Wiltshire Astronomical Society Posts

Next Members Meeting

This month we are back to an in-person monthly meeting this coming Tuesday 5th November at 19:15 for 19:30 meeting start (Note new earlier time). This will be held at the Irene Usher Memorial Pavilion, Rusty Lane, Seend, SN12 6NS (click to Google Map).

Simon Barnes, our new chair will be giving a talk titled So You Want To Buy A Telescope. The meeting will be in-person only as we cannot broadcast as a zoom/online due to WiFi issues at the hall. Apologies for this.

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Newsletter

Also this month we continue with our new look newsletter, thanks to Simon for putting this together. Be sure to check out the “Report from Chair”, member contributions and also we’ve included an “Ads” seciton, which lists various requests we’ve received about selling equipment.

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Observing

The observing session on 25th October, last month did go ahead, but unfortunately, the cloud Gods were not kind and conditions deteriorated quickly no observing could be done. Apologies if you did make the effort to come. These things do happen with observing.

Our next scheduled session is Friday 22nd November, weather dependant. Please keep an eye on the observing page and our mailing list for any updates.

Clear Skies

The Wiltshire AS Team

It is all change for the society this month following the election of our new Chair, Simon Barnes at the AGM at the September meeting last month. Simon has also taken on authoring a new format/style Newsletter, which can be downloaded on this link, please check this out and thanks for your efforts Simon.

We have an observing session on Friday 27th September, but please look out for the go/no-go email on the day.

Our upcoming October monthly meeting will be a ONLINE only (using zoom). Please do not attend the Hall in Seend. The speaker is long-time friend of the society Martin Griffiths, who will talk about “Exoplanets and habitable Zones”, an exciting topic.

Please note, as per September AGM, we agreed to start the meetings earlier than previously. You can join the zoom call from 19:15 for a 19:30 meeting start.

The zoom details are as follows:

Meeting Name: “Wiltshire AS October 2024 Meeting”
Date/Time: Tuesday 1st October 2024 19:15 for 19:30 start (NOTE NEW EARLIER MEETING TIME!)
Meeting ID: 779 588 4689
Passcode: 355218
Invite Link: https://zoom.us/j/7795884689?pwd=BWYfU4XcswvBJZLzNgP0y9c3XPqOCm.1&omn=99789748404

We look forward to seeing you.

Clear skies
Sam (Treasurer)

** Post updated on Tue 2024-09-03 15:32 BST **

This month we will return after our well earned summer breaks ready for a new season. Thank you to all the members that have joined or renewed their memberships for the 2024-2025 season. If you wish to join or renew and have not yet, please do so via the normal membermojo online system.

Chair

With this new season brings some changes to the society. After many many long years of service to the society Andy Burns is stepping down as chair. We owe Andy an enormous thank you for all his efforts over the years. He is a one of a kind (in all the good ways!) and his committment to the seeing the society continue and thrive has been amazing. He should be very proud. I am delighted to say that Simon Barnes, the previous chair prior to Andy who has recently returned from the UK has volunteered to take up chair again for the coming year. Therefore, at our first meeting back this coming Tuesday 3rd September 2024, we will hold a short AGM to confirm committee positions for the coming year.

Speaker Secretary and Monthly Meeting Format

The society is still in the position with no Speaker Secretary which is problematic for continuing our traditional format of monthly meetings with an external speaker. Last year, we managed to organise a few external speakers and relied largely on member contributions. However, for this year, once again, we please request one of our members to step forward and volunteer for this essential role if the members wish in-person speakers to continue, see our committee page for further info on what exactly is involved.

At the September meeting, we will therefore require input from members regarding which format that the society takes from now on.

The options are:
(a) continue with monthly meetings in person with a speaker (requires a volunteer)
(b) change to zoom/online only monthly meetings with speaker that is remote (requires a volunteer)
(c) discontinue speakers at monthly meetings and switch to a social meet up (maybe change venue to a pub)
(d) discontinue monthly meetups and change to an observing-only society format

With Simon in place, there will be a fresh set of exciting ideas that we can discuss on how to move the society forward, but this is also dependant on the members contributing ideas and energy too.

Mailing List

We’ll be making some changes on how to communicate with members, so look out for updates and I will provide more details on Tuesday.

Next Meeting

The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday 3rd September 19:45 or 20:00 start at the normal Irene Usher Memorial Pavilion at Seend, see our meetings page for more details. Together with the AGM, and society direction, Andy has kindly offerred to lead a discussion on recently topics of interest from this summer, from Auroras, meteors and and the pending T Coronae Borealis Nova.

Newsletter

Please find the September 2024 newsletter available to download on this link. Once again, many thanks to Andy Burns for putting this together.

Clear Skies,
Sam (Treasurer)

This month we will be holding an in-person meeting, scheduled for Tuesday 4th June at 19:45 (20:00 start) at Irene Usher Memorial Pavilion, Seend, see our Meetings page for more details.

This month we welcome a member talk by Rob Lucas on “Building a Garden observatory”. Will will also hold a short AGM. This will be the last meeting before our break of the summer, when we will restart in September.

