Laser Pens |
Maidenhead Astronomical Society may use Laser Pens as a pointer during outreach events and talks. Any such use will comply with our Laser Pen Policy, which may be downloaded from here (.pdf)
Essentially, only responsible adults pre-approved by MAS are allowed to use a laser pointer at an outreach event. Children under the age of 18 and non-approved adults are not permitted to use the laser pen at any time. Any member of the public bringing their own device (without pre-approval) is asked not to use it during one of our events (and will be asked to leave if they are not willing to comply with this request).
Future Public Events |
This page is dedicated to events promoted by Maidenhead Astronomical Society aimed at bringing an awareness and appreciation of astronomy to the general public. Almost all of the Events listed here are run by MAS (the few that are not are plainly marked)
Details of future planned events are limited to those open to the general public (Members should look in the Members Only section for details of future events not open to the public - which includes most of our local Outreach activities (schools, cubs, brownies etc)).
Future events are listed in date order, next planned first. Be aware that events can change (usually due to the weather :-) ) so please check nearer the event before making a journey
Note. MAS holds Public Liability Insurance via our membership of Federation of Astronomical Societies. The Policy Document for 2022-23 (pdf) is available on request (it can be found in the Members section)
(+) 7 Mar 2025 (and 22) Major Lunar Standstill
(+) 29 Mar 2025 Partial Solar Eclipse
(+) 12 Aug 2026 Solar Eclipse
(+) 26 Jan 2028 annular Solar Eclipse
(+) 1 Jun 2030 annular Solar Eclipse
(+) 13 Nov 2032 Transit of Mercury
(+) 7 Nov 2039 Transit of Mercury - (2nd of pair)
(+) 28 Jul 2061 Halleys Comet returns
(+) 23 Sep 2090 Total Solar Eclipse - (the next visible from UK)
Reports from our Outreach & Event activity |
Here you will find reports of MAS events held in the last 10 years or so (i.e. since the MAS web site effectively 'took over' from printed newsletters as the primary means of 'reporting back' to the membership). Some details have been removed to allow for public viewing
The Members Only section contains details of MAS History going back to our formation in 1957
(+) 23 Oct 2024 Manor Green - (outreach)
(+) 2 May 2024 Newlands Girls School - (outreach)
(+) 26 Apr 2024 1st Britwell Scouts - (outreach)
(+) 27 Feb 2024 1st Cookham Beavers(2) - (outreach)
(+) 26 Feb 2024 1st Cookham Beavers(1) - (outreach)
(+) 6 Feb 2024 7th Windsor Brownies - (outreach)
(+) 15 Jan 2024 Cookham Dean Primary School - (outreach)
(+) 12 Jan 2024 1st Cippenham Cubs - (outreach)
(+) 6 Dec 2023 Bisham Brownies - (outreach)
(+) 22 Nov 2023 Furze Platt Cubs (2nd pack) - (outreach)
(+) 21 Nov 2023 Furze Platt Cubs (1st pack) - (outreach)
(+) 10 Nov 2023 Trinity St Stephans School - (outreach)
(+) 2 Sep 2023 Cookham Regatta
(+) 19 Apr 2023 Newlands School - (outreach)
(+) 18 Mar 2023 Highfield Prep School Look to the Stars - (Public Event)
(+) 4 Mar 2023 Maidenhead Big Read - (Maidenhaed Library)
(+) 23 Feb 2023 Bourne End cubs (2nd pack) - (outreach)
(+) 22 Feb 2023 Bourne End cubs (1st pack) - (outreach)
(+) 8 Feb 2023 Western House Academy - (outreach)
(+) 18 Jan 2023 1st Cippenham Beavers - (outreach)
(+) 12 Jan 2023 6th Windsor Cubs - (outreach)
(+) 21 Nov 2022 Cookham Dean C of E School - (outreach)
(+) 12 Nov 2022 White Waltham Academy - (outreach)
(+) 8 Nov 2022 1st Maidenhead Sea Cubs (2nd visit) - (outreach)
(+) 1 Nov 2022 1st Maidenhead Sea Cubs - (outreach)
(+) 25 Oct 2022 Partial Solar Eclipse
(+) 3 Sep 2022 Cookham Regatta
(+) 15 Jun 2022 Newlands KS3 Science Club - (Outreach)
(+) 18 Mar 2022 21st Maidenhead Scouts - (outreach)
(+) 10 Mar 2022 Wargrave Cubs - (outreach)
(+) 9 Mar 2022 Wargrave Cubs - (outreach)
(+) 28 Jan 2022 Western House Academy - (Outreach)
