Birmingham Astronomical Society

International Space Station pass over the UK 20 May 2024 22:26. One-minute time exposure from my front doorstep. I forgot to wave.

A new addition to our members benefits,.

The Trustees / committee thought it appropriate to obtain a modern smart scope , no eyepiece viewed and controlled via a smart phone or tablet. It’s deep sky, Moon and Solar capable. We have had it approx a month or less.

A colleague had first use to test it approve its function. We are still running trials in perfecting its operation and use.

Last night at the Wednesday Club, I managed to have a go, targeting the Moon. Today I managed an image of the sun using the provided solar filter. Despite fast moving light clouds, Imanage one clear-ish. Image.

The scope sends an image to your device and you observe in a similar way to a standard scope ( except your image is on screen. You smart phone is your controlling device. Choosing targets and once obtained, you can image, take videos and stack image to capture the fainter deep sky objects. As it stacks as it goes each individual frame adds to the ones before and you watch your targeted objects develop on your screen.

Images, a selected Moon image ( one from many) from Wednesday Club, The Sun from this morning. An amazing number of Sun Spots. it’s a SeeStar S50 smart scope.

As you can see it was quite a cloudy Sun.

All images Copyright
Birmingham Astronomical Society

You are invited to our Monthly lecture, this Month an interesting Talk by Martin Lunn , “the Pluto Story”

https://buytickets.at/birminghamastronomicalsociety/1137715

The Pluto Story

Discovered as a planet in 1930 then relegated to a dwarf planet in 2006, Pluto has set astronomers many problems about its size and what kind of planet it really is. It was only in 2015, when the New Horizons space craft flew past Pluto, that we began better to understand this small world at the edge of the solar system. Join Martin to find out all about this small body with a big story.

John Young

Hi All, our Lecture season starts with a talk by Julian Onions on Black Holes.

Tickets and details via the link.

https://buytickets.at/birminghamastronomicalsociety/1137693

See you soon
John Young

Buy tickets – Black Holes – Zoom Black Holes - are they really that bad? Black holes have got a pretty bad rap from films and books, being looked on as te...

Same Moon, same day, 12 hours or so apart

Hi from Birmingham Astronomical Society, thanks to all those who attended our (BAS & The Rangers) SkyWTch Evening on Friday 24th November.

We were blessed with Clear skies and our huge varieties of Telescopes , kept busy the whole night long. Fantastic Views of Our Moon, Jupiter, Saturn and many more Deep Space Items.

The School Room talks were well attended and much interest was shown to our displays and exhibitions and activities like the Crater creation.

A huge appreciation to the Hundreds that attended especially the 56 Children who partook in our Quiz and the winners of prizes.

As a thank you we have decided to invite those interested to our Monthly Lecture / Presentation to be held on line on Tuesday Evening 28th November 2023 starting 7.30pm.

Zoom link for:-
“Exploring Cosmic Visitors: Meteoroids, Meteors, and Meteorites with the Birmingham Astronomical Society “

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89641059263?pwd=TUdmbmd2eU9POStYT0lKUzJLbUhidz09

Thanks once again, we will be back at the Lickey Hills in the Spring. Hope to see some on line On Zoom for our Presentation.

Hi looking forward to tonight’s SkyWatch at the Lickey Hills Countr Park. Starts 7.30pm, Telescopes and Talks andActivities, with Prizes.

To wet your appetite a clear busy sky, just took this pic of the Moon Which you can see in more details with our scopes and binoculars,
Come along, try filming our Cratering in slow mo, wow,

Remember SkyWatch tonight Lickey Hills Count4y Park, expected Sky with a Good Forcast

Hi All Forcast is very Good for Tonight, looking forward to meeting you all there.!

Autumn Skywatch in association with Birmingham Astromnomical Society is back at Lickey Hills Country Park Friday 24th November. This is a free event, There will be lectures, a competition, and oppurtunity to look at the stars (weather permitting). Dress warm, and bring a torch to help light your way to and from your car. The cafe will be open for refreshments, please remember the cafe is cash only. Fingers crossed for clear skys and good views of the stars. Please feel free to cross-post.