** UPDATE ** Many thanks to Andy Burns for diligently putting together the newsletter, please download on this link.

Clear skies

This month we will be holding a zoom based meeting, scheduled for Tuesday 7th May at 19:45 (20:00 start). Please do not attend the Seend meeting hall, as this is online only.

This month will be hopefully having a discussion and sharing images/video around the recent North American Solar Eclipse which some of our members managed to see.

Zoom Meeting Details are:
URL: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83774956679?pwd=b3VZMzRXQUNSM1RJdWRXYjNKeGdBdz09
Meeting ID: 837 7495 6679
Passcode: 424854

Many thanks to Andy Burns again for putting together our newsletter, please download the May 2024 version here.

Also, we have a scheduled second attempt for our May observing session this Friday 10th May. Please look out for updates via the Observing Mailing List (sign up if you are not on the list).

Clear Skies

This month we will be holding a zoom based meeting, scheduled for Tuesday 2nd April at 19:45 (20:00 start). Please do not attend the Seend meeting hall, as this is online only.

This month Andy Burns will step in and provide the talk “The Spring Skies. Galaxy season”. Many thanks again for a member providing a talk in the absence of a speaker secretary to organise one.

Zoom Meeting Details are:
URL: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85047477218?pwd=RktwNDY4WEFBRlBPTk53SmJDc2Mwdz09
Meeting ID: 850 4747 7218
Passcode: 138040

Many thanks to Andy Burns for again putting together the April 2024 newsletter, download link here

Also, we have a scheduled observing session for Friday 5th April. However, since Chris Brooks (observing coordinator) is overseas, this may be postponed to Friday 12th April depending on a discussion on others availability at the April meeting on Tuesday, so look out for updates via the Observing Mailing List (sign up here if you are not on the list).

Clear Skies

** POST UPDATE TUE 2024-03-04 16:44 GMT **

This month we will be holding a zoom based meeting, scheduled for Tuesday 5th March at 19:45 (20:00 start). Please do attend the Seend meeting hall, as this is online only.

This month we’re lucky to have one of our own, Tony Vale, who will provide a talk “Observing Variable Stars (or What I Get Up To In My Back Garden After Dark)”.

The zoom details are below:

URL: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82679919726?pwd=UlhCanlLMy9Fd2QxeVVHcC8vanpzUT09
Meeting ID: 826 7991 9726
Passcode: 250286
Time: Tue 5th March 2024 19:45 GMT

Many thanks to Andy Burns for again, dutifully putting together this month’s newsletter available on this link.

Also, Andy has complied two resources on completing the Messier Marathon, they can be downloaded on links below:
Messier Marathon Finder Chart Booklet
Messier Marathon Viewing Priority List

When time allows, I’ll create a new “Resources” section on the website and add these Messier resources there too.

Clear skies

** UPDATED ON 2024-02-06 14:35 GMT **

We are back to in-person meeting which is scheduled for Tuesday 6th Feb 2024 at 19:45 (20:00 start) at the Irene Usher Memorial Pavilion, Rusty Lane, Seend, SN12 6NS.

This month will be a members discussion regarding the upcoming “Messier Marathon”.

Many thanks to Andy for putting together the newsletter, download it on this link.

Clear skies.

** Updated on 2023-01-02T15:04Z **

Happy New Year

We have our monthly meeting (ONLINE only using Zoom) scheduled for Tuesday 2nd January 2024 at 19:45. The Zoom details are below:

URL: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83700372815?pwd=eDVvTzRQeCtHSVBWdEExUFNaV2hmUT09
Meeting ID: 837 0037 2815
Passcode: 485892

This month, Paul Money has kindly offered to provide a talk on “the New Images of the Universe from all sources”. To confirm, there will be NO meeting at the Seend Hall in January. We hope to resume in-person meetings as and when members come forward to provide any informal talks on any space or astronomy related subject, and/or a speaker coordinator steps forward. Please use the contact us link to get in touch.

Jan 2024 Newsletter is available on this link many thanks to Andy Burns for putting this together.

Clear skies

In a change to our normal arrangements, we have a meeting scheduled for Tuesday 5th December which will be ONLINE only, using Zoom, scheduled for 19:45 join, with an 20:00 start. Please do not attend the hall at Seend.

This month, we welcome friend of the society, Martin Griffiths who will give a talk on our “Winter Skies”. Members and non-members are welcome to join the meeting using the details below:

Meeting URL: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85816052255?pwd=VnJIRlZ0V2hMQnZvbmdoN2VnUk8yZz09
Meeting ID: 858 1605 2255 
Passcode: 353585

Note, in the absence of a Speaker Secretary we are encouraging members to come forward to offer talks or informal sessions on any space or astronomy related topic. Please see our Society Roles page if you’re interested in getting involved and helping the society move forward.

** UPDATE AT TU 2023-12-05 14:30 **

Many thanks to Andy Burns for putting together the 2023 December newsletter (download link).

Clear skies.