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! WELCOME TO THE MAS WEB SITE !
MEMBERS see General Data Protection Regulations |
Annual Photo Compitition 2019. You have to be a member to enter. Next closing date 6th May 2019. Further details in the Members section. If you have problems logging in, contact the Membership Sec. or Webmaster
Next Months Meeting |
Friday, 1st March 2019 The Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) (Dr)
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, 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 |
Friday, 7th September 201813 Journeys through space and Time (Postponed new date TBA) |
Friday, 1st February 2019Ask the Expert (members panel) |
Friday, 5th October 2018The Future is out of this World ( Dr Stuart Eves FRAS) |
Friday, 1st March 2019The Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) (Dr. Aprajita Verma) |
Friday, 2nd November 2018Short talks (by members) |
Friday, 5th April 2019Space Weather (Dr Colin Forsyth) |
Friday, 7th December 2018Christmas Quiz and Social ( ) |
Friday, 3rd May 2019To be announced ( ) |
Friday, 4th January 2019Equipment exhibition (and EGM) |
Friday, 7th June 2019MAS 61st AGM ( ) |
(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 |
11 Nov 2019 Transit of Mercury (2nd of pair)
11 November 2019: Transit of Mercury, start 12:35, mid 15:19, ends 16:015 (all times for Reading)
Like Transits of Venus, these occur in pairs, this being the second of the 2016/19 pair. Although Transits of Mercury are less rare than a transit of Venus, the next Mercury pair will not be until 2032/39 (see wikipedia).
For more on this transit, visit the time and date website
This note last modified: 27th Feb 2016 11:09.
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)
7 Feb 2019 Burchetts Green Infant School - (Outreach)
7th Feb 2019 - Burchetts Green Infant School (Outreach)
Team: Robin (lead), Steve, Tim, Adrian
report by Steve (based on Robins planning notes)
This was an afternoon and evening observing session. There were three classes with a total of 68 children – roughly 23 in each class. We ran from 13:30 to 15:10 in total for the classes, following on from lunch.
The plan was to run outside if possible, however on arrival the weather was judged too variable so we stayed inside. In the event it didn't actually rain until the end of the afternoon :-)
Afternoon sessions
We ran 3 topics for each class, so about 10 mins for each topic and 30mins for the class. Needless to say, we did over-run :-)
Robin kicked off with Stellarium showing the movement of the stars and pointing out the Big Dipper, Cassiopeia, and Orion along with a quick explanation of how to use the Dipper 'pointer' stars to locate the pole star.
Adrian then conduction a Moon 'quiz' and a demonstration of the phases of the Moon, with the class acting as the Earth and Robin/Tim as the Sun
With the remaining time, I quickly laid out the model solar system planets along the side of the hall whilst explaining the difference in scale between the planets and the distances with Robin acting as 'planet positioner' !
Evening session
As soon as the school finished, the Sun came out ! So I rushed outside to set up the Dob. for Solar Projection. Robin and Tim soon followed. Within 30 mins it clouded over, and, as a few drops of rain appeared, we quickly carried the telescopes back into the hall. With every likelihood of the planned observing being rained off 'Plan B' was put into effect.
I set up the Solar System Model on a series of chairs along the hall, whilst Adrian and Tim got ready to present Moon Phases with the “Sun” orbiting the “Moon” using (Adrian's ?) Earth/Moon table top model. Robin got ready to show off Stellarium with the Polaris Orientation Session script.
Fortunately it was just a passing shower, so it was soon back to 'Plan A' and we were just able to get back outside before the parents started arriving for the evening session. The telescopes were quickly trained on the thin crescent Moon visible low in the south-west.
I was amazed at the number of parents who attended and the level of interest shown. There were queues at each of the telescopes, even after the Moon had disappeared into the trees ! As yet more parents arrived, I left Adrian to 'aim' the Dob. whilst I set up the 'Dave and Becky Bond' (donated) telescope. As this was completed, one of the parents who was there to report on the 'Shepards Huts' (see at end) for the Maidenhead Advertiser took a few photos and asked me a few questions, Advertiser readers look out next week !
Adrian had checked the Heavens Above site for Maidenhead and was able to point out the ISS overpass as it ran overhead from south west to south east at about 17:30. This was seen by most of the visiting parents.
The planned evening session ran from about 17:00 to 18:00 when there will be a PTA Social event at the school – to “open” two shepherd’s huts installed recently. In the event, we finished at about 18:15.
This note last modified: 9th Feb 2019 08:56.
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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