Explore the culture of the stars…
If you have a passion for star gazing, telescopes, the Hubble and the universe and this thing we call “astronomy”, you are far from alone. Of course, we know that astronomy is a highly respected science that has produced some of the most amazing accomplishments of the twentieth century. On top of that, it is a thriving area of fascination and one of the most exciting hobby areas going with thousands of astronomy clubs and tens of thousands of amateur astronomers watching the stars every night just like we do.
Astronomy is one of the oldest sciences, but also one in which amateurs still play an active role, contributing to many recent important astronomical discoveries.
Our Astronomy Section provides a programme of talks and, occasionally, a visit to an observatory or other site of astronomical importance!
Some of our guest speakers include those from external organisations, members of the Society or members of other astronomical societies. We are fortunate to have many well-known public speakers giving talks, for example Dr David Whitehouse, retired BBC Science Correspondent and Dr Allan Chapman, a well-known historian of astronomy at Oxford University.
We also contribute to Open Days with solar telescopes and other equipment to be seen and used, as well as supporting Young Explorers sessions with hands-on activities and a planetarium show.
Reports on Talks
2019
Astronomical Paris: the Celestial, the Occult and the Macabre
Lunar geology from the safety of your own home
Mayan Astronomy
Reflection, Refraction & Excitation: The Hunt for Atmospheric Optical Effects
Quirky Astronomy
Stellar Evolution – the life cycle of a star
7 Moons
2018
Short talks
Astronomy and Philosophy
The Mystery of 29P
Rodinia and the Boring Billion
Edwin Hubble: Astronomer of the Galaxies
Quantum Gravity
Quasars
Guest Stars, Ancient and Modern
A life on Mars
Spectroscopy: Cracking starlight’s hidden code
New Horizons – Voyage to the Outer Solar System
2017
Pseudoastronomy
Archaeoastronomy: Ancient monuments and their use of the sky
Debunking the Moon landing hoax protagonists
Tim Peake, Space and the ISS
Charles Messier: “The ferret of comets”
Asteroids
Gravitational Waves
How Astronomy Has Changed
Rocks from Space
Probing the Dark Universe
2016
Impacts
Active and Adaptive Optics
Exoplanets
Pluto from myth to discovery
Comet 67P Churyumov-Gerasimenko
Macrographia on the Moon
The South African Large Telescope
The First Billion Years
The Cassini Mission
Volcanism in the Solar System
Upcoming Astronomy events
Talk: Mega-constellations
24th May 2022 at 7.30pm via ZoomSpeaker: Dr Paul Daniels Paul Daniels is President of the Federation of Astronomical Societies, and this talk looks at the damage being done to our observing the night sky by the launch of thousands of satellites, especially by SpaceX with their “Starlink”, consisting eventually of tens of thousands of satellites. The talk will be approx. […]
Talk: Relativity
11th June 2022 at 2.30pm In-house and via zoomSpeaker: Danny Thomas Danny will introduce the history leading up to Einstein and attempt to explain Special and General Relativity in simple terms. In his presentation he seeks to use animation and pictures to avoid complex mathematics and the confusing paradoxes that arise from the theories. As an amateur astronomer, he is able to relate […]
