Archive for the ‘Events’ Category

The Moon For All Mankind

Monday, May 11th, 2009

the Moon, divided into sections

Monday, 11 May 2009

The UK has the opportunity to take part in an exciting IYA2009 special project: The Moon for All Mankind

This project is being run by the IYA2009 Malta Committee. They have divided the Moon into 45 sections, which will be imaged in different countries around the world and combined in a collage which will be circulated globally by the IYA2009 global task group.

The UK has been assigned sections 41 and 42 (see image above) which includes Tycho crater. We are therefore looking for amateur astronomers to take part in this project and image the relevant sections of the Moon.

The images are to be taken on either 9th May or 7th June 2009, during the full Moon.

If you are interested in being involved in this project, please email the UK Coordinator Steve Owens at: steve@astronomy2009.co.uk

Annual Quiz

Friday, May 1st, 2009

The Admiral Smythe Trophy

Vinter Room, Papworth Everard

Friday, 1 May 2009, 19:30

Papworth will be competing with Sawtry and Bedford AS for The Admiral Smyth Trophy in the annual astronomical quiz. Papworth were last year’s winners, but we can’t rest on our laurels!

The Admiral Smyth Trophy was presented by the Bedford Astronomical Society in 1991, the winners in that year. Its named after the astronomer William Henry Smyth (1788–1865), Gold Medallist of the Royal Astronomical Society. After retiring from the Navy, Smyth built and equipped an astronomical observatory at Bedford, where for many years he carried out observations of stars and published works on astronomy.

See the Meetings page for a map of how to get to the Vinter Room.

Dark Matter: The Poetry of Space

Tuesday, April 28th, 2009

Dark Matter: Poems of Space

Institute of Astronomy, Cambridge

Tuesday, 28 April 2009, 19:30

What happens when poets and astronomers meet? Astronomers Jocelyn Bell Burnell and Paul Murdin will be in conversation with the poets James Fenton and Maurice Riordan, with readings from “Dark Matter: The Poetry of Space”.

The event will be chaired by the Director of the Gulbenkian’s art programme, Sian Ede. Entrance is free and everyone is welcome. Click here for directions to the Institute of Astronomy.

Discovering the Universe with the World Wide Telescope

Friday, April 24th, 2009

World Wide Telescope logo

Sackler Lecture Theatre, Institute of Astronomy, Cambridge

Friday, 24 April 2009, 19:30

A public talk by Jonathan Fay, the lead scientist on Microsoft’s World Wide Telescope project, and an enthusiastic amateur astronomer.

The World Wide Telescope is an initiative from Microsoft that allows anyone to browse the Universe from the comfort of their own laptop. Combining up-to-date images from space- and ground-based telescopes with features such as expert guided tours, it is a project that can both inspire and educate anyone from the complete novice to the informed amateur.

Entrance is free and everyone is welcome. Click here for directions to the Institute of Astronomy.