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
(+) 20 Jan 2025 Cookham Dean Primary school - (outreach)
(+) 5 Dec 2024 1st Sippenham Scouts - (outreach)
(+) 19 Nov 2024 9th Maidenhead Brownies - (outreach)
(+) 15 Nov 2024 1st Pinkneys Green Guides - (outreach)
(+) 6 Nov 2024 4th Taplow guides - (outreach)
(+) 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)
1st November 2022 - 1st Maidenhead Sea Cubs - Outreach
Adrian J (lead), Andy, Adrian D, Robin, Steve (report by Steve)
The Scout hut beside a lake is a venue we have been to more than once in the past so we are aware that there is limited parking. However the goal was to put on an observing session, weather permitting, so there were 3 cars bringing 5 telescopes, ranging from 80mm to 200mm.
During the afternoon, the weather was looking fine, but the forecast was for a band of clouds to arrive at exactly the wrong time and deliver a shower over our expensive equipment !
Adrian decided we should prepare for an indoor event and only bring telescopes 'on the off chance' and be prepared to rush the kit indoors should the rain come down. Rather than risk my Dobsonian, which is rather too large to be moved with any speed, I took along one of the Club's smaller telescopes (donated by the Bonds).
When we arrived the sky was not as overcast as expected and so we set up outside. Of course as soon as we setup, the clouds started to cover the Moon. But then, as the 20 or so Cubs arrived, the clouds cleared again.
The seeing conditions were surprisingly good and all the cubs got good views through the various telescopes of the 60% Moon. They were also excited to see Jupiter and its 4 main moons and Saturn. We were able to point out several stars and constellations too, to help the cubs with their Astronomer Activity badges.
Despite a rather wobbly tripod, and a finder scope that pointed anywhere but in-line with the main tube, I still managed to find Jupiter and it's moons, as well as Saturn. As clouds started to gather again, I just managed to aim at our own Moon. The moon's mountains along the terminator of the half moon showed up really well
When clouds obscured the skies, we moved inside the hut and Andy organised the Cubs with materials to make their own copies of constellations. They had sheets showing Cassiopea, the Big Dipper and Orion and could either apply some coloured sticky stars on top of the printed monochrome versions or use a blank sheet of paper to create their own version of those constellations.
Next Adrian inflated a balloon to represent the sun and asked the cubs to select, from a range of sizes, the sphere that represented the Earth on a similar scale. He also asked them to move away from him to represent the distance between Earth and Sun on the same scale.
Finally, Adrian demonstrated the Moon's phases with the assistance of Robin, despite the small hic-up when the 'sun' was found to have a flat battery. Lucky Adrian had a spare torch !
This concluded our part of the evening, and we packed up whilst the cub leaders were closing the meeting.
Two or three early arriving parents were very understanding in parking their cars down the road when they discovered we had occupied the car park. Fortunately we managed to exit before all the rest of the parents arrived.
This note last modified: 2nd Nov 2022 13:25.