Meetings

*** UPDATED FOR 2025/2026 SEASON ***

As of September 2025, our monthly members meetings will be “in-person” meetings and will be held in a new venue:

Pewsham Community Centre
Lodge Rd
Chippenham
SN15 3SY
google maps link

Please arrive from 19:15, for a 19:30 meeting start. Meetings usually last two hours (approx). Parking is available in the car park adjacent to the community centre, and failing that adjacent public roads.

**NOTE – for 2nd September 2025 meeting only. We’ve been notified the usual car park may be undergoing resurfacing works. It is unclear if these works will be completed. Therefore, if the car park is unavailable, please park (respectfully) where you can on the surrounding side streets. Thanks for your patience with this. **

From September 2025 onwards, will will also broadcast (where possible) meetings via Zoom to allow members who live remote from us in Wiltshire to join.

Non-members are welcome to attend our monthly members meetings for several months as a try out before coming members (see our membership section), after that we do politely ask you to join.

At meetings, we kindly ask Members for a £1 (cash) donation and non-members £3 (cash) on the door to cover refreshments and hall fees.

Members Meeting Programme 2025/2026

• 02 Sep 2025. “Adventures in Infrared”. Dr Jane Clark
• 07 Oct 2025. “The Colourful Lives of Stars – What are stars?”. Michael Barratt FRAS
• 04 Nov 2025. “Black Holes, Dark Matter and Dark Energy”. Peter Allan
• 02 Dec 2025. “Christmas Quiz”. No Speaker
• 06 Jan 2026. “Filton in Space – 65 years and Counting”. Terry Ransome
• 03 Feb 2026. TBC.
• 03 Mar 2026. “Observing with Binoculars”. Mark Radice
• 07 Apr 2026. “Extinct Constellations”. Nicky Fleet
• 05 May 2026. “Can Life Exist in the Icy Moons of Our Solar System?”. Bernard Henin
• 06 Jun 2026. “Members Talks & AGM”. Various.
• 26 Jun 2026. Socity Visit TBC.

