Archive 2019-2020

Programme 2019-2020

All meetings start at 7.00pm in St. Peter’s Church Hall, Earley.
The open FridayCLUB meetings are now included in this listing.

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.

please note Meetings are wheelchair accessible unless mentioned otherwise

September 21st 2019

Ten Ways The Universe Tries To Kill You!

Stephen Tonkin FRAS –The Binocular Sky, outreach

Author, observer, educator and engaging speaker on all aspects of astronomy. His popular blog and book on binoculars for astronomy was the subject of a talk here a few years ago.
After the coffee break the usual announcements and members activities.

27th Sep – Friday Club

Doors open at 7pm. Talk starts at 7.30pm
Entry is free and open to the public, all welcome, all ages.
This month’s topic…..

How to ‘do’ amateur astronomy

Gerry’s annual introduction to how to get and keep the enthusiasm.

Talk with emphasis on understanding basic astronomical topics for new members.

We are open to suggestions for subjects at all these Friday sessions.

After the break….

Members’ activities and talks

October 19th 2019

To See the Beginning of Time

Andrew Lound Odyssey Presentations
The Hubble Space telescope is giving humankind a view of the universe never even imagined. From dust clouds to star-studded galaxies our minds have been opened to a universe that blends outstanding beauty with mind-boggling scales. Looking into deep space we are looking ever further back in time as it takes the light from the most distance objects many millions of years to reach the mirror of the Hubble. This lecture is illustrated by some of the most beautiful natural images one will ever see and is accompanied by music and high quality video. Sit back, relax and let your mind drift into the far reaches of the universe. (AL)

After the coffee break the usual announcements and members activities.

Discussion of next month’s Mercury transit.

25th Oct – Friday Club

Doors open at 7pm. Talk starts at 7.30pm
Entry is free and open to the public, all welcome, all ages.
This month’s topic…..

Deep Sky objects

What we can observe. Common types, how the names and catalogues came about.
Talk with emphasis on understanding basic astronomical topics for new members.

We are open to suggestions for subjects at all these Friday sessions.

After the break….

Members’ activities and talks

Nov 11th 2019 (Monday)

Transit of Mercury in progress at sunset

November 16th 2019

An Introduction to Radio Astronomy

Norman Pomfret BAA · Radio Astronomy Group

The Radio Astronomy Group aspires to encourage and support the construction of radio telescopes by amateurs, their use for observing programmes.

Norman writes: Beginning with the accidental discovery of Radio Signals from our Cosmos that made front page of the New York Times. Development of Radio reception equipment and the important discoveries that have subsequently been awarded Nobel prizes. Simple aids will be used to assist in demonstrating some of the physics of this young branch of one of our oldest sciences. Finally, introducing how citizen science can be applied to observations.

After the coffee break the usual announcements and members activities probably including Monday’s transit.

22nd Nov – Friday Club

Entry is free and open to the public, this month’s topic…..

A telescope is for life, not just for Christmas

Be warned listen to our experts. What’s available, do you need it.
Talk with emphasis on understanding basic astronomical topics for new members.

We are open to suggestions for subjects at all these Friday sessions.

After the break….

Members’ activities and talks

December 14th 2019

(Nb. 2nd Saturday)

Santa’s Grotto

Members’ practical stuff

A telescope is for life not just for Christmas. Come and complain about not getting what you wanted for Christmas and drool over what the others are getting. Tea and cakes provided, no cash machine again this year.

Followed by RAS “Christmas Special” including glass of Vin d’Asda compliments of the committee.

27th Dec – Friday Club

Entry is free and open to the public, this month’s topic…..

Our favourite season

Let’s run through our best objects tonight and the background story.
Tonight the Milky Way passes through the zenith in early evening. For north Europeans the winter sky is the time when conditions and the constellations’ stories are best .

After the break….
Members’ activities and talks
On New Year’s Eve this year it will be 300th anniversary of Flamsteed’s death. Extra talk.

