Star Parties (2014/2015)

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Star Parties

Partial Solar Eclipse on 20th March 2015.

Here's another montage photograph from the Partial Solar Eclipse event we held on 20th March. James Mattock took this sequence of time lapse photographs as the eclipse progressed from first contact through maximum eclipse to fourth contact. James used his home made Newtonian telescope and built a projection screen at the eyepiece to view the eclipse. The photographs were taken using a DSLR camera looking at the projection screen. Terrific result James !

The day the sun smiled!

Our day at Madley on Friday 20th March was a great success - partial eclipse of the sun followed by a tour of the BT satellite ground and finally a public observing evening.

One of our young members, James, has written the following report that captures the day wonderfully:

The 20th of March 2015 was a really special day for me. I found it hard to sleep the night before, because I was so excited about seeing a solar eclipse for the first time. I was ready to leave at six O'clock in the morning, though we only had to be at Madley Education Centre for about 8 O'clock. I had been learning about eclipses over the past few weeks, and I had a model showing the difference between solar and lunar eclipses, so I could set it up at the centre and show it to anyone who was interested.

There were a lot of people at Madley, and we were given special glasses to view the eclipse safely. Telescopes had been set up, and everyone had a chance to look through them. I got my ipod out and took some photographs through a telescope, as well as through the glasses. These are attached.

My first impression was that the sun looked like it was being eaten! I can understand why the ancient Chinese believed that the sun was being eaten by a dragon. At the point where the moon was covering the sun the most, I felt it looked just like a smiley face. This made me very happy!

It is amazing to think that the sun and moon appear to us to be the same size from our perspective, when the sun is four hundred times bigger than the moon. I found out that this is due to the coincidence that the sun is also about four hundred times further away from the Earth than the moon.

I am very grateful to those who took the trouble to make the day so interesting. I learnt a lot from the Astronomers who were quite happy to chat about the science involved.

It was most entertaining to see people holding up colanders so we could see tiny moon shaped lights appearing. I enjoyed this low tech method of viewing the eclipse, along with the high tech telescopes which gave such clear images of the changing face of the sun.

The only way I could describe how I felt about seeing the solar eclipse is this: I was over the moon!

James Calloway-Brady

Here are some of the photos James took:

A big thank you to Mark and the Madley Environmental Study Centre for organising the day working with BT and SGLX - we were made really welcome. There was a great sense of excitement and anticipation, and with food and hot drinks on offer day and night - we can't wait for the next event or even the next total eclipse visible in the UK in 23rd September 2090 !

Here are some more photos from the day:

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We have a great day planned for the 20th March 2015 - joining forces with the Madley Environmental Study Centre (MESC) and the online Astronomy Forum - stargazerslounge.com (SGL) which has had support from the University of South Wales.

We will be based at the MESC which is right next door to the Madley Satellite Earth Station - a well known Herefordshire landmark. There are some location maps and directions at the MESC web site here.

To get the day off to a good start, MESC are arranging breakfast for HAS members from 8am to 9am with a nominal charge of about £1 per bacon/sausage rolls.

From our location, the eclipse starts at 8.23am, with mid eclipse at 9.29am and ends at 10.38am. From our viewing site 87.29% of the Sun will be covered.

We are expecting over 30 members of SGL to join as at Madley - they are in the area as their annual star party is being held at the Lucksall Caraven Park at Mordiford. Many of the SGL members will bring telescopes for safe solar viewing - white light, Hydrogen Alpha and some have the latest Quark eyepieces.

If you have never had the chance to look at the sun - this will be a great opportunity to look at it through some of the best equipment available.

MESC is a charity that provides environmental education to all ages and abilities. They have good contacts with local schools and have invited 150 local primary school children to the Eclipse event to view the partial eclipse and provide some educational talks on the sun and astronomy. The University of South Wales is providing eclipse glasses for the children to safely observe the sun.

During the morning members of MESC, SGL and our own Society will give talks to the invited school pupils.

From 11:00 am, prior registered HAS members can have a tour of the neighbouring Madley Satellite Earth Station - now called Madley Communications Centre. This site is one of the worlds largest Satellite Earth Stations, with Satellite Dish Aerials of thirty-two metre in diameter (one hundred feet).

In the evening, we will then hold a Star Party for our own Society members and the general public - this will be our March Observing session.

This is a great opportunity to work with several other organisations, provide some educational outreach to local school children, publicise our Astronomical Society as well give our members a chance to see the eclipse using some great equipment.

For the eclipse:

• Solar eclipse starts at 8.23 am, with mid eclipse at 9.29 am and ends at 10.38 am

• Gate to MESC opens at 7.30am

• DO NOT USE THE BT ENTRANCE go a further 100 metres and use the Brightwells Auction site gate.

• There will be MESC staff to show you the way.

• If you want a bacon/sausage roll its £1 each with tea/coffee at 50p

For the tour of Madley Satellite Earth Station:

• This is only available to society members who have expressed interest.

• There are 2 tours of the BT site - first come first served. First at 11am and second at 11.45am approx.

• MESC have been given the names of those interested.

Evening star party:

• Gate opens about 6pm with star party from 7pm to 9.30pm

• If you are bringing a telescope please use the Brightwells auction site gate again

• If you are coming just to watch then use the BT Site Gate - this gate is also being used by the general public - you will directed where to park.

• I understand that refreshments will be available

• If it is cloudy talks are being provided at the evening star party.