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
(+) 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)
21st November 2022 - C of E Primary School, Cookham Dean - Outreach
Andy (lead), Adrian J, Robin, Tony T, Steve (report complied by Steve, from submissions by group as noted)
This was a daytime event, starting after lunch at around 1:30 and running until 3pm.
The hope was we might setup telescopes outside to see the Moon which was up during the day (Adrian and would have been a challenge, as the very thin crescent Moon was at 10 degrees elevation when we started and had set by the end of our session) and perhaps even show sun-spots (using solar-projection). However the forecast was poor and as I loaded the car it was already raining.
The Cookham site is another with very limited parking, most having to remain on the verge of the lanes outside. However with my car full of telescope, screen, projector and 3 bags of solar system models, so I managed to blag the only spot inside the grounds and directly beside the main hall. Unloading in the by now somewhat heavier rain did not get me and the equipment as damp as it could have !
Andy and Robin took the classroom for their presentation whilst Tony, Adrian and I set up in the lunch hall. Fortunately it had a large screen and ceiling mounted projector, which, by some miracle, my laptop successfully interfaced to.
The class was split into two, with one half getting Andy's and Robin's talk in the Classroom whilst the other did the Solar System in the Main hall. The two halves then switched over and we ran through the material again.
Classroom - report by Andy
Robin kicked off with a year 5 version of what can be seen in the sky.
Andy followed this with a talk about why the illuminated part of our Moon changes shape during a lunar month. We then used a torch to illuminate a polystyrene Moon which was moved around the outside of the class to show the different moon phases. This does not work that well in a small classroom as the Moon is too close to the pupils who are on the Earth, in the middle.
To give an idea of the true Earth Moon separation a small inflatable Earth, a beach ball, and a white juggling ball, a quarter of that size, were used to show the two bodies to scale. The Moon is about 10 Earth circumferences away from Earth, so a piece of string that long was unravelled between them to show their separation to scale. The pupil holding the moon was in the far corner of the room whilst Andy, holding the Earth, was outside the class in the corridor.
Robin showed a wire supported Earth/Moon system with a torch Sun to project the Moon's shadow on Earth during an eclipse. Finally, the young astronomers drew the phases of the Moon on a worksheet provided by MAS. The same program was repeated for the second half of the class.
Main hall - report by Steve
All photos by Wendy-S_B (class teacher)
Adrian started with his 'balloon sun' and 'choose an Earth to scale' task. With him at the front of the hall, the students then walked down the hall to stand with their chosen Earths at their chosen orbital distance.
Adrian holding the 'balloon' Sun and the class holding up their chosen scale Earth at their guessed scale distance.Whist one student did stand at the far end of the hall, no one chose the 'pin head' Earth, and all were most impressed when Adrian marched down the hall and out of the door into the playground, a total of 30 long paces away !
I then explained that to fit a model solar system into the hall we would have to 'squeeze down' the orbits. The students were split into 3 groups of 4 or 5 and given the scale sheet. They would choose balls from those provided to get the planets roughly to scale and then place them in the hall at the correct relative distances from the sun at the front, stage end, of the hall.
Deciding where to place the planets (in front of the orange Sun 'segment')
Measuring the inner planet distances.After some assistance from myself, Adrian, Tony and the teacher all groups completed the task.
Model Solar System (looking back from Neptune, Uranus then to Saturn and Jupiter toward the (orange) Sun segment)I then ran the Black Rock Desert 'same scale' video on the screen. In this video, similar sized planets to those the students used are placed in the Black Rock Desert to form an 11 km wide scale solar system, no 'squeezing down' required !
We finished with a 3 group 'round robin' talk on telescopes, myself with the Newtonian Dob, the others with their tripod mounted small refractors.
Adrian demonstrating the Telescope principle (using two magnifying glasses and a paper tube)
Adrian with his small refractor.
Tony and his small refractor
Steve's Dobson mount Newtonian reflector (right - looking in to see the mirror)The two class groups then switched over and we ran it all again.
At the end of the afternoon, as we packed up it was still raining. I waited whilst the parents picked up their children before one of the teachers was good enough to stand by the gates as I exited the grounds.
When I got home, half way through unloading, the rain stopped !
This note last modified: 6th Jan 2023 18:15.