(+) 14 Jan 2022 1st Cookham Guides - (Outreach)
(+) 9 Dec 2021 Windsor Cental Scouts 2 - (Outreach)
(+) 8 Dec 2021 Windsor Cental Scouts - (Outreach)
(+) 2 Dec 2021 Furze Platt Beavers - (Outreach)
(+) 16 Nov 2021 Cookham Beavers 2 - (Outreach)
(+) 15 Nov 2021 Cookham Beavers - (Outreach)
(+) 8 Nov 2021 Cookham Dean School - (Outreach)
(+) 4 Sep 2021 Cookham Regatta
(+) 12 Aug 2021 Perseids meteor shower - (Ockwells Park outreach)
(+) 10 Jun 2021 Solar Eclipse - (partial from UK)
(+) 4 Mar 2021 1st Maidenhead Sea Scouts - (Outreach)
(+) 27 Jan 2021 (and 28) Bourne End Cubs (Outreach)
(+) 14 Nov 2020 Covid19 CANCELLED Public Viewing Event - (White Waltham)
(+) 9 Nov 2020 Cookham Dean Primary School (ZOOM Outreach)
(+) 4 Apr 2020 Stargazing public event - (POSTPONED)
(+) 21 Nov 2019 Central Windsor Scouts (Outreach)
(+) 11 Nov 2019 19th Maidenhead Beavers (Outreach)
(+) 11 Nov 2019 Transit of Mercury (2nd of pair)
(+) 4 Nov 2019 Cookham Dean Primary School - (Outreach)
(+) 10 Oct 2019 Holy Trinity School yr3 - (Outreach)
(+) 7 Sep 2019 Cookham Regatta
(+) 29 Aug 2019 Maidenhead Library (Outreach)
(+) 19 Aug 2019 Childrens Reading Challenge Maidenhead Library - (Outreach)
(+) 20 Jul 2019 50th Anniversary of the Moon Landing - (Maidenhead Festival)
(+) 4 Apr 2019 Newlands School (Outreach)
(+) 28 Mar 2019 Bourne End Cubs (Outreach)
(+) 14 Mar 2019 Furze Platt Beavers (Outreach)
(+) 24 Feb 2019 Furze Platt cubs (Outreach)
(+) 15 Feb 2019 Scouts (Outreach)
(+) 15 Feb 2019 13th Maidenhead Scouts (Outreach)
(+) 7 Feb 2019 Burchetts Green Infant School - (Outreach)
(+) 24 Jan 2019 Sea Scouts (Outreach)
(+) 29 Nov 2018 ALLsorts (Outreach)
(+) 18 Nov 2018 Furze Platt Cubs (Outreach)
(+) 7 Nov 2018 Furze Platt Cubs (Outreach)
(+) 5 Nov 2018 Cookham Dean Primary School (Outreach)
(+) 20 Oct 2018 Furze Platt Beavers (Outreach)
(+) 10 Oct 2018 WILLIAM LASSELL by Kenlem England (MAS) - (Maidenhead Heritage Centre)
(+) 11 Aug 2018 CANCELLED Persieds Observing - (Ockwells Park)
(+) 27 Jul 2018 Total Lunar Eclipse
(+) 30 Jun 2018 (end) Maidenhead Week - (Lassell at Heritage Center)
(+) 23 May 2018 Wycombe Abbey School (Outreach)
(+) 12 May 2018 Lassell grave clear up
(+) 11 May 2018 Lassell grave tidy up
(+) 8 May 2018 9th Maidenhead Brownies - (Outreach)
(+) 28 Apr 2018 Maidenhead Arts Festival
(+) 18 Mar 2018 1st Furze Platt Brownies - (Outreach)
(+) 19 Feb 2018 Winter Hill Beavers - (Outreach)
(+) 18 Jan 2018 1st Maidenhead Beavers - (Outreach)
(+) 13 Dec 2017 Geminids meteor watch - (Ockwells Park)
(+) 22 Nov 2017 Cookham Dean CE Primary School - (Outreach)
(+) 18 Nov 2017 PUBLIC EVENT Leonids meteor watch - (at White Waltham)
(+) 6 Nov 2017 2nd Woodlands Park Rainbows - (Outreach)
(+) 5 Oct 2017 Harvest Moon - (official)
(+) 22 Sep 2017 Autumn Equinox - (early Harvest Moon)
(+) 21 Aug 2017 Solar Eclipse - (partial from UK)
(+) 12 Aug 2017 Perseid Meteor Watch - (Ockwells Park)
(+) 9 Jun 2017 MAS 60th Anniversary Meal - (Members and guest only)
(+) 1 Apr 2017 Stargazing Live
(+) 8 Mar 2017 1st Stoke Poges Guide Unit - (Outreach)
(+) 7 Mar 2017 19th Maidenhead Cubs - (Outreach)
(+) 21 Feb 2017 Furze Platt Cub Pack - (Outreach)
(+) 7 Feb 2017 St Pirans School - (Outreach)
(+) 7 Feb 2017 1st Wargrave Cubs - (Outreach)
(+) 2 Feb 2017 Wildcats Cubs Wargrave - (Outreach)
(+) 19 Dec 2016 Cookham Dean Primary School - (Outreach)
(+) 25 Nov 2016 Bayfordbury Observatory - (members visit)
(+) 17 Nov 2016 Taplow Brownies - (Outreach)
(+) 21 Oct 2016 Lowbrook Academy Science Week - (Outreach)
(+) 17 Oct 2016 19th Maidenhead Beavers - (Outreach)
(+) 17 Oct 2016 Holy Trinity School Science Week - (Outreach)
(+) 10 Sep 2016 Pinkneys Scout Camp - (Outreach)
(+) 11 Aug 2016 Perseid meteor watch - (Ockwells Park)
(+) 11 May 2016 1st Datchet Cub Pack - (Outreach)
(+) 9 May 2016 Transit of Mercury - (Public observing at Ockwells)
(+) 9 May 2016 Parkinsons UK at SportsAble - (outreach)
(+) 30 Mar 2016 Claires Court Holiday Club - (Outreach)
