**COVID-19 Policy: If Covid regulations impinge on our meetings in the hall it will be notified here.
Programme 2021-2022
All meetings start at 7.00pm in St. Peter’s Church Hall, Earley. The open FridayCLUB meetings may be re-introduced at a later date. 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.
Meetings are wheelchair accessible unless mentioned otherwise
September 18th 2021 7pm
This will be a physical meeting in the hall with a guest speaker via ZOOM
Paul Fellows FRAS, chairman of the Cambridge Astronomical Association.
Snowball Earth– A look at the evidence that around 600 million years ago the Earth became entirely covered in thick ice in a super-glaciation event that saw global temperatures drop to -40 degrees C for millions of years, and yet somehow life endured these conditions, and once the climate recovered saw the emergence of the first complex creatures. Was this event somehow the trigger for the development of advanced life on Earth?
October 16th 2021 7pm
This will be a physical meeting in the hall with a guest speaker via ZOOM
David Arditti – Observer and imager from light-polluted Outer London. Telescope and observatory enthusiast. My main current interest is imaging the Moon and planets in high-resolution, but I also dabble in solar, cometary and asteroid work, and take deep-sky images as well.
History of the Telescope
November 20th 2021 7pm
This will be a physical meeting in the hall with remote access via ZOOM
Dr Stuart Eves – SJE Space Ltd, …a space consultancy company specialising in issues relating to space situation awareness.
Space Traffic Control – When the early aviation pioneers took to the skies, they did not require permission to take off and land. Over time, and for good reason, a system of standards and regulations was developed to enable safe, reliable international air travel. For similar reasons, we have now reached that juncture in space. This demands urgent action—both political and technical.
December 11th 2021 7pm
Christmas social online meeting
by ZOOM only
The committee debated the latest Covid news affecting the viability of solely social meetings and concluded that the social component would be compromised by the environment in the hall.
The zoom logon will be notified in the usual way. New members or those unfamiliar with the system can request on the info@readingastro.org.uk address.
Expect entertaining items prepared by various members, including a look at some 20 year old items (and older) from the society’s RASTAR* magazine entitled how times change.
*Produced quarterly for many years before the days of Facebook and websites.
January 15th 2022 7pm
Sat. Jan 15th 2022 7 PM
January main meeting
A physical meeting in St Peters hall with ZOOM access.
Brian Skidmore – Lunar mission architect SSTL
Supernovae
Brian writes: A supernova is the spectacular explosion of a star whose cause is either the sudden collapse of a massive star of the detonation of a white dwarf. A Type Ia supernova typically reaches the luminosity of 5 billion Suns at its peak. In this talk I’ll explain the mechanisms of supernovae and their significance, including the production of elements and how they have helped astronomers determine the fate of the universe.
February 19th 2022 7pm
This will be a physical meeting in the hall with access via ZOOM
Prof Keith Shine FRS Regius Professor of Meteorology and Climate Science. University of Reading
Life on a planet whose climate is changing.
A general talk on climate change with an extra focus on how we know that solar variability is not a major driver of contemporary climate change. Prof Shine will describe the one planet that we know most about and how its inhabitants are observed to affect its past and future.
March 19th 2022 7pm
Mary McIntyre FRAS
https://www.marymcintyreastronomy.co.uk/
”A History of Women in Astronomy” – historically, astronomy has been very male-dominated. Throughout history there have been a number of trail-blazing women, such as Caroline Herschel, who worked to change that. But in addition there were countless less well known women who were doing astronomy. This talk is a celebration of women who worked in astronomy during different periods of history and some of the challenges they have faced.
April 9th 2022 7pm
Trevor Gainey Basingstoke Astronomical Society.
Exoplanet Introduction to planets around other stars.
Trevor will survey the topic of exoplanets from the human motivations for exploration, through the development of the instruments capable of detecting and measuring. Ending with the remarkable achievement of amateur observers being able to make useful observations in this new field of astronomy.
April 22nd 2022 7.30 pm
Friday Club Revival
Swallowfield Parish Hall
Bring your telescopes in the hope that the sky will be clear. This is the first session of what we hope will be a regular event every 4th Friday. Short talks or indoor demonstrations included.
May 21st 2022 7pm
Graham Bryant FRAS
Subject of talk The possible astronomical alignments of the early British (Cumbrian) Stone Circles.
May 27th 2022 7.30 pm
Friday Club Revival PROVISIONAL
Swallowfield Parish Hall
Bring your telescopes in the hope that the sky will be clear. Every 4th Friday. Short talks or indoor demonstrations included.
