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)
(+) 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
(+) 7 Apr 2025 Furze Platt Beavers Overnight Camp - (outreach)
(+) 3 Apr 2025 1st Bourne End Thursday Cubs - (outreach)
(+) 2 Apr 2025 1st Bourne End Wednesday Cubs - (outreach)
(+) 29 Mar 2025 Partial Solar Eclipse - (Ockwells Park)
(+) 21 Mar 2025 Kaizen Explorers - (outreach)
(+) 7 Mar 2025 (and 22) Major Lunar Standstill
(+) 3 Mar 2025 Littlewick Green Beavers - (outreach)
(+) 26 Feb 2025 1st Maidenhead Beavers - (outreach)
(+) 11 Feb 2025 1st Maidenhead Cubs - (outreach)
(+) 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)
22nd February, 2023 - Bourne End cubs (1st pack) - outreach
MAS team: Andy (lead), Adrian, Steve & Robin
Report by Andy & Steve
Steve
This was the first of two visits to the Bourne End cubs this week. The forecast was not good, 3/4 clouds and getting worse as the evening went on.
However as we arrived at 6pm the clouds had miraculously cleared. Andy would run the indoor talks whilst Robin, Adrian and I set up our telescopes outside. Houses obscured the view north, with trees and the street to the east and the scout hall to the west. South there was an almost perfect view of Jupiter above the crescent Moon which was following Venus, the brightest object in the sky (next to the Moon), down towards the setting sun and the roof of the building next door.
Photo, right, by MAS member Tim H.Whilst we were setting up the cubs started to arrive and two of the organisers were good enough to offer us coffee, which I gratefully accepted as with clear skies comes cold air !
Andy
Rather than split the pack into two groups, as in our original plan, we took all 25 cubs outside to observe the sky. We did not want one group to see Jupiter, the Moon and Venus and run the risk of the others missing out if the weather turned cloudy again.
The cubs were sent to the telescopes three at a time whilst Andy and a few scouts entertained the remaining 22. They were shown the location of Orion, the Plough and Cassiopeia, but one was behind a tree and the other two were not very clear. They also viewed Mars by naked eye, the Moon through the mini Newtony telescope and got to use Robin’s binoculars while they waited for their turn at the telescopes.
When most of the pack had used each telescope, Andy took them inside and showed them the three constellations on Stellarium as they were not clear in the sky. He then asked them what they knew about the differences between stars and planets. With some prompting they managed to pinpoint most of the differences which Andy had summarised in a PowerPoint. He also explained how stars produce their own energy by nuclear fusion.
Steve
I had popped in a high magnification eyepiece and focussed on one end of the crescent moon arm, which meant I had to adjust the aim between each observer. Adrian and Robin switched between the moon and Jupiter, with Robin even finding Mars above the trees and car park entrance to the east. I talked about how the airless and weather-less moon was showing the result of the impact of thousands of meteors over billions of years, whilst Robin pointed out some of the constellations in the sky visible to the south.
After 30 minutes or so high level cloud was starting to mask our view. Fortunately, the clouds soon evaporated and we continued to get good views. Once everyone completed observing, Adrian and Robin started to pack up whist I nipped in to help with the ''Build a Solar System" task.
This had to be rather rushed as we were in danger of over-running. However with some encouragement from myself, Andy and the organisers, all 4 teams successfully completed the task. I noted one team was clever enough to take advantage of the store room at the end of the hall, opening the door so they could place Neptune at their chosen scale correct distance, thus neatly avoiding the need to recalculate all their planet positions to a smaller scale !
Adrian noted that some of the teams struggled with the concept of the two different scales, mixing up relative planet diameter with relative distance, which were shown listed together in a single table.
Given the rushed opening instructions, I took his point, deciding to rework the 'crib sheets' by placing Earth relative Planet Size on one side of the sheet with Earth relative Orbit Distance (AU) on the other.
After collecting the planet balls and packing them up, we found ourselves running around 10 minutes late, however the pack leaders were very understanding.
As the pack went into the closing ceremony, I nipped back outside to pack up my Dobsonian before anyone had a chance to reverse into a black pillar at the edge of the car park. Usually I drape a set of red lights over the tube, however during the observing with 3 of us present that seemed a bit pointless.
This note last modified: 2nd Mar 2023 09:34.