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. Our Policy Document for 2017-18 is available as a PDF download here
(+) 4 Apr 2020 Stargazing public event - (White Waltham)
(+) 10 Jun 2021 Solar Eclipse - (partial from UK)
(+) 25 Oct 2022 Partial Solar Eclipse
(+) 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
(+) 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 13th Maidenhead Scouts (Outreach)
(+) 7 Feb 2019 Burchetts Green Infant School - (Outreach)
(-) 24 Jan 2019 Sea Scouts (Outreach)
Thursday, 24 January 2019 - Sea Scouts, Lakeside. Outreach team: Andy, Adrian, Robin, Steve
report by Steve, additional & edit by Adrian
The original intent was to address the observing part of the Scouts Astronomy badge. So the plan called for us to arrive by 6:30 for a 7:15 start. However the weather failed to co-operate with 100% cloud coverage, only clearing to about 80% by the time we left. Fortunately Adrian had anticipated this and had a 'plan B' ready, part of which was to make the Solar System layout a team based activity.
As usual the SatNav directed me to the Sailing Club instead of the Scouts, however I quickly recognised the venue as one we had been to before and soon corrected myself. I was the last to arrive, at about 6:40, however the hall was 'occupied' by the younger group - the Beavers I think. So we piled our kit up outside whilst waiting for them to finish their meeting. As the hall filled with the 27 or 28 Scouts, we quickly set-up.
Robin started off a new power-point presentation depicting the winter and circumpolar constellations. Technology resisted him at first, so he handed over temporally to Andy, whilst beating his laptop software into submission. Meanwhile, Adrian gave a short talk on how to identify artificial satellites and how to plan an observation using the Heavens Above site for Maidenhead, one of the scouts’ badge requirements.
Adrian then gathered the Scouts into the centre of the Hall for a demonstration of how the Moon's gravity influences the Earth’s Oceans leading to the tides. Next the Scouts were divided into 3 groups and each of us did a quick telescope talk and demonstration, after which the groups were rotated. My second group was reluctant to move on and time ran out for the 3rd group, however I think we each managed to get the basics across.
This was followed by the highlight of the evening, the practical 'build a scale solar system' event. The Scouts divided into their Patrols. To help them, Adrian had printed a sheet for the patrol section leader giving the relative to Earth sizes and distances from the Sun of the Planets. Each Six patrol had to decide their own scale - to help them 12 inch / 30cm rulers were provided. At the back of the hall a number of balls had been laid out from which the patrols could choose their planets.
We had plenty of beads and marbles to represent the inner planets and Adrian had even found some grapefruits! The Scout Leader had lent some water polo balls, however we were short of larger balls for Jupiter. Instead, Adrian had some balloons they could inflate to their chosen size. This led to much merriment as these were allowed to escape and burst during the teams’ efforts to lay them out into a line. It was interesting to see the various choices of scale - from the smallest perhaps 2m from Sun to Neptune to one which could not be accommodated within the length of the hall, even with the entrance corridor ! The patrol which had most closely matched the Planet sizes and distances was announced as the 'winner' which concluded the evening.
This note last modified: 27th Feb 2019 14:44.