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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, 5th April 2019 Space Weather (Dr Colin Forsyth)
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)
14 Mar 2019 Furze Platt Beavers (Outreach)
Thursday, 14th March 2019 – Furze Platt Beavers (Thursday group)
Team: Adrian (lead), Tim and Andy, plus Tony T. (observer) Report by Adrian
With poor weather in prospect, we had arranged an indoor programme at the scout hut HQ building. As we arrived for the early evening session, an unexpected clear spell gave us an opportunity to view the near first-quarter Moon so we quickly revised the plan.
Tim and Adrian, assisted by Tony, set up small telescopes just outside the building whilst Andy organized the other equipment indoors. The 20+ beavers all had good views through both telescopes before clouds rolled in again. Moving back inside, the beavers’ leaders encouraged them to describe the features of the Moon they had seen.
Andy then presented a slide-show of some easy to identify constellations – Orion, Taurus and The Plough – describing the giant star Betelgeuse, and explaining how to find the Pole Star and Sirius. We followed this with an activity for the beavers: to complete worksheets by joining-the-dots to make the constellation shapes. Most completed the task, some with a little help, one or two coming up with interesting interpretations of the familiar patterns!
After this, Adrian and Tim gave a demonstration of the Moon’s Phases using a model Moon orbiting the beavers grouped together as the ‘Earth’ and illuminated by a flashlight ‘Sun’. The team then fielded a series of questions before we brought the session to a close.
The beavers’ leaders organized a short game and a song to finish off their evening as we packed up.
This was a short session - just 50 minutes – but the young beavers seemed to enjoy it and the leaders thanked the team for providing an interesting evening.
This note last modified: 18th Mar 2019 10:48.
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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