January 18th 2020

Antikythera Mechanism

John Lancashire’s reconstruction of the famous artifact using modern materials

Tagline – more text

After the coffee break the usual announcements and members activities.

24th Jan – Friday Club

Doors open at 7pm. Talk starts at 7.30pm
Entry is free and open to the public, all welcome, all ages.
This month’s topic…..

The Winter Sky part II

It’s January.

Warm clothing and get outside but there are some objects that deserve a detailed look and how they have advanced science of all sorts.
Talk with emphasis on understanding basic astronomical topics for new members.

We are open to suggestions for subjects at all these Friday sessions.

After the break….

Members’ activities and talks

February 15th 2020

HOYS-CAPS

Dirk Froebrich University of Kent

Hunting Outbursting Young Stars with the Centre of Astrophysics and Planetary Science. Amateur astronomers from the UK and Europe, supported by professional observatories take images of objects on their target list and submit these images for inclusion in the HOYS-CAPS database. This will allow participants to plot and study light-curves of any star imaged by the project.

During the talk Dirk will explain how more amateurs can be revruited fot the task.

After the coffee break the usual announcements and members’ activities.

28th Feb – Friday Club

It’s leap-year day tommorrow.

This topic to be changed

Brian Skidmore

Brian’s latest talk – watch this space

Doors open at 7pm. Talk starts at 7.30pm
Entry is free and open to the public, all welcome, all ages.
This month’s topic…..

We are open to suggestions for subjects at all these Friday sessions.

After the break….

Members’ activities and talks

The hall is booked for a day’s acivities.

Saturday 29th Feb – Open Day and leap-year celebration!

10am to 5pm Lunch to be arranged.

Open Day

Showcase the society to friends relatives and the world in general.

We will open up at 10am – 5pm at St Peters hall to show, discuss, demonstrate, display all aspects of the society and our enthusiasm for the universe.

The public will be invited fron 13:00 ’til 17:00

If you have material for display but cannot attend it can be handed in at the next two meetings. Anything considered, images, drawings or observation diaries.

The usual refreshments available and bringing your own lunch welcome.

Virtual Main Meeting
April 4th 2020 7pm onwards.

Martin Ratcliffe* Planetarium Educator & science writer. Speaking from Wichita, Kansas
Q an A session on a life in astronomy and the early days of ReadingAS.
I got my start in public speaking at Reading as a very nervous 15 year old! I’d be happy to share some astro photo stuff, and throw in a few thoughts on the early days of the RAS . I have some great stories ranging from comets to eclipses, and some very memorable old time.

This is a virtual meeting using Zoom software. Information on logging on etc will be provided soon.

*hon. member ReadingAS

Location – wherever you happen to be.

Virtual Main Meeting
May 16th 2020 7pm onwards.

Dr Barry Kellett Rutherford-Appleton Laboratory, Oxfordshire
Art and Astronomy; Turner, the Royal Oak and the Lady in White’
Although Dr Kellett’s day-job is in high-energy astrophysics he has entertained us a few years ago with a talk based on his interest in art history – on what a knowledge of astronomy tells us about famous artworks.

This is a virtual meeting using Zoom software. Information on logging on etc will be provided soon.

Location – wherever you happen to be.

Virtual Main Meeting
Jun 20th 2020 7pm onwards.

Brian Skidmore
The planet-like moon Titan

This is a virtual meeting using Zoom software. Information on logging on etc will be provided soon.

Location – wherever you happen to be.

Virtual Main Meeting
July 18th 2020 7pm onwards.

Provisional – Dr Peter Allan Rutherford-Appleton Laboratory, Oxfordshire
The Gaia mission and its data.

Dr Allan suggests Cancer Research UK be recipients of donations in lieu of expenses.

This is a virtual meeting using Zoom software. Information on logging on etc will be provided soon.

Location – wherever you happen to be.

