Meetings |
This page lists our monthly meetings. For other events open to the general public, see our Events page
Dates are set well in advance but the 'content' of the meeting is only updated (from our 'meetings database') when details are entered, so 'blank' or 'TBA' may be shown when data has not yet been entered (please be assured that the meeting will take place and a talk on (some) Subject will be delivered by (some) Speaker ! )
Meetings are held at the Church Hall (aka 'The Soltau Center') of St James-the-Less, Stubbings, Maidenhead SL6 6QW, from 7.30 (for a map and directions, see the About MAS (Where we meet) page
The Main Topic is usually delivered by an invited guest speaker. We aim to provide a diverse range of subjects linked (in some way) to Astronomy - whilst the 'Second Session' is typically delivered by one of our members. If time allows, the evening concludes with a short 'What to see this month'.
Details of a typical evening (times are approximate) :- 7.30pm. The evening starts with the Chairman delivering any important Announcements and then introducing the main speaker. 7.45pm (latest). Main Topic Speaker gets up and the lights are turned off. If you arrive after 7.45, please enter the Hall by the first door (on the right, after the entrance) and please be extra careful when finding a seat at the back of the Hall as members often setup telescopes there ! 8.45-9pm +. Coffee break during which visitors often chat with members who have set-up their telescopes at the back of the hall. If the weather is good, sometimes members will nip out for a quick look at the sky. Smoking is permitted outside the Hall, however smokers are asked to avoid any 'observers' (smoke particles always seem to get into optical equipment, no matter how well 'sealed' it may be) 9.15pm (at the latest). The 'Second Session' then runs for about 45 mins, typically ending with "What's Up !" (what to look out for in the sky this month) 10pm. We aim to clear the hall by 10pm. Post meeting Observing. If the weather is good, the Observing Organiser then leads the way to our chosen observing site, or (if the weather looks even a slight bit 'iffy) members sneak off to the local Pub instead :-)
Next meeting :
(-) 1 Feb 2019 Ask the expert - (members panel)
Friday, 1st February 2019 - Members’ evening – “Ask an Expert”
Test the knowledge of our panel of “expert” members and ask searching questions on any astro subject or the basic ones that get overlooked !
All our indoor Meetings are open to the public, however non-members are asked to make a contribution of £2 toward the hall hire costs (this may be collected by Fred, our Membership Secretary, at the door on arrival, or left at the 'Tea hatch' at half time).
This note last modified: 24th Sep 2018 13:31.
(+) 1 Mar 2019 The Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) - (Dr)
(+) 5 Apr 2019 Space Weather - (Dr Colin Forsyth)
(+) 3 May 2019 To be announced
(+) 7 Jun 2019 MAS 61st AGM
(+) Jul 2019 Summer break - (no meeting)
(+) Aug 2019 Summer break - (no meeting)
Meetings Archive |
The meetings archive gives an 'overview' of the Society activities over the past 10 years (see also the Events page).
Members have access to the full 'History of MAS' (including AGM minutes going back to 1957) along with full names and photos
The MAS 'year' runs from September of one year to June of the following. The end of year AGM in June elects the Committee for the following year (there are no meetings in July and August - although often members will meet informally at the local pub - which gives the new Committee time to 'get a grip' on running the Society)
The "short cuts" (in the 'title bar', at the very top of this page) will take you to the June AGM entry for the end of that MAS year
The Maidenhead Astronomical Society meetings archive (last 10 years only)
Missed a meeting, or can't remember when a topic was last covered ? Here is the archive of past MAS meetings.
Note that this list covers only our monthly meetings and AGM's. Reports on Observing and Other Events are separate pages
If notes were taken at the meeting, the date below is underlined and shown with a '(+)' = click to see the notes (if no '(+)' is shown, no notes were taken - or, more likely, the webmaster hasn't found them and posted them up yet :-) )
(-) 4 Jan 2019 Equipment exhibition - (and EGM)
Friday, 4th January 2019 - E.G.M and annual Equipment exhibition:
EGM Called to elect a new Chairman.
[ Ed. The term 'Chairman' is used since this matches the wording in our Constitution. It was also preferred by Susan, our previous Chairman. There is no intention to offend anyone and the post is open to all candidates irrespective of their (current) gender ]
Our ViceChairman, Andy, does not wish to take the position of Chairman. He also announced his intention to step down at the next AGM.
