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(Note on General Data Protection Regs. moved here)
MEMBERS click for BAA Membership changes
Members Annual Photo Competition 2024 |
Entries are now open for the 2024 competition. You have to be a member to enter. Further details on the Photo Competition page and in the Members section. If you have problems logging in, contact the Membership Sec. or WebAdmin
MEMBERS see also MAS LOGO Fleeces
Next Months Meeting |
Friday, 2nd May 2025 TBA
Our 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 |
(download printable guide PDF )
Friday, 6th September 2024The Discovery of Neptune (Barry Kellett) |
Friday, 7th February 2025The Armchair Messier Marathon (Lillian Hobbs) |
Friday, 4th October 2024The Crendon Observatory (Gordon Rogers) |
Friday, 7th March 2025WH Smyth and the Bedford Catalogue (Rob Peelings) |
Friday, 1st November 2024Black Holes and exploding Stars (Dr Chris Crowe) |
Friday, 4th April 2025TBA ( ) |
Friday, 6th December 2024Christmas Quiz (by members) |
Friday, 2nd May 2025TBA ( ) |
Friday, 3rd January 2025Telescope Parade and Workshop (by members) |
Friday, 6th June 2025MAS 68th AGM (Annual General Meeting) |
(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 |
12 Aug 2026 Solar Eclipse
12 Aug 2026, 18:11, total Solar Eclipse (91% visible from UK)
The full (100%) Eclipse will be visible from the North Atlantic and Spain.
This note last modified: 8th Mar 2015 13:35.
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 Apr 2025 Furze Platt Beavers Overnight Camp - (outreach)
7th April 2025 - Furze Platt Beavers Overnight Camp - outreach
MAS Team:- Robin (lead), Steve (report), Arthur, Adrian D and Alan C.
The Beavers meeting starts well before sunset, so with a forecast of almost perfect clear skies, we set up for Solar projection and, since the Moon would be visible before sunset, follow this with some Lunar observing. This would be followed by indoor presentations whilst it got dark. Then, if the Beavers were still awake, we would conclude with some star watching. The 'camp' would take place in the Scouts meeting hall next to a main road, so light pollution would be a problem later in the evening. However we hoped to finish the evening by observing Jupiter and some of the brighter stars.
Road works delayed me, so I was last to arrive. Adrian, Alan and Robin were already setting up and whilst Robin suggested I park in front of the hall, I felt there was insufficient space. So I parked some way down the road. I soon had the Dob. set up and projecting an image of the sun onto a white screen. Half a dozen sun spots were visible.
Both Alan and Adrian D had Seestar s50 digital telescopes, Adrian focussed on the moon whilst Alan used a sun filter to image the sun. Meanwhile, Robin set up his refractor projecting onto a screen suspended off the end of the telescope one a wire coat hanger !
Soon the Beavers came out, organised into 4 pairs. Two went to each telescope for a short talk about the dangers of looking straight at the sun and chance to view the sun projection or filtered view on Adrian's iPad or Alan's mobile phone. Members of MAS can see many of Alan's Seestar deep sky images on the MAS groups.io.
After each pair of Beavers swapped around 4 times they retired indoors. At this stage, Arthur who was planing a talk on the sizes of stars, was unfortunately called away.
However we soon had the Beavers engaged with the Solar System Q&A layout. I was very impressed with their knowledge of the planets. Robin assisted the Beaver who correctly identified the planet to place it at the correct relative distance from the 'sun'. The hall was quite short so we went with half scale, but even so Neptune should have been placed just outside the front window !
The Beavers then went for their supper - jam toast sandwiches I believe, whilst Roin helped pack away the Solar System. I carried the bags back to the car and then went back to my Dob. to manually track the Moon.
Meanwhile Robin delivered a talk on how to find North via the 'Big Dipper' pointer stars. He then mentioned some easy to find constellations, illustrating the same using Stellarium. He was followed by Alan C who talked about life of the ISS based on his conversations with one of the crew.
Whilst the Beavers were inside, Adrian looked after the kit outside and spoke to a number of the public who noticed our presence and came over to ask what we were up to.
The weather remained almost perfect allowing the evening to end with the Beavers coming out again to view the moon, Jupiter and some of the brighter stars before retiring to bed.
We had, I noted, over-run by a new record, around 90 minutes ! Fortunately the Beavers leaders had kept us going with supplies of Tea and Coffee !
This note last modified: 11th Apr 2025 19:48.
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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
Maidenhead Lions, Platinum Award (2022, celebrating the Queen's 70 years on the throne)
O2 goto our O2 award report page
Baylis Trust Cash-for-the-community
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