Virtual Main Meeting
Aug 15th 2020 7pm onwards.

Craig Leff
Mars rovers – latest news – watch this space.

This is a virtual meeting using Zoom software. Information on logging on etc will be provided soon.

Location – wherever you happen to be.

*The programme after this point is merely an archive of arranged events which were setup before the Covid-19 emergency.

Refer to home page for latest.

March 21st 2020

Getting light from the darkness…

…the story of the biggest telescopes.

Dr Peter Grimley School of Physics & Astronomy, Queen Mary University of London.

From the time of Galileo bigger is almost always been better. Gathering more light meant seeing more and more. This talk looks at the world’s biggest telescopes – from the early attempts to make accurate lenses, to the technological marvels that now inhabit some of the most outlandish places on Earth.

After the coffee break the usual announcements and members’ activities.

27th March – Friday Club

Doors open at 7pm. Talk starts at 7.30pm
Entry is free and open to the public, all welcome, all ages.
This month’s topic…..

Inferior Planets

On Mar 24th Mercury and Venus will both be at maximum elongation – on the same day.

One will be easily visible (evening) and the other not (morning). Let’s see what elongation means and learn about these weird planets.

After the coffee break the usual announcements and members’ activities.

We are open to suggestions for subjects at all these Friday sessions.

After the break….

Members’ activities and talks

BAA Winchester Weekend. TBA – cancelled

The annual conference attended by many local astronomers.

April 18th 2020

The New Space Race

Neil Phillipson Developer and educator, Outsideology

The involvement of private investors – the enormous impact of entrepreneurs Branson, Bezos and Musk on the future of manned spaceflight.

After the coffee break the usual announcements and members’ activities.

Prospects for Lyrid meteor shower.

24th Apr – Friday Club

Doors open at 7pm. Talk starts at 7.30pm
Entry is free and open to the public, all welcome, all ages.
This month’s topic…..

Regular Friday meeting

Talk with emphasis on understanding basic astronomical topics.
Details posted on ‘next meetings’ column on home page.
We are open to suggestions for subjects
After the break….
Members’ activities and talks

May 16th 2020

Journey to the Sun

Dr Helen Mason Reader in Solar Physics, Cambridge University

Helen’s research is in solar physics. Recent solar space observations have completely changed our view of the Sun. She mintains the exuberant website on solar physivs at http://www.suntrek.org/

After the coffee break the usual announcements and members’ activities.

22nd May – Friday Club

Doors open at 7pm. Talk starts at 7.30pm
Details posted on ‘next meetings’ column on home page.
Entry is free and open to the public, all welcome, all ages.
This month’s topic…..

The summer sky.

The sun is never far below the horizon for next 3 months. And the sky full of man-made stuff. Let’s look at the geometry and how it affects our observations.

We are open to suggestions for subjects
After the break….
Members’ activities and talks

June 20th 2020

AGM Night

Including the Annual General Meeting.

Have your say in running the society. Stand for election for posts. Lively discussion. Definitely not boring!

Followed by:

Astronomical Centenaries in 2020

Ken England FRAS
Ken is local amateur astronomer with an interest in the history of astronomy. The talk includes several stories from Ken’s article in the December 2019 issue of The Observatory.

After the coffee break the usual announcements and members’ activities.

EAST READING FESTIVAL Palmer Park cancelled

Sunday 21 June

Reading Astronomical Society stand.

Exhibition and solar observing.

We will be attending this annual local event with our telescopes suitably filtered for safe observing of sunspots and other activity on our local star.

Images of previous event.

LOCATION MAP

26th Jun – Friday Club

The Summer Triangle

Outline talk on the fascinating stars of this season.
We are open to suggestions for subjects at all these Friday sessions.

After the break….
Members’ activities and talks

31st July – Friday Club

Perseid Meteors!

About 12/13th August and the moon stays away until quite late.
History of the discovery and details of the shower with observing plans.

After the break….
Members’ activities and talks