.org Feb-Apr 2010 AstroSouth Issue 03 Quarterly t D i r e c t o r y ISSN 2040-8609 The free Astronomy Directory for East Anglia, the Home Counties, South of England and the West Country SABRE Engine the future of Hyper-travel? Space Tourism Virgin Galactic prepares for 2011 launch New UK Space Agency Announced! Astronomical Insurance! Which way works? 80+ Astronomy Groups across the South! Up to date news & info on astronomy and space across the whole of the South of England every quarter news | reviews | space | what’s on | out there TM www.astrosouth.org www.astrosouth.org .org .org TM AstroSoutht AstroSoutht AstroSouth Directory ISSN 2040-8609 If you want to find your nearest astronomical Cover: Peveril Point, Dorset - The ‘Druid’s’ Tree and Orion the Hunter - New Years Day 2010 - Picture Graham Green the community group, you can find them from here by County... AstroSouth Feb-Apr 2010 issue 03 Sussex - P40 contents Astronomy Groups of Southern UK Adur AS AstroSouth Feb-Apr 2010 issue 03 Berkshire - P6-7 Herschel AS, Maidenhead AS, Newbury AAS, Reading East Sussex - P40-42 AS, Foredown Tower Astronomers, Crawley AS, News Page 4 Eastbourne AS, Lewes Astronomers, Wealden AS, AstroSouth - Serious hand-holding... Cornwall - P10 East Sussex AS, Wadhurst & Ticehurst AS Cornwall AS, Brannel AS, Callington Community AS, First Contact West Sussex - P42-43 Features Devon - P11, P13 Horsham AS, Brighton & Hove AS, Worthing AS, South Insight Page 8-9 Welcome to the AstroSouth Directory – judging by the Norman Lockyer OS, North Devon AS, Plymouth AS, Downs AS, Worthing Astronomers Astronomy Group Insurance amount of readers who Tiverton & Mid Devon AS, Torbay AS, Bridgend AS, Review Page 20-21 Wiltshire - P44 downloaded our last issue I can Dorset - P14 Wiltshire AS, Swindon Stargazers INTECH Telescope Amnesty Jan 2010 only conclude that astronomy Wessex AS Preview Page 22-23 is becoming more popular. Channel Islands - P45 2010 Planned Events - Updated Recent and increasing media Essex - P15-16 Guernsey AS, Jersey AC coverage can only help in making Clacton & District AA, North Essex AS, Castlepoint AC, Cover Story Page 50-53 astronomy more mainstream. Loughton AS, Thurrock AS, Havering AS Above the M4 Skylon & the SABRE Engine IYA 2009 has raised the bar Space News Page 64 on communication for pretty Hampshire P17-18 Bedfordshire - P46 Andover AS, Basingstoke AS, Cody AS, HantsAstro, Cranfield AS, Bedford AS, Luton AS New UK Space Agency announced much every astronomical society Hampshire AG, Solent AA, Southampton AS, News Page 66-67 across the UK. If you’re feeling a Bristol - P47 Virgin Galactic Unveils Mothership tiny bit patriotic, did you know Bristol AS Isle of Wight - P19 the UK Space Industry has been Vectis AS one of the few sectors that has Buckinghamshire - P48-49 New Section - Space Industry South Page 68-75 Aylesbury AS, Milton Keynes AS, Wycombe AS grown during the Recession? It is Kent P26-27 second only to the US in Space Ashford AS, Cranbrook & District Science & AS, Cambridgeshire - P54 Science. It employs some 68,000 Crayford Manor House AS, South East Kent AS, Cambridge AS, Papworth AC, Peterborough AS, Sawtry & TM people and adds several billion District AS Orpington AS, Mid Kent AS Contacts and Details pounds to our economy. It is also set to continue to grow. Which London - P28 Gloucestershire - P55 David Woods - Editor & Publisher West of London AS, Flamsteed AS, Astronomical Cotswold AS is why we are introducing a iodesign ltd - www.iodesign.co.uk Society of Haringey new Space Industry section that Hertfordshire - P57 highlights the innovations that Letchworth & District AS, South West Hertfordshire AS AstroSouth Editorial t Oxfordshire - P29 David Woods - [email protected] are taking place right on your Abingdon AS, Chipping Norton AS Northamptonshire - P58 Web Site: - www.astrosouth.org doorstep in Southern England. Northampton AS, Northamptonshire Natural History Tel: 023 9261 7092 Fax: 023 9257 0283 Skype: HantsAstro Somerset - P36-37 Society, Northants AA Post: AstroSouth.org 11 Drift Road, Clanfield, Hants PO8 0JJ The future is already here. Beckington AS, Crewkerne & District AS, South AstroSouth Electronic e-Directory is published quarterly ISSN 2040-8609 Norfolk - P60 This eZine is published on behalf of HantsAstro.orgTM. Any opinions and views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of Somerset AS, Bridgewater AS TM the Editor, Publisher, Sponsors or Advertisers of AstroSouth. HantsAstro is a society member of the Federation of Astronomical Societies Enjoy the read. Norwich AS, Breckland AS, North Norfolk AS (www.fedastro.org.uk). Where Links take you to other sites, the Editor, Publisher and Webmaster cannot be held responsible for the content of those sites. HantsAstro.orgTM, AstroSouth and Look Up! e-Zine and related devices are protected by registered copyright. Surrey - P38-39 ©2009 All