(+) 16 Mar 2016 Trinity St Stephens First School - (Outreach)
(+) 15 Mar 2016 Eton End School - (Outreach)
(+) 14 Mar 2016 Holy Trinity Primary School - (Outreach)
(+) 26 Feb 2016 Pinkneys Green and Boyne Hill Altwood Scouts - (outreach)
(+) 11 Feb 2016 Cox Green School STEM - (Outreach)
(+) 4 Feb 2016 Burchetts Green Infants School - (Outreach)
(-) 1 Feb 2016 3rd Cookham Brownies - (Outreach)
Monday 1st Feb, 2016 - 3rd Cookham Brownies (outreach)
Present: Robin, Andy, Steve (report by Steve)
This was the first Outreach of this week (the second is on Thursday) and a slightly later start (6.15 instead of 6). When I looked out at 5pm, the sky was clouded over, so, whilst the forecast for later in the evening looked good it would have to be 'in-door' event - so I packed the 'usual gear' and set off at about 5.30 to find the meeting hall.
The Sat Nav delivered me to the Church, and as I was trying to decide where to park Robin and Andy drove straight past me into what looked like 'private grounds'. I followed them anyway and lined up in front of the 'No Parking' signs :-)
The main meeting hall turned out to be long and narrow = so ideal for a 'full scale' string Solar System ! Whilst I laid down the string to claim the far side of the hall we realised that the Brownies would walk all over it during the Moon phases show, so our usual running order was amended to cope.
With the screen and projected ready, the Brownies (who had been gathering in another room) were 'allowed in'. I counted 18 to start (2 more arrived a bit later with 2 older 'helpers') who, with two 'leaders', were soon settled down in front of the screen. Robin started with the usual 'Finding Polaris' and 'Identifying (some) Constellations scripts and I then followed up with the 'Solar System' quiz and planet positioning.
I must say this group seemed to have done their homework, especially judging by the forest of hands that shot up and correct answers to the first few questions I asked = I had to hunt for a few harder ones to keep them on their toes ! During the questions and answers I managed to cover 'the difference between a star and a planet' and 'the difference between a moon and a planet' (so, one more Astronomy Badge requirement ticked off !). When they came to place the planets we discovered that the 'string' had been laid a few meters short - still, I'm glad to say that one of the brownies managed to place Neptune within the hall and at about it's correct position !
Soon we were inviting Robin to place Proxima Centauri at it's correct scale position (center of London) but he seemed strangely reluctant to go :-)
Next it was Andy's turn, and he soon gathered the Brownies together to represent the Earth (whilst Robin gathered up the planets and string, many thanks). Andy delivered the Moon Phases demonstration with the assistance of the two older 'helpers' who did a good job of 'walking' the Moon around the 'Earth Brownies' (sitting in the center of the Hall). We checked we were OK for time and then Andy had them filling in the Moon Phases answer (diagram) sheets.
Having checked that we were still OK for time, we launched into a quick talk about our telescopes, followed be a short 'questions' session (during which I was glad to hear at lest one Brownie had parents with a telescope, even if it was used mainly to keep an eye on the horses in the next field :-) ). The evening ended with Robin handing out some copies of 'Sky and Telescope' magazine that (I think he said) had been donated by one of our members (many thanks), along with the two Star Gazing Live leaflets.
The evening ended just after 7.30, and, as we started to pack I noted that the clouds had cleared and we had an almost perfect sky ! Getting home at just after 8pm I walked the Dob. out onto the patio and had a quick look at Orion (one of the most 'easy to find' constellations that Robin had talked about at the start of the evening).
This note last modified: 2nd Feb 2016 15:40.