This Friday remember our Autumn SkyWatch at the Lickey Hills Country Park, if your free pop along to the Visitors Centre.

Friday at the Lickeys will have Telescopes and Binoculars on the rear Patio of the Visitor centre. Plus talks in the old school room. Inside the visitor centre will be displays and activities Cratering, Astrophotography display, Telescope workshop, A Quiz and Kids Colouring Plus BAS Astro Art Group exhibit. In inclement weather the internal events will be supplemented Prizes for Kids!

Our scheduled September Lecture takes place on Tuesday 26th September 2023 Entitled “A universe from Scratch. “
Synopsis “ A Universe from Scratch. Astronomy is usually a visual and non-experimental science. We can only look at what is out there but can't bring stars and galaxies into the lab. However we can build them inside computers and attempt to simulate them. In this talk we will see how simulations can show us the Universe Evolves and what we can do with them and what areas we are struggling to make Models of.

If interested get a ticket from

https://ti.to/basuk/a-universe-from-scratch

Looking forward to seeing you soon.

A Universe from Scratch Astronomy is usually a visual and non-experimental science. We can only look at what is out there but can't bring stars and galaxies into the lab. However, we can build them inside computers and attempt to simulate them. In this talk, we will see how simulations can show us the Universe Evolves and....

Join us Tuesday night for a fascinating talk on The Barwell Meteorite.

‘Twas the night before Christmas… and the festive season of 1965 would be like no other when, above the small Leicestershire village of Barwell, a very large turkey size meteorite was about to crash from the sky. This is the amazing story of the Barwell Meteorite.

Join us Tuesday 29th August 2023 for this fascinating talk on the Barwell Meteorite.

We understand that life’s hectic and we don’t have time todo everything we want to do, but please support your society by sparing the time to join us it’s as much a social gathering, meeting albeit on line via Evenbrite for this fascinating topic.

Link https://www.eventbrite.com/e/barwell-meteorite-with-martin-lunn-tickets-698227175277

Cost £3.00 to non members, (members look for the free zoom link in a recent members email.)

Close to the heart of the society, with its Meteor detection array based at Space guard At Knighton.

So please diary this event and join us Tuesday at. 7.30pm to welcome our speaker for the Night Martin Lunn.

xClear skies and stay safe.

John Young
Chair Birmingham Astronomical Society

Barwell Meteorite with Martin Lunn This is the amazing story of the Barwell Meteorite.

Hi everybody, just a reminder our monthly lecture Tuesday 25th July 2023.

Via Evenbrite cost £3.00 for non members, all are welcome.

“CERN has long been a quintessential part of the scientific community, and its Large Hadron Collider (LHC) has paved the way for numerous discoveries in the world of particle physics over the past 15 years of its operation. Most notably, the discovery of the Higgs Boson, which confirmed the existence of the Braut-Englert-Higgs field in 2012. This talk will provide an overview of High Energy Physics (HEP) through the lens of the ATLAS collaboration at CERN; the Higgs field, its importance, and current goings-on / future directions at the collaboration.”

High Energy Physics through the lens of the ATLAS collaboration at CERN This talk will provide an overview of High Energy Physics (HEP) through the lens of the ATLAS collaboration at CERN

Our next monthly lecture :-
Evenbrite link

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/625158183957/

Sorry for late notification, it’s earlier in. The month and caught me by surprise. So it is tommorow night. Please try and attend follow the link below.
John Young
Chair BAS

A very topical subject with. all the Aurora's recently.

Topic
Our local star, the Sun, dominates everything in the solar system. Worshipped as a god from the earliest of times, at one stage astronomers believed that people lived inside the Sun! Today our knowledge of the Sun has dramatically increased. The Northern Lights, or Aurora Borealis, are caused by flares coming from the Sun and striking the Earth. However, there is a potential danger because if these flares are powerful enough they can overload the very sensitive electronic equipment we rely on today. It has happened in the past and will probably happen again in the future.

