Amateur astronomy in Cheltenham, Gloucester and environs
At the monthly meeting this Saturday, Dr Helen Heath, from Bristol University will be talking to us about Cosmic Rays. These are not some metaphysical health remedy, but extremely energetic particles from the depths of space, so it will certainly be a meeting not to be missed.
Today (October 1st) the new website has gone live.
Most of the content is the same as the old site, but we will have new content and features coming soon.
If you find any problems, or have any comments or suggestions please email webman@cotswoldas.org.uk or leave a comment on this posting.
At our last meeting, Eddie Carpenter presented some observing tips.
Many members asked if these could be written up and put on the website, so here they are.
I have added my own recollections and interpretations on Eddie’s suggestions – Callum.
1. Black cloth over head and eyepiece
A black cloth over your head and eyepiece will help block out any extraneous light, and help you ‘focus’ on the object you are observing.
The September/October 2012 issue of Mercury is now available to download from the Members|Downloads area.
Contents include:
At our September 8th meeting Dr Ian Kenyon of Birmingham University will be telling us all about the “Latest results from the Large Hadron Collider”.
Meeting starts at 7.45 pm. at Shurdington Social Centre.
Congratulations to:
Ian Sibley; winner of the Dan Turton trophy for “best astro-image”.
Angela Cresswell; winner of the Robin Townley trophy for “contribution to the work of the Society”.
Although we did not have too much luck from the top of Cleeve Hill many members managed to capture some images.
Around about 30 optimistic astronomers ascended the heights of Cleeve Hill near Cheltenham hoping for a glimpse of Venus’ dark silhouette against the rising Sun on the morning of 6th June.
It was an early start for most, and there was quite a crowd already in place by 4.30 am, patiently waiting for sunrise at around 4:50.
However, although tantalising gaps in the cloud cover appeared from time to time, none really settled over the rising Sun sufficiently for anyone to get a good view.
Rik McRae had good luck, managing to capture a few video frames (one at right here). Tom Barnaville caught a glimpse with his binoculars and projection screen, and Robert Massey of the Royal Astronomical Society, who joined with us for the event, managed to see it briefly with a white light filtered Meade ETX. Also around this time Peter Cadogan and William Jackson had a view through William’s white light filtered newtonian.
Afterwards, the skies did clear a bit, and the Sun shone – just to make it clear who is the Boss.
Away from Cleeve Hill, we hear that Tony Ireland managed to see it from his home in Cheltenham and John Fletcher too, from his observing location.
If any members have any pictures from wherever they observed, please send them in for the website and Mercury.
