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! WELCOME TO THE MAS WEB SITE !
(Note on General Data Protection Regs. moved here)
MEMBERS click for BAA Membership changes
Members Annual Photo Competition 2026 |
Entries are now open for the 2026 competition (note new email address for entries :- mas.photocomp@gmail.com). 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 |
Saturday, 5th September 2026 pioneers of spectroscopy (Mr)
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 )
Saturday, 5th September 2026pioneers of spectroscopy (Mr. Jack Martin (via Zoom)) |
Friday, 5th February 2027NotFound (TBA) |
Friday, 2nd October 2026Wish you Were Here (for Astronomers) (Dr. Lilian Hobbs ) |
Friday, 5th March 2027Radiation Protection and Space Weather (Dr. Elizabeth Cunningham) |
Friday, 6th November 2026NotFound (TBA) |
Friday, 2nd April 2027NotFound (TBA) |
Friday, 4th December 2026Christmas Quiz (Tony Taylor) |
Friday, 7th May 2027NotFound (TBA) |
Friday, 1st January 2027NotFound (TBA) |
Friday, 4th June 2027NotFound (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 |
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)
9 Jul 2026 Cookham Dean Primary School - (outreach)
9 July 2026 - Cookham Dean Primary School - outreach
MS Team:- Robin (lead), Steve (report), Arthur, Andy, Adrian D.
This is one of our 'regular' annual outreach bookings, an afternoon 'sun and solar system' activity for the year 5 pupils. So by now most of us knew to get here early because parking is limited and unloading can take time.
It was a blisteringly hot sunny day with just a few scattered clouds. So I slapped on the Factor 50 before loading the car. For once I arrived first and was able to park right next to the gates to the playing fields opposite the main buildings. After 'checking in' I unloaded my gear next to the field and school gates. After moving the car down the lane to make room, I sat down on a bench under some trees to await the arrival of the rest of the MAS team.
After a few minutes, just as I was checking the time and thinking of calling Robin in case the event had been called off at the last moment due to the hot weather, Robin and Andy walked by. They had parked in the School car park around the corner - which is closer to the buildings but much further away from the playing fields.
As they were checking in, Adrian D arrived and I advised him to unload next to the field so we could move everything past the gate as soon as it was opened. Andy passed over the MAS Solarscope which, of course, comes without a tripod. Adrian volunteered the use of his tripod, but Robin had already taken this into account and made his available. Then Arthur arrived and parked up his van in a prominent spot by the main gates.
Setting up in the fields, I placed the 'string solar system' set ready for '4 team use' and set up my Dob. in solar projection mode. Adrian fitted his SeeStar with it's solar filter and Robin started to set up the Solarscope.
The Year 5 teacher then arrived with some very welcome bottles of cold flavoured water !
After a while it was obvious that Robin was having problems with the Solarscope. Whilst he was able to see a very faint image, it was proving impossible to obtain the usual bright in-focus result. Adrin D, ho has some experience with solarscopes, examined the diagonal which contained the filter and advised that it had burnt out.
Putting the Solarscope to one side, we found Robin a dozen or so Eclipse Glasses so he could deliver a talk on the Aug 12 eclipse whilst the pupils used the glasses to look at the sun.
Initial plans called for the solar system layout activity to be done first, however with two main groups - one of around 16, the other a little larger - and limited time we quickly decided that we would do the sun talks.
Whilst the larger main group attended the 'star talks' indoors, the other was slit into 3 sub-groups of 5 or so each and rotated around our 3 'stations' (Adrian D SeeStar, Robin eclipses, myself solar-projection sun spots).
Indoors star talks
report by Arthur
On arrival, Robin found that the classroom assigned had a good sized display screen. Since Andy was able to link to this with his laptop for the presentations, the Society beamer and screen would not be needed. These were loaded back into the car, saving time later.
The indoors talk was based on Stelarium, showing the constellations and how to find north using Ursa Major to 'point' at Polaris, the North Star. Also shown was a view of what the night sky would look like after dark tonight.
report by Andy
The classroom session were run twice, once for each half of the class.
Using Stellarium they were shown what is visible in the night sky and how to locate North using the Plough pointer stars to find Polaris.
The relative sizes of Earth and the Moon were demonstrated using an inflatable Earth, a ball for the moon and a piece of string of length 10 times the distance around the equator.
We discussed the phases of the moon and demonstrated how the Moon casts a shadow on the Earth's surface during a Solar eclipse. We also highlighted the eclipse that is occurring on 12 August and emphasised the danger to their sight of viewing the event without the guidance of an expert and safety precautions.
Outdoors end session
With both main groups together, a model of the 'string Solar System was laid out in the playground (demonstration mode).
This overran a little, leaving no time for questions and bringing the afternoon to a close.
This note last modified: 22nd Jul 2026 12:58.
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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
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