Home (2016/2017)

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Image credit: NASA Hubble Heritage

Welcome to Astronomy in Herefordshire.

Latest News:

News and new items of interest to Herefordshire Astronomical Society members.

That's the end of our planned activity in the 2016/2017 programme. We take a break in August - with some lucky members getting over to the USA to observe the Solar Eclipse on 21st August. Have a great Summer.

Observing highlights for this month: Telescope House - monthly night sky guide

Next Meeting:

Look out for emails announcing the programme for 2017/2018.

at the Kindle Centre Belmont Road Hereford HR2 7JE (Next to ASDA - more information here)

Next Observing Session:

Come and talk to new and more experienced society members - hopefully have a look through some telescopes and binoculars at the night sky. Share your thoughts, pick up some observing tips and recommendations, discuss your astronomical problems and projects, bring your own equipment for advice on how best to use it. We will defer the observing meeting to the following evening (Friday) if the weather forecast indicates it would be better. Members can bring their own refreshments and the Servant's Hall Tea Room will be left open for us to use for refreshment and talks. Look out for the latest news on this website and we'll email out any change to arrangements to members.

March was the last of our observing meetings in the 2016/2017 season - the evenings are getting lighter so we wait until October to meet again to observe as a society.

Next Star Party:

We're looking at a number of exciting opportunities to support local organisations and their request for us to run a star party for them.

TBA.

Next Visit:

Once or twice a year, members like to jump in cars or climb in a mini-bus and make their way to go and see something interesting outside of Herefordshire (passports not required). Previous trips have been to the Spaceguard Centre, the International Astronomy Show, the National Space Centre and Jodrell Bank. Members pay for shared transport and any entrance fees as appropriate..

POSTPONED - Hanwell Community Observatory

The Hanwell Community Observatory is at Hanwell, North Oxfordshire. The site is in a rural setting at Hanwell Castle, the grounds covering about 20 acres and offers a good dark site. The observatory has had regular use of the 12.5 inch reflector McIver Paton telescope since 1992 and now is home to a set of permanently mounted telescopes including a 30 inch Newtonian reflector and a 30 inch f12 refractor. The instruments are designed to be used entirely in the open air with no observatory building. Their website is here.

We plan to visit the observatory on Saturday 26th November where we will receive a talk from the Community Astronomer in the afternoon and enjoy galleries and gardens at the castle. In the evening, weather permitting, we hope to use the observatory's telescopes to look at the night sky

Mark has sent an email out to members asking who would be interested in the visit. The challenge is that the visit will be cancelled at short notice if the weather forecast is not good so we won't be able to hire a minibus. If you are interested in going or have a car or have space in the car for other members please reply to Mark so we know we can go ahead and book the visit.

Click link below for view of UK sky:

Met Office Satellite image. UK Visible Light.