Rights Reserved. HantsAstroTM a trading name of I.O Design Limited. Suffolk 62 No reproduction of any material is permitted without express permission of the respective owners. Farnham AS, Guildford AS, Richmond & Kew AS, Ewell Orwell AS (Ipswich), Stour AS (Suffolk) David Woods AS, Croydon AS Contributors:/behind the scenes: Graham Green, Sharon Rose, Elaine Long, Richie Jarvis, HantsAstro CoreTeam & Willow. Publisher – AstroSouth.org 02 03 www.astrosouth.org www.astrosouth.org Nearly every astronomical society has However, there is another way; with a public outreach program and this has over 200 active astronomy groups The internet is playing a key role for astronomy groups in terms NEWS been highlighted in the past year. Many throughout the UK it is an untapped of marketing, event and revenue generation. groups have now actively embraced the network for the British space rewarding tasks of engaging the public industry to become more exposed in astronomy. I should say amateur to the public. A lot of our industrial astronomy, as there are few people manufacturing base has now been who are lucky enough to do this for exported abroad, however we still a living. But the UK space industry is possess a unique blend of innovation ripe for growth, and if we encourage and engineering excellence. This allows parents and children to think about the us to punch above our weight although potential of a career in this particular it’s hampered by lack of funding. Last field, then maybe astronomy is the year’s science budget cut of £80 million initial spark of interest that could serves to remind us all that this is the develop into a career within the space real issue. I remember tweeting at industry. the beginning of the year - that if this was 2010 why aren’t we all charging Super Duper Spaceyness around like Hans Solo from Star Wars AstroSouth in our own rocket ship? We need Serious Hand-holding Sir Frank Whittle invented the jet engine more people to think about space which was just coming in to service at and astronomy, we need more people First I’m going to make a prediction the end of World War II, and during the working in it and we also need our that 2010 is going to be an even better 1950s and 60s NASA was working on Government to have a vision of a future group data every issue and this takes that enable so many to reap the Astronomy may never become a year for astronomy! Across the south scramjet technologies for hypersonic that allows us to escape the cradle of some time. For a quarterly publication rewards of getting involved in a local mainstream hobby like gardening for of the UK many groups and societies transport. I cannot fail to mention the Earth. This year sees a milestone we thought the frequency would be astronomy group. The most common example, but what could become benefited from media coverage of the Concorde, which first flew in the late when Virgin Galactic commences its enough to ensure that our contact problem is a lack of volunteers and mainstream is the consciousness of International Year of Astronomy 2009. 1960s until its early and unfortunate initial testing on what will be the first information for all groups would be without them it becomes a vicious thought that astronomy and the space It wasn’t as great as some had hoped, demise in 2003. Then during the 70s commercial space flight service with correct. This is based on the response circle, because without enough hands industry are linked and that for a but if you’ve noticed, what’s been and 80s there was a flurry of concepts regular flights commencing in 2011. It’s that we have from individually mailing to help run the group it can render number of commercial, scientific and building in terms of awareness through to do with hypersonic transport which, not quite science fiction but it’s about each of their respective committees, itself ineffective within a few seasons. environmental reasons they both have the media over the past six months if you pardon the pun, never got off to become science fact. and out of the 80 groups that are listed With larger groups it’s not always a much greater part to play in our is a growing shift towards astronomy the ground usually because of a lack within AstroSouth, just over three- possible to exist on subscription fees society than a lot of people realise. If and space industries in general. The of vision from the Government at the Closer to home quarters responded. Don’t worry, alone and as we allegedly climb out you’ve read this much and I haven’t lost UK is right up there with some of the time. During the 50s and 60s we also we’re working on getting the rest of recession, donations and grants are you, then maybe we can assist in this best countries in the world in terms had potential as a country to develop This third issue of the directory together, but the feedback we have had much thinner on the ground than they change.