June 18th 2022 7pm
Including Annual General Meeting
Guest Speaker: our history man.
Ken England
Astronomy Anniversaries 2022
Sunday 26th June 2022
EAST READING FESTIVAL Palmer Park
This message is from the organizers—
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, East Reading Festival has not been able to run since June 2019.
Our current plan is to relaunch the festival on Sunday 26th June 2022 (12-6 pm in Palmer Park, East Reading) and, as an individual or organisation who has expressed an interest in being a stallholder at a recent East Reading Festival, we wanted to get in touch with you first to see if you would like to join us.
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.
CONTINUATION PROVISIONAL PROGRAMME FOR NEXT YEAR
DRAFT PROGRAMME 2022-2023
COVID-19 Policy: CURRENTLY SUSPENDED
If pandemic regulations impinge on our meetings in the hall it will be notified here.
Programme 2022-2023
All meetings start at 7.00 pm in St. Peter’s Church Hall, Earley. The open FridayCLUB meetings are planned to be at Swallowfield Parish hall. 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.
Meetings are wheelchair accessible unless mentioned otherwise
Friday Aug. 26th 7.30 pm
Friday Club
Bring your telescopes in the hope that the sky will be clear. Every 4th Friday. Short talks or indoor demonstrations included.
September 17th 2022 7pm
St Peter’s Church Hall
This will be a physical meeting in the hall with access by ZOOM
Bernard Henin science author
James Webb Space Telescope
Friday Sep. 23rd 7.30 pm
Friday Club
Bring your telescopes in the hope that the sky will be clear. Every 4th Friday. Short talks or indoor demonstrations included.
October 15th 2022 7pm
St Peter’s Church Hall
This will be a physical meeting in the hall with access by ZOOM
Guest Speaker Dr Barry Kellett (RAL)
“A stellar time bomb – the allure of Betelgeuse”
Friday, Oct. 28th 7.30 pm
Friday Club
Bring your telescopes in the hope that the sky will be clear. Every 4th Friday. Short talks or indoor demonstrations included.
November 19th 2022 7pm
St Peter’s Church Hall
This will be a physical meeting in the hall with remote access via ZOOM
Guest
subject
Friday Nov. 25th 7.30 pm
Friday Club
Bring your telescopes in the hope that the sky will be clear. Every 4th Friday. Short talks or indoor demonstrations included.
December 10th 2021 7pm
St Peter’s Church Hall
Christmas social meeting
Friday, Dec. 23rd 7.30 pm
Friday Club IF POSSIBLE FOR THE HALL AT THIS TIME OF YEAR – PROVISIONAL
Bring your telescopes in the hope that the sky will be clear. Every 4th Friday. Short talks or indoor demonstrations included.
January 21st 2023 7pm
St Peter’s Church Hall
January main meeting
A physical meeting in St Peters hall with ZOOM access.
Speaker
Subject
Friday, Jan. 27th 7.30 pm
Friday Club
Bring your telescopes in the hope that the sky will be clear. Every 4th Friday. Short talks or indoor demonstrations included.
February 18th 2023 7pm
St Peter’s Church Hall
This will be a physical meeting in the hall with access via ZOOM
Speaker
Subject
Friday Feb. 24th 7.30 pm
Friday Club
Bring your telescopes in the hope that the sky will be clear. Every 4th Friday. Short talks or indoor demonstrations included.
March 18th 2023 7pm
St Peter’s Church Hall
Guest
Subject
Friday, Mar. 24th 7.30 pm
Friday Club
Bring your telescopes in the hope that the sky will be clear. Every 4th Friday. Short talks or indoor demonstrations included.
April 15th 2023 7pm
St Peter’s Church Hall
Guest Prof Roger Davies
Subject Cosmology – up to date.
April 21st 2023 7.30 pm
Friday Club
Bring your telescopes in the hope that the sky will be clear. Short talks or indoor demonstrations included.
May 20th 2023 7pm
St Peter’s Church Hall
Guest
Subject
May 26th 2023 7.30 pm
Friday Club
Bring your telescopes in the hope that the sky will be clear. Every 4th Friday. Short talks or indoor demonstrations included.
June 17th 2023 7pm
St Peter’s Church Hall
Including Annual General Meeting
Guest Speaker:
Ken England
Astronomy Anniversaries 2023
A Sunday to be decided
EAST READING FESTIVAL Palmer Park
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.