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Feb 2017 Newsletter Volume22, Issue 7 NWASNEWS February 2017 Newsletter for the Wiltshire, Swindon, Beckington LETS HOPE SCIENCE GOES ON Astronomical Societies and Salisbury Plain Our speaker tonight Professor David to computer, books and CDs has enable Wiltshire Society Page 2 Southwood speaking in his role as advi- this young boy to develop skills way be- sor to the European Space Agency will yond those of his teachers within the hob- Swindon Stargazers 3 have some updates on how recent politi- by of astronomy. I will be showing him Beckington 4 cal developments may pan out for UK solar views over the half term, but well scientists in astronomy and other scienc- done Pete for engaging with him and his Space Place Comet Viewers 5 es. family. needed I know from his time at UCL he will know We are due at the Paragon School in Bath this Friday, but it is an early start Binocular views February 5-6 a couple of my close friends very well, Allan Willis and dear John Griffiths my co (6pm for setting up). Volunteers please. Space News 7-15 founder of the observatory in Spain. And remember the traffic problems getting Falcon takes Iridium and gravity What ever happens the cooperation has there. It will be full Moon, and final weath- Proton rockets grounded helped several members medically re- er considerations may change whatwe do Falcon reuse testing cently, so can I wish speedy recovery to and what help we need. Earth watch systems After the last meeting I was told my Juno at Jupiter Nick Howes who is slowly replacing bits Blackholes seen feeding of his body with elements created in Neu- daughter was taken into hospital to have Imaging planets tron stars, with titanium in his new hip another grandchild. Mother and daughter Etc etc. and magnesium pills to work on the re- are doing well. covery. Seems to be going well. On top of that quite a few imaging oppor- IViewing logs, travel notes 16-18 But so many of the above we know were tunities until the week of the observing very highly engaged in outreach, taking night! Just typical. What’s Up February 2017 16 science and our hobby out to non scien- Astrofest is also on the Friday and Satur- tists and importantly, to children to in- Constellation of the Month 18-19 day so it is unlikely I will attend this year. Cassiopeia spire and help create scientists of the Clear skies future. Andy Astrofest 20 But this leads me to Pete Glastonbury, who heard of a young boy with autism in Space Station Timings 21 the Devizes area, and with help from IMAGES, VIEWING SESSIONS 22 people on Facebook has built up a very and OUTREACH good collection of tools, from telescope The Pleiades on 20th January 2017. 60seconds exposure, Nikon D810a single shot through 127 Televue telescope. The nebulosities around of left over gases from the recent starbirth make some large areas around Meriope Alcyone and Maia are easy to see, but the blurring around all the bright blue stars show the nebulosity is huge. Andy Burns Page 2 Volume21, Issue8 Wiltshire Society Page Membership Meeting nights £1.00 for members £3 for visitors Wiltshire Astronomical Society Wiltshire AS Contacts Web site: www.wasnet.org.uk Andy Burns (Chairman, and Editor ) Tel: 01249 654541, Meetings 2015/2016Season. email: [email protected] NEW VENUE the Pavilion, Rusty Lane, Seend Vice chair: Keith Bruton Meet 7.30 for 8.00pm start Bob Johnston (Treasurer) 2016 Philip Proven (Hall coordinator) 7 Feb Professor David Southwood, 10 Years of Peter Chappell (Speaker secretary) Space Science at the European Space Agency Nick Howes (Technical Guru) 7 Mar Steve Tonkin, And yet it Moves! Observing Sessions coordinators: Jon Gale, Tony Vale 4 Apr Dr Chris North, Telescopes through the Contact via the web site details. This is to protect individuals from unsolicited mailings. Ages 2 May Marn Griffiths, Planetary Nebulae Marathon 6 Jun Mark Radice, Observing from the Carib- Rusty Lane, Pavilion bean + AGM Observing Sessions The Wiltshire Astronomical Please treat the lights and Professor David Southwood Society’s observing sessions return to full working order are open, and we welcome before leaving. With enough David is now a Senior visitors from other societies care shown we may get the Research Investigator at as well as members of the National Trust to do some- Imperial College, and a public to join us. thing with them! Non-Executive member of We will help you set up the UK Space Agency equipment (as often as you PLEASE see our proposed Steering Board. He had need this help), and let you changes to the observing test anything we have to help sessions, contacting and an academic career in you in your choice of future other details. Back Page Britain and USA, eventu- astronomy purchases. ally becoming head of Physics at Imperial Col- lege, London. From 2001 to 2011 he was the Direc- tor of Science and