Lecture £3.00 via the link below cover. The expenses. It on line watch in the comforter etc

Welcome! You are invited to join a meeting: The Sun and the Northern Lights. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the meeting. Worshipped as a god from the earliest of times, at one stage astronomers believed that people lived inside the Sun!

Just created an Event for Tuesday Night, 28th March 2023 starting 7.30pm, 19:30hrs,

A talk / lecture by Steve Tonkin FRAS

About:-The Right Light at Night As-RightLight

Light Pollution was first identified as a problem by astronomers, but its consequences reach far wider. It is now widely recognised that artificial light at night, especially bright white light, can have profoundly negative effects on human health, and this is just the tip of an iceberg of harm. The effects on wildlife have been devastating, leading directly to the death of millions of birds each year and being the major driver of the insect apocalypse (studies suggest that 40% of insects will be extinct within the next few decades). The solutions are at hand, are simple to implement, will have a net saving (of money, energy use and carbon emissions) and will not compromise security or our ability to safely work, travel and play at night. We need to act now before it is too late.

A small fee is charged to cover expenses,

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-right-light-at-night-as-rightlight-tickets-546405061247

BAS Members use a Zoom link at no charge, fees prepaid as part of membership.

John Young
Chair BAS

The Right Light at Night As-RightLight Light Pollution was first identified as a problem by astronomers, but its consequences reach far wider.

Tommorow is our Monthly lecture.

Subject

Constellations: From Mythology to Modern Day

Mary McIntyre FRAS

Humans have studied the night sky since the dawn of time. This talk covers some of the constellation mythological stories from around the world, how they were named and some of the superstitions surrounding astronomical events. It then goes on to talk about how we view constellations in the modern day and some of the interesting things that reside within them.

Lectures via link cost £3.00 by ticket

Constellations: From Mythology to Modern Day - Mary Macintyre This ONLINE event is part of the BAS monthly lecture series. This talk covers some of the global constellation mythological stories.

Tonight’s (29th Dec 2022) Moon Jupiter conjunction.

Solar imaging and even just looking is fraught with many real and severe dangers. It is important that unless you use the correct safety equipment and or devices that you never look directly towards the sun or use any optical devices. Permanent and severe eye damage can occur and equipment may also suffer catastrophic damage.

The pictures attached were taken by a DSLR camera fitted with a specialised filter system. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO REPLICATE!!

Taken near Birmingham UK. Showing a very active Sun Spot Region.

Tonight’s Full Moon from Northfield near Birmingham.

Share yours too!

Lecture onTuesday confirming link

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/building-galaxies-one-star-at-a-time-tickets-407899718037

Building galaxies one star at a time Dr Elizabeth Stanway from Warwick joins us to talk about the evolution of galaxies

I snapped the Moon as I left for work this morning. I don't often see the last quarter phase like this. On the left, how I saw it; on the right, an over-processed version that brings out some features but washes out others.
Which do you like better?

Hi as you can imagine and we are totally aware that the last couple of years have been tough for everyone. With many difficulties faced bravely. Not any have escaped unscarred.

Birmingham Astronomical Society was no better or worse than many similar charitable organisation’s.

It may seem that we have neglected our Facebook Audience. Perhaps to some degree we have. It’s been tough, we were basically shutdown for2 years, unable to meet at our clubb on Aston University Birmingham as it itself was shutdown.

We recognised the unfairness of charging a membership fee when we were closed for business and made membership free, this was recently changed as relaxation of isolation and Covid regulations changed. As we reopened our Wednesday Club night and still maintained our lecture program, the Trustees still recognised that times we’re still difficult. From 1st July 2022 we upped our fee from zero to £15.00 still well reduced from our pre pandemic level. (If your a member and not yet paid you will have received a final reminder and if you fail renew your membership will lapse).

I digress, so we apologise for failures to support the Facebook as much as we would like. The club and hence the page is run by Trustees on a voluntary basis. We hope todo better but finding time is hard. We ask your patience.

A link is copied below of our August Moon Pictures.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/UzsXT48i3Whace8e9

August Moon Pictures 7 new items added to shared album