Archive 2012-2013

Main Section

All meetings start at 7.00pm in St. Peter’s Church Hall, Earley.

Programme 2012-2013

If you are a speaker who would like to talk to the society or have a recommendation for a speaker or subject please email info@readingastro.org.uk.
September 15th
Orbital Oddities
James Fradgley FRAS Weymouth Astronomy Club, Wessex ASand Bournemouth Natural Science Society.’Orbital Oddities – Strange goings-on with 3 or more bodies’ – Lagrange points, resonances, Roche limits, lots of odds and ends (with simulations).
October 20th
40th Anniversary meeting
Prof. Chandra Wickramasinghe “Convergence towards our cosmic origins”I remember seeing Prof Wickramasinghe many years ago on Sky at Night, together with Fred Hoyle, pointing out that if rudimentary life can exist in extreme conditions of cold and vacuum it need not have arisen on this planet and could be a common feature of much of the universe. Modern discoveries, if anything, indicate the possibility does not go away.
November 17th
Digital images and imaging.
Nik Szymanek Havering Astrononical Society.
Nik is a prolific imager with a world-wide reputation and his images are common in all major publications.
December 8th (2nd Saturday)
Deep Sky Objects
Owen Brazell Webb Deep Sky Society
Owen is one of the most accomplished astronomy speakers. Observing faint deep-sky objects needs dedication and persistence and we joke about the satisfaction of seeing ‘faint fuzzy objects’ but having attended many of Owen’s talks he makes the connection with common-sense science very inspirational.The second half of the evening will be our usual Christmas social gathering.
January 19th
TBN
Name Personal details
text on talk place holder
February 16th
The Sun: A Biography
Dr David Whitehouse Experienced science journalist and author.
According to Monty Python the sun is “the source of all our power”. More than that David’s talk will demonstrate that investigating the sun is driving scientific progress.
March 16th
Zooniverse – citizen science
Dr Robert Simpson Zooniverse Researcher and Developer at Oxford University. PI of the Milky Way Project.
text on talk place holder
April 20th
TBN
Name Personal details
text on talk place holder
May 18th
Astronomy from B747 (SOFIA)Dr Rhodri Evans Hon.Research Fellow, Cardiff University
Rhodri has other talks of historical interest so this evening is not yet final.
June 15th
Annual General MeetingFollowed by…
Dr David Boyd Newbury AS and BAA
David Boyd on variable stars science latest and the contribution of amateurs.
NO MONTHLY MEETINGS IN JULY & AUGUST
The venueis St. Peter’s Church Hall, Church Road, Earley. Parking is available in the hall car park and the adjacent school playground.

7.00 – 8.30pm :: Announcements and speaker as detailed above.
8.30 – 9.00pm :: Refreshments and an opportunity to chat and browse the library.
9.00 – 9.45pm :: Miscellany of topics by members