA members will be able to take advantage of a discount, details of which will have been communicated to them separately.
Image of 16" taken from the HAG website
Telescope for Sale
Telescopes for Sale are not an unusual phenomenon and as such, we would not usually give it prominence on the front page of the NAS website, but this is not a usual telescope. The Hampshire Astronomical Group (HAG) are replacing a 16" (40cm aperture) Newtonian at their well-known Clanfield Observatory with a new 16" OTA, mount and dome. They have removed the older telescope and mount and are preparing the new dome for the receipt of the new mount having already obtained the OTA. The current 16" has been a workhouse of the Group's activities and has been in constant use since it's installation in 1993, particularly with the detection and observation of Near Earth Objects (NEO's).
HAG are keen for this well-loved and well-used workhorse to be sold to a group who could continue to enjoy its astronomical capabilities. Please note, this is a serious telescope for serious bidders only, but if you are interested or know a group who may be up to the challenge of taking it on, please contact the Communications Lead at communications@newburyastro.org.uk and we'll put you in touch with HAG.