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)
Monday, 4th November 2019 - Cookham Dean CE Primary School - Outreach
Present: Adrian, Andy, Robin, Steve
Report by Steve
Our regular annual visit to Cookham School Year 5 didn't disappoint.
For once I was first to arrive, well before the 12:30 target. All down to the Sat Nav, I have to confess, since last time I was last, having driven past the side road at least twice.
As we unloaded in the dripping rain, it was decided that we would have to be all indoors. As usual, we would do the presentations twice, once to each of the two groups, about 15 students in each. Andy and Robin took the class room for power-point presenting of the constellations, whilst Adrian and I took the main hall for the Moon phases demonstration and the Solar System layout.
Whilst waiting for the hall to be cleared after lunch, I noted that the rain clouds had blown away and the sun as out. Unfortunately a quick check at the end of the hall showed trees blocking the view - to see the sun we would have to cross the road to the playground on the other side. Since the forecast was for more rain, we decided not to risk it and the Solar Scope stayed in it's carry case.
Before nipping off to the classroom, Robin was good enough to set up his telescope at the end of the hall. Here Adrian set up his small refractor and I the Dobsonian reflector. These would all be used for the telescope talk with which we ended our demonstrations.
Out class of 15 were soon ushered in and Adrian kicked straight off with the moon phases talk. In his subsequent demonstration, I played the part of the sun. Having not had the same practice as Robin, I managed to catch Adrian more than once with the full power of the beam !
To set the scale, Adrian inflated a balloon, about 20cm in diameter to represent the sun. Whilst I held it up, he invited everyone in the class to choose a ball from his box to represent the Earth and then go stand at the right distance from the sun. Most chose golf balls or bigger, although there were one or two who selected smaller beads. Despite my best efforts, the class all decided to stand a few feet in front of me !
They were suitable amazed when Adrian pulled a pin out of the box and told them that the pin head was the correct size for the Earth. He then walked down the entire length of the hall and out the fire exit onto the grass outside ! This, he revealed, was the correct scale distance.
I then took over with the solar system layout with nice big sun and planets. On the correct scale, the Earth would be at about 130m. whilst the end of our solar system would be 4km away. To save a lot of time walking, I squeezed it all down to fit inside the hall.
Soon the class was showing off their knowledge of the planets as we went through the 'name that planet' Q&A sequence.
As soon as we finished up with the telescope talk, and some more Q&A, the next class arrived.
Having had some practice the second run through seemed to go faster, and we had a little more time for Q&A. I was most impressed that one of the students managed to puzzle out a planet from it's description that the Greeks thought it was two planets Apollo and Hermes. He knew that to the Greeks, Hermes was the Messenger of the Gods and that to the Romans, who named all the planets, the Messenger of the Gods was Mercury !
Before I knew it it was well after 3pm, out official end time, and the class had to leave.
Report by Andy
Andy ran through a power point that pictured the Sun, Planets and our Moon and included a mnemonic for remembering the planets and their order from the Sun. We stopped frequently for questions as they arose.
Using slides of star fields Robin then explained how pupils could find their way around the sky by locating the Plough and using the pointer stars to find Polaris and the direction of north. He carried the line from Plough to Polaris, nearly, straight on to Cassiopeia and the Pleiades. He then explained that these constellations were circumpolar and could be seen all year round. A similar star field slide of the region around Orion was then shown to help locating this prominent feature of the winter sky. Our young astronomers were then given reversed star field copies of the slides, white sky with black stars, so they could join up the dots to show the constellations we had discussed.
Robin introduced both groups to a ?????????? and explained briefly how it was used and we discussed Stellarium and other apps that could be downloaded onto i-pads and mobile phones.
Andy briefly showed a cardboard Galilean telescope and explained that could be purchased as a flat pack from Astromedia.
This note last modified: 6th Nov 2019 11:05.