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! WELCOME TO THE MAS WEB SITE
COVID-19 UPDATE. All meetings are being held on-line using the 'ZOOM' conferencing system until further notice
MEMBERS visit the members area for the Meeting ID: 'link'
Visitors, please visit the 'contact us' page and use the email link at the bottom of the page
MEMBERS see MAS LOGO Fleeces |
(Note on General Data Protection Regs. moved here)
Annual Photo Competition 2020. Postponed to 1021 due to Covid. Entries are now open for the 2021 competition, winners will be announced at the AGM. You have to be a member to enter. Next closing date 31st October 2021. Further details in the Members section. If you have problems logging in, contact the Membership Sec. or Webmaster
Next Months Meeting |
Friday, 5th March 2021 Tour of the Universe (Jane Green ZOOM on line meeting)
During COVID-19 restrictions, all meetings are held on-line using ZOOM. Normally, all our indoor meetings run from 7.30 to 10pm in the Church Hall, St James-the-Less, Stubbings, Maidenhead, SL6 6QW (for directions, see our About & Contact page)
Meetings are normally on the first Friday of the month, September to June. There are no indoor meetings in July or August (unless indicated)
Beginners and visitors are always welcome at our indoor meetings (you don't have to join, however a £2 contribution toward the costs of the hall hire would be most welcome !)
To contact the society between meetings (or for an invitation to a ZOOM meeting), please complete the on-line General Enquiry form
If you would like to receive, by email, advanced notification of our free public events, or you would like further information about the Society please use the Enquiry form mentioned above - or just turn up at any meeting and speak to any member of the Committee.
We also have a page on the Maidenhead Arts Council web site (where you will find details of other local clubs and societies if, for some inexplicable reason, Astronomy fails to fire your imagination and seize your interest :-) )
This seasons meetings |
(download printable guide PDF )
Friday, 4th September 2020Two eyes are better than one (Stephen Tokin) |
Friday, 5th February 2021Space Vehicles (Graham Bryant ZOOM on line meeting) |
Friday, 2nd October 2020Is there anyone out there (Bob Mizon) |
Friday, 5th March 2021Tour of the Universe (Jane Green ZOOM on line meeting) |
Friday, 6th November 2020The Monster in the Crab (Gary Poyner) |
Friday, 2nd April 2021ZOOM on line meeting (TBA) |
Friday, 4th December 2020TBA ((TBA)) |
Friday, 7th May 2021ZOOM on line meeting (TBA) |
Friday, 8th January 2021The Astronomer's Toolkit (Dr Lee Anne Willson ZOOM on line meeting) |
Friday, 4th June 2021ZOOM on line meeting (TBA) |
(Table: http://www.maidenhead-astro.net/public/Home/index#2_bm)
Members :- Please log-in to the Members Only section for details of our next members only Event
Next Public Event |
10 Jun 2021 Solar Eclipse - (partial from UK)
10 June 2021, 10:12, annular Solar Eclipse of which only 23% is visible from UK
The full annular Eclipse will be visible from Canada and Siberia
This note last modified: 22nd Mar 2015 16:00.
See our Events page for more information about all our Events
Click here for MAS Facebook page
Monday, 9 May 2016: Transit of Mercury, members of MAS gathered in Ockwells Park to show the Transit to the public. For more details, see report on Events page
WARNING: never look at the Sun through a normal telescope !!
Doing so, WILL BLIND YOU !!!
Most recent Event Report |
Details of all our planned and past activities can be found on the Events pages.
Note that Outreach events are not usually open to the public, so are reported here only AFTER the event (Members can see planned Outreach dates in the Members Only section, Activity planning pages)
27 Jan 2021 (and 28) Bourne End Cubs (Outreach)
January 27th (and 28th) 2021 - Bourne End Cubs (ZOOM on-line presentation)
Presenters:- Adrian and Andy (report by Andy)
Adrian and Andy presented an on-line outreach event to two different Cub groups, that are based in Bourne End, on the evenings of 27 and 28 January. With the current restrictions the pack leaders have moved their meetings on-line and we all got together using Zoom. Steve, from MAS, joined us for each event to start getting him up to speed with virtual outreach.
The presentations we had prepared were designed to assist the Cubs to obtain their Astronomy badges. Adrian started both evenings with a guide to some of the constellations that are visible now and where to find them in the sky. He had prepared a worksheet, that leaders passed to the cubs, that would help them to remember the shape of constellations and their location. Cubs must be able to identify three constellations for their badge. Andy followed this with information about the sizes of the planets and their distances from the Sun to assist with the making of a solar system model. The latter task is another requirement for the badge.
Adrian then showed pictures of the moon and pointed out many of the features that can be seen with the naked eye. The badge requirement here is to observe the moon and point out some features, preferably using binoculars or a small telescope. As most of the cubs were unlikely to have observation instruments available this was also backed with a worksheet about the features that had been highlighted. The final session involved Andy asking the cubs what they thought were the differences between a planet and a star. Several good suggestions emerged and these were backed up with explanations as to why the differences are observed. During both of his talks Andy warned of the dangers of looking at the Sun directly and suggested some ways that solar observations could be carried out safely.
At the end of each talk time was allowed for the Cubs to ask questions. As always with this age group the questions showed great imagination and, in many cases, a good understanding of the subject. The sessions were well attended with fifteen cubs on the first night and eighteen on the second.
This note last modified: 10th Feb 2021 17:20.
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For the latest news, follow us on Twitter (javascript must be enabled for the 'button' below to work). Our latest Twitter postings can also be seen on the Observing page
Follow @MaidenheadAstroIf the fancy Twitter button doesn't appear above, you can exit to Twitter using this old fashioned URL link :-)
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We now have our own Facebook page !
exit to: Maidenhead Astronomical Society on Facebook
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 pointer at an outreach event. Children under the age of 18 and non-approved adults are not be allowed 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).
Links
Robotic Telescopes (MAS Links page)
Where we meet (MAS About page)
'Frequently Asked Questions' (FAQ, MAS Beginners page)
exit to: Maidenhead Arts Council (MADAC) MAS web page
exit to: Tim's list of Asteroid Occultation observation opportunities
exit to: European Asteroidal Occultation Network
exit to: Space Weather
exit to: Heavens-Above - times of everything passing overhead, especially ISS, satellites and Iridium flares
exit to: The Astronomer on-line - magazine for the advanced amateur
exit to: BAA (British Astronomical Association)
exit to: SPA (Society for Popular Astronomy) - especially suitable for younger stargazers !
Benefactors and supporters
O2 (award report)
exit to Cash-for-the-community (Baylis Trust)
Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead Lottery grant
RBWM-Education Directorate
Mr B.Smith of Shottesbrooke
Mrs P.Haymes
The Telegraph newspaper
exit to Oregon Scientific
exit to Telescope house