Meeting Archive

• 03 Jun 2025. Members presentations and AGM.
• 06 May 2025. Barry Fitzgerald (External). “Lunar Geology”
• 01 Apr 2025. James Fradgley (External). “Astronomical causes of climate change” (Zoom/online only)
• 04 Mar 2025. Prof. Malcom MacCallum (External). “Was Einstein 100% Right?” (Zoom/online only)
• 04 Feb 2025. Matthew Terrell (External). “Astrophotography” (Zoom/online only)
• 07 Jan 2025. Hugh Allen (External). “Spectroscopy – Cracking starlight’s hidden code” (Zoom/online only)
• 03 Dec 2024. Owen Brazell (External). “Globular Clusters” (Zoom/online only)
• 05 Nov 2024. Simon Barnes (Member/Chair). “So You Want To Buy A Telescope” (Seend Hall)
• 01 Oct 2024. Martin Griffiths (External). Exoplanets and Habitable Zones (Zoom/online only)
• 03 Sep 2024. New Season & AGM. Member discussion (Seend Hall)
• 04 Jun 2024. Rob Lucas. Building a Garden observatory (In-person @ Seend)
• 07 May 2024. Member contributions from the USA Total Solar Eclipse (Zoom)
• 02 Apr 2024. Andy Burns. The Spring Skies. Galaxy season
• 05 Mar 2024. Tony Vale. Observing Variable Stars or What I Get Up To In My Back Garden After Dark (Zoom)
• 06 Feb 2024. Members Session. Messier Marathon (In-person @ Seend)
• 02 Jan 2024. Paul Money. The New Images of the Universe from all sources (Zoom)
• 05 Dec 2023. Martin Griffiths. Winter Skies (Zoom)
• 07 Nov 2023. Member Practical Session (In-person @ Seend)
• 03 Oct 2023. Andy Burns. Dark Nebulae (In-person @ Seend)
• 05 Sep 2023. Jon Gale. Observing the Lunar 100 (In-person @ Seend)
• 06 Jun 2023 Andrew Lound. Venus Paradise Lost
• 02 May 2023 Dr Paul A Daniels. The Megaconstellation Threat
• 04 Apr 2023. Chris Starr. Heavy Metal World
• 07 Mar 2023. Mary McIntyre. Shadows in Space & the stories they tell
• 07 Feb 2023. Prof. David Southwood. The JUpiter ICy moons Explorer (JUICE)
• 03 Jan 2023. Mike Alexander. Heaven’s on Earth (UPDATE. ZOOM ONLY MEETING).
• 06 Dec 2022. Martin Griffiths. How the Moon was formed
• 01 Nov 2022. Chris Hooker. The planet Mercury
• 04 Oct 2022. Paul Money. The Trials & Tribulations of Voyager (held at the Hall with the speaker remote over zoom)
• 06 Sep 2022. Mark Radice. Observing the Deepsky
• 07 Jun 2022. Prof. Matt Griffin. The hazards of Asteroid Impacts on the Earth – Should we worry? [June 2022 Newsletter]
• 03 May 2022. Andrew Lound. The Moon at Christmas: The Epic Voyage of Apollo 8 [May 2022 Newsletter]
• 05 Apr 2022. Pete Williamso. Herschel to Hawkwind, Astronomy & Music & How each other influence each other [April 2022 Newsletter]
• 01 Mar 2022. Martin Griffiths. Dark Energy & Matter [March 2022 Newsletter]
• 01 Feb 2022. Prof. David Southwood. Local puzzles in Cosmic Magnetism [Feb 2022 Newsletter]
• 04 Jan 2022. Martin Lunn. The Star of Bethlehem [Jan 2022 Newsletter]
• 07 Dec 2021. Paul Money. Trials & Tribulations of Voyager [Dec 2021 Newsletter]
• 02 Nov 2021. Katrin Raynor-Evans .Exploring Astronomy through Philately [Nov 2021 Newsletter]
• 05 Oct 2021. Colin Stuart. Time in Einstein’s Universe [Oct 2021 Newsletter]
• 07 Sep 2021. AGM and Prof. Mike Edmunds. The Clockwork Universe [Sep 2021 Newsletter]
• 01 Jun 2021. Robert Harvey. Understanding the Universe. [June 2021 Newsletter]
• 04 May 2021. Martin Griffiths. Ignored Asterisms & other Strange Starry Sights. [May 2021 Newsletter]
• 06 Apr 2021. Prof Mike Edmunds. The Clockwork universe. [April 2021 Newsletter]
• 02 Mar 2021. Pete Williamson. The moon & Moons of the Solar System. [March 2021 Newsletter]
• 02 Feb 2021. Prof David Southwood. Moon & Mars: Next Giant Leap. [February 2021 Newsletter]
• 05 Jan 2021. Paul Money, Triumphs of Voyager (part 2) – Where no probe has gone before [January 2021 Newsletter]
• 01 Dec 2020. Dr Lilian Hobbs/Eisa Eisinga. The Planetarium in the Bedroom [December 2020 Newsletter]
• 03 Nov 2020. Andrew Lound. A Jupiter Odyssey. [November 2020 Newsletter]
• 06 Oct 2020. Martin Griffiths. The Big Bang [October 2020 Newsletter]
• 01 Sep 2020. Nick Howes. How do you solve a problem like debris-Ahh? [September 2020 Newsletter]
• 06 Jun 2020. Paul Money. Triumphs of Voyager (part 2) – Where no probe has gone before. [June 2020 Newsletter]
• 05 May 2020. [via ZOOM] Martin Griffiths. The Habitable Zone – What is it and How is it determined [May 2020 Newsletter]
• 04 Apr 2020. Pete Williamson. The Moon and Moons of the Solar System [April 2020 Newsletter]
• 03 Mar 2020. Dr Lilian Hobbs Armchair Messier Marathon [March 2020 Newsletter]
• 04 Feb 2020. Jon Gale. Observing the Herschel 400 [February 2020 Newsletter]
• 07 Jan 2020. Open Forum/Beginners Meeting [January 2020 Newsletter]
• 03 Dec 2019. Dr Dirk Froebrich. Making stars & planets – The Hoys=Caps Citizen Science Project [December 2019 Newsletter]
