The event will start at around 8pm: Alex will show up at his usual time, about 9--9:30. Hope to see you all there!
(There's quite a lot of background noise. I can recommend Loop earplugs!)
With favourable weather (not overcast), your chairman Alex will establish a telescope on the Cathedral green (near the Crimean War cannon) at about 5:45pm and will stay on station until about 8:15pm. Maximum coverage (90%, near-total) is at about 7:15pm.
All those interested should feel free to join us!
The usual health warning applies: do not look directly at the Sun. Project the image onto a piece of cardboard or paper. (It's quite bright enough to show up, even in daylight.)
Club chairman Alex Simpson will lead a three-night Perseid-watching exercise, so as to maximise the chances of good weather and seeing at least some meteors.
Although it's summer, please remember to wrap up warmish against the sometimes cold night air, and against any stinging plants or insects. Bare arms, bare legs, shorts: not a good idea.
To appreciate the incredible backstory (Part I, Ecclesiastical; Part II, Celestial) of this remarkable meteor shower, see Alex's revised and updated article, the Tears of St. Lawrence!
Hiatus coming to an end
Hello everybody! This is your chairman Alex. I've gone through a rather grim period recently, but I'm feeling a whole lot better now. I'm happy to continue as before for at least the foreseeable future / next few months. It is my hope and aspiration that we will be able to hold some kind of rather belated annual general meeting in either October or November. An announcement will follow in September.
Between now and then the club will be offering a modest but hopefully satisfactory programme of outdoor observing, a possible science fiction film showing, and the occasional pub gathering. As for monthly meetings, I'm afraid the prospect of them is still rather uncertain, but we hope it can be resolved in the coming months.
Thank you all for your longstanding support and friendship.
We can recommend the things being done in the Cambridge Astronomical Association in the meantime: https://www.cambridgeastronomicalassociation.com/caa-events
We also have a list of past events.