Robot- ic Exploration at the Euro- pean Space Agency (ESA). Before that he was head of Earth Observation strategy at ESA. Appointed in 1997 he drew up what has become the current architecture for European Earth Observation space programmes. He is past president of the Royal Astronomical Society, a fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society, and a visit- ing professor at the Universities of Plymouth and Lan- caster, and a Distinguished Visiting Scientist at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, USA. He is vice- chair of the EU Horizon 2020 Space Expert Advisory Group. He is patron of the British Science Fiction Foun- dation and the Plymouth Astronomical Society and honorary president of the Bristol Astronomical Society. A space magnetometer he built at Imperial still oper- ates in orbit around the planet Saturn aboard the NASA Cassini spacecraft. Page 3 Swindon’s own astronomy group At Liddington Village Hall, Church Road, Lidding- The club meets once a month at Liddington Hall, Church ton, SN4 0HB – 7.30pm onwards Road, Liddington, Swindon, SN4 0HB at 7.30pm. See pro- gramme below. The hall has easy access from Junction 15 of the M4, a map and directions can be found on our website at: Sally Russell – Astronomical Sketching http://www.swindonstargazers.com/clubdiary/ directions01.htm Our January meeting sees the return of Sally Russell who is an amateur astronomer and accomplished artist who sketch- Meeting Dates for 2017: es the objects of the Cosmos. Friday 17 February 2017 Soon after you begin studying the sky through your small Programme: David Boyd - Spectroscopy telescope or binoculars, you will probably be encouraged by others to make sketches of what you see. Sketching is a Friday 17 March 2017 time-honoured tradition in amateur astronomy and dates Programme: AGM plus Dr Bob Gatten - Using the Faulkes back to the earliest times, when telescopes were invented. Telescope Project's remote telescopes, results so far Even though we have lots of new imaging technologies now- adays, including astrophotography, most observers still use Friday 24 April 2017 sketching to keep a record of what they see, make them better observers, and in hopes of perhaps contributing some- Programme: Dr Pauline Norris - The Ancient Egyptians and thing to the body of scientific knowledge about the Moon. their Astronomy Some even sketch because it satisfies their artistic side. Friday 19 May 2017 Sally has also been published in Sketching the Moon: An Programme: Martin Griffiths - Contact with extraterrestrials, Astronomical Artist’s Guide (The Patrick Moore Practical how will it affect us Astronomy Series, and is regarded as one of the five best lunar observer-artists working today. The Moon presents Friday 16 June 2017 some unique challenges to the astronomer-artist, the Moon Programme: Paul Roche - Robotic Astronomy being so fond of tricks of the light. ---------SUMMER BREAK-------- Ad-hoc viewing sessions Friday 15 September 2017 Regular stargazing evenings are being organised near Swin- don. To join these events please visit our website for further Programme: Prof. Richard Harrison MBE BSc Phs FRAS information. FinstP - Space Weather Lately we have been stargazing at Blakehill Farm Nature Friday 20 October 2017 Reserve near Cricklade, a very good spot with no distrac- tions from car headlights. Programme: Steve Tonkin - Binocular Astronomy We often meet regularly at a lay-by just outside the village of Friday 17 November 2017 Uffcott, near Wroughton. Directions are also shown on the Programme: Mike Leggett: Exploration of Mars website link below. Friday 15 December 2017 When we use East Kennett, we meet at the public car park just below The Red Lion pub at Avebury; we usually hang on Programme: Christmas Social for 10 minutes and then move on to our viewing spot at East Kennett. Information about our evenings and viewing spots can be found here: Website: http://www.swindonstargazers.com/noticeboard/ http://www.swindonstargazers.com noticeboard06.htm Chairman: Peter Struve If you think you might be interested email the organiser Rob- in Wilkey (see website). With this you will then be emailed Tel No: 01793 481547 regarding the event, whether it is going ahead or whether it Email: [email protected] will be cancelled because of cloud etc. Address: 3 Monkton Close, Park South, Swindon, SN3 2EU We are a small keen group and I would ask you to note that you DO NOT have to own a telescope to take part, just turn Secretary: Dr Bob Gatten (PhD) up and have a great evening looking through other people's Tel Number: 07913 335475 scopes. We are out there to share an interest and the hobby. There's nothing better than practical astronomy in the great Email: [email protected] cold British winter! And hot drinks are often available, you can also bring your own.
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