• 05 Nov 2019. Andrew Lound. Uranus – George’s planet [November 2019 Newsletter]
• 01 Oct 2019. Dr Chris Pearson. Ariel and Alien Worlds: Enabling Planetary Science Across Light Years. [October 2019 Newsletter]
• 03 Sep 2019. Steve Tonkin. Time & Calendar + AGM. [September 2019 Newsletter]
• 04 Jun 2019 Owen Brazell: Observing Planetary Nebula [June 2019 Newsletter]
• 07 May 2019 Mark Radice: Observing the Solar System [May 2019 Newsletter]
• 02 Apr 2019 Martin Griffiths: ‘Universal Death’ or How the Universe is trying to kill us. [April 2019 Newsletter]
• 05 Mar 2019 Chris Starr: A Most beautiful Moon – A History of Lunar Exploration. [March 2019 Newsletter]
• 05 Feb 2019 Prof. David Southwood: Mars: Delirium, Delight & Disasters, some personal stories. [Feb 2019 Newsletter]
• 15 Jan 2019 Open Forum/Beginners Meet. [Jan 2019 Newsletter]
• 04 Dec 2018 Dr Elizabeth Pearson: A very brief History of Rovers & Landers. [Dec 2018 Newsletter]
• 06 Nov 2018 Pete Williamson: The Sun & How it Works. [Nov 2018 Newsletter]
• 02 Oct 2018 Mary McIntyre: Creating Stunning Star Trails. [Oct 2018 Newsletter]
• 04 Sep 2018 Andy Burns: Cataloguing the Heavens. Part 1: The stuff we don’t see, the Dark Nebulae. [Sep 2018 Newsletter]
• 05 Jun 2018. Martin Griffiths Understanding Stars + AGM. [Jun 2018 Newsletter]
• 01 May 2018. Paul Money. Triumphs of Voyager: Journey to Jupiter/Splendours of Saturn.
• 03 Apr 2018. Guy Hurst. George Alcock The Life & Achievements of this Amazing Observer. [Apr 2018 Newsletter]
• 06 Mar 2018. Andrew Lound. Guardians of the Rings. [Mar 2018 Newsletter]
• 06 Feb 2018. Prof David Southwood Cassini-Huygens, a Mission to Saturn & Titan. [Feb 2018 Newsletter]
• 02 Jan 2018. Open Forum Subject for Beginners.
• 05 Dec 2017. Nick Howes. Hey Dude, where is my space craft – The Hunt for Snoopy
• 07 Nov 2017. Sally Russell. An Introduction to Astronomical Sketching.
• 03 Oct 2017. Prof Richard Harrison. Oxfordshire’s national space facility: Over 50 years in Space. [Oct 2017 Newsletter]
• Sept 2017. Pending
• 06 Jun 2017. Mark Radice. Observing from the Caribbean + AGM. [Jun 2017 Newsletter]
• 02 May 2017. Martin Griffiths. Planetary Nebulae Marathon. [May 2017 Newsletter]
• 04 Apr 2017. Dr Chris North. Telescopes through the Ages. [Apr 2017 Newsletter]
• 07 Mar 2017. Steve Tonkin. And yet it Moves! [Mar 2017 Newsletter]
• 07 Feb 2017. Prof David Southwood. 10 Years of Space Science at the European Space Agency. [Feb 2017 Newsletter]
• 03 Jan 2017. Open Forum/Beginners session. [Jan 2017 Newsletter]
• 06 Dec 2016. Andrew Lound. Saturn – Lord of the Rings. [Dec 2016 Newsletter]
• 01 Nov 2016. Philip Perkins. Imaging the Cosmos. [Nov 2016 Newsletter]
• 04 Oct 2016. Paul Money. Images of the Universe. [Oct 2016 Newsletter]
• 06 Sep 2016. Nick Howes. The legacy of Apollo. [Sep 2016 Newsletter]
• 03 Jun 2016. Martin Griffiths. The Current State of SETI. [Jun 2016 Newsletter]
• 03 May 2016. Bob Mizon. Oddities of the Solar System. [May 2016 Newsletter]
• 05 Apr 2016. Mark Hurn. The Story of Star Names. [Apr 2016 Newsletter]
• 01 Mar 2016. Prof Mark Sims. Life on Mars. [Mar 2016 Newsletter]
• 02 Feb 2016. Prof David Southwood. 10 Years at the Helm of the European Space. [Feb 2016 Newsletter]
• 05 Jan 2016. Dr Andrew Morse. Rosetta – An Update. [Jan 2016 Newsletter]
• 08 Dec 2015. Andrew Lound. Neptune A Calculated Guess. [Dec 2015 Newsletter]
• 03 Nov 2015. Paul Money. Images of the Universe.
• 06 Oct 2015. Steve Tonkin. Binocular Astronomy.
• 01 Sep 2015. Jonathan Gale. Patterns in the Sky Exploring & Observing Asterisms. [Sep 2015 Newsletter]
• 02 Jun 2015. Martin Griffiths. Exoplanets + AGM.
• 05 May 2015. Dr Sarah Roberts. Dwarfs in the Backyard.
• 07 Apr 2015. Dr Andrew Morse. Meteorites.
• 03 Mar 2015. Dr Leigh Fletcher. Jupiter Revealed: Exploring the Archetypal Giant Planet.
• 03 Feb 2015. Dr Susanne Schwenzer. The Mars Science Laboratory Rover – Curiosity at Gale Crater.
• 06 Jan 2015. Richard Fleet. Glows, Blows & Haloes.
• 02 Dec 2014. Andrew Lound. Apollo – A Moon Odyssey.
• 04 Nov 2014. Dr Stuart Eves, The Future is out of this World.
• 07 Oct 2014. Nick Howes. The Greatest Telescope on Earth. [Oct 2014 Newsletter]
• 02 Sep 2014. Dr Stuart Clark. The Sky’s Dark Labyrinth.
• 03 Jun 2014. Martin Griffiths – star Clusters; Jewels of the Sky followed by AGM.
• 06 May 2014. Charles Barclay. De-mystifying the Night Sky.
• 01 Apr 2014. Members Forum.
• 04 Mar 2014. Dr John Gribbin – TBA.
• 04 Feb 2014. Ian Coster Double Stars: Jewels of the Night Sky.
• 07 Jan 2014. Dr Andrew Morse. ESA, Rosetta Space Mission.
• 03 Dec 2013. Prof Ian Morison. The Story of Jodrell Bank.
• 05 Nov 2013. Dr Paul Olver – Volcanoes of the Solar System.
• 01 Oct 2013. Andrew Lound. Comets: Signposts in History.
• 03 Sep 2013. Mark Radice. Lunar Observing and AGM.