Having received no nominations, Andy then asked for nominations for Chairman from those present.
The Membership Secretary explained that the constitution states that there should be a Chairman and Vice Chairman and one or other of these must attend and oversee committee meetings, in the absence of a Chairman the committee do not have a mandate from the members to make decisions on their behalf. This means that decisions could be challenged by members which would understandably lead to committee members being reluctant to take responsibility for any decision or action on behalf of the society.
The Chairman role also includes responsibility to promote MAS in the community and help drive membership forward and develop the public profile. The key responsibilities of the Chairman was outlined at a previous meeting and it was pointed out that the Chairman would not be expected to undertake all those tasks personally but with the support of the committee, including delegating some of this responsibility while continuing to oversee actions and activities.
The committee is strong and all members have specific areas of responsibility, however no committee member should have more than two areas of responsibility and there is currently no spare capacity which further weakens the structure and strength of the society.
The Vice Chairman asked members to give further thought to whether they may wish to be considered for the role of Chairman as this is an essential and key role in the society, and to speak to any committee member if they have any questions or wish to discuss options to progress this.
With no willing candidate, Andy called the EGM to a close.
A committee meeting will be called ASAP to find a way forward.
Institute of Physics upcoming events, by Andy.
Andy mentioned IOP, London and South East upcoming Activities, the PDF can be found on their web site, here. NOTE The first page is March 2019, scroll down to page 2 for the Jan / Feb events. There is no charge.
The first talk is at Oxford on Thursday 17 January, 6.45pm. Entitled 'Transient astronomy – bursts, bangs and things that go bump in the night', the speaker is, perhaps, most famous for not getting a Nobel Prize, Prof. Jocelyn Bell Burnell.
Ed. The IOP makes it hard to find this information other than as a PDF, so I will add to MAS Outreach and Events page
Keeping warm Dave H.
Dave gave an impromptu talk on the subject of keeping warm whilst observing on winter nights.
Recommendations included:
ex-Army double layer rubber boots. These have an internal air pocket and thus a pressure equalisation valve in the heel ! Approx £60.
Duvet / goose down jacket - buy two and wear one over the other ! The second needs to be two sizes up from the first.
Gloves with rubberised finger pads, needed to operate equipment and avoid expensive eyepieces dropping onto the patio flagstones !
and finally:-
Catalytic lighter fluid burner 'Peacock' hand warmer. These can be found for £5 or less on eBay (direct from China) or £25 plus on Amazon (UK stock of the exact same Made in China item).
Top tip from Steve = I have a similar 'Zippo' hand warmer that runs on Ronson Lighter Fluid. The the £1 shop Lighter Fluid is not volatile enough to start it up. However a squirt from the expensive stuff from Ronson gets it going and it will then run OK on the cheap stuff :-)
New Horizons at MU69 (Ultima Thule)
by Tim H. (see NASA web page and also http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/)
A trans-Neptunian object (TNO), MU69 is the furthest object yet visited. The New Horizons (Pluto mission) spacecraft achieved a 3,500km flyby on 1 Jan 2019. It's data store was filled with the equivalent of 2,000 photos, which will be downloaded over the next 20 months.
The shape of MU69 was found to closely match that predicted by occultation observations.
Tim also mentioned how the Hill Sphere, the volume of space over which a body exerts it's gravitational influence, had been calculated for MU69. Interestingly, the closer a body is to the Sun, the less influence it's own gravity has. So Jupiter, despite being the largest planet in the Solar System, does not have the largest Hill Sphere.
This value indicates the volume of space over which mu69 might be holding captured debris, especially important if your spacecraft is about to get close !
What's Up In the Sky this month, by Alun H.
Alun noted that the 'pup', the companion star of Sirius, is at it's furthest from it's parent this year. A good photographic opportunity !
Some images by Matt.
Matt showed us some of his recent images. He hopes to host this as regular feature of meetings and invites members to send him some of their own for him to show off on their behalf !
Equipment exhibition:
As is usual for the fist meeting of the year, members - and visitors - bring telescopes and kit to display/demo. This was the informal part of the meeting.
All our indoor Meetings are open to the public, however non-members are asked to make a contribution of £2 toward the hall hire costs (this may be collected by Fred, our Membership Secretary, at the door on arrival, or left at the 'Tea hatch' at half time).
This note last modified: 7th Jan 2019 20:06.