Whitby & District Astronomical Society

Monthly meetings of WDAS will recommence early Autumn, the next formal meeting scheduled to be Tuesday October 7th from 7:30pm, room H1, Whitby School (again). [Read more about Society Monthly Meetings - ]

Having had settled conditions for the first half of August, would they continue post Regatta weekend allowing our scheduled Star Party itinerary to go ahead, or would normal service resume? [Read more about Star Party Event Reports - Aug 16th & 23rd & Hooks House]

Early September is perhaps the best time to view one of the most southerly groups on the Zodiac, Sagittarius - the Archer, a constellation not fully visible from UK shores but arguably the richest constellation in the heavens in terms of deep sky objects.  [Read more about The Archer]

With predominantly settled conditions for much of August, did the weather over the Regatta weekend also follow suit, or did mother nature have a trick up her billowing sleeves.  

  [Read more about August Events - Regatta - A retrospective view. ]

In this month's edition:

• Planetary Skylights. 
• September Meteors 
• Lunar Eclipse, Venus and Pleiades lunar Occultations 
• Autumnal Equinox.
• September Night Sky.
• September 2025 Sky Charts.

  [Read more about Sky Notes - September 2025]

An unexpected opportunity arose at short notice for a society member to accompany John McCue to visit the Dark Matter lab down Boulby Mine. Read how the day unfolded.  [Read more about An Unexpected Journey]

After a summer kicking our heels waiting for objects and darker skies, August will finally see that wait come to an end, with our usual Star Party events schedule including those for Whitby Regatta, Folk week, Bank holiday and Hooks House. The big question is, will August weather be the usual frustrating mixed bag, or something more settled. [Read more about Star Party Schedule - August ]

In this month's edition:

• Planetary Skylights
• August Meteors - Perseids
• August Night Sky
• August 2025 Sky Charts

  [Read more about Sky Notes - August 2025]

Monthly meetings of WDAS, held at Whitby School have now adjourned for the summer. The next formal meeting being the first Tuesday in October. Scheduled star party events will be limited over the summer this year. Please read main body. [Read more about Star Party – News and Schedule]

In this month's edition:

• Planetary Skylights
• July Meteors, Aurora and Noctilucent cloud reports 
• July Night Sky
• July 2025 Sky Charts

  [Read more about Sky Notes - July 2025]

Monthly meetings of WDAS, held at Whitby School have now adjourned for the summer. The next meeting scheduled to be in October. Scheduled star party events will be limited over the summer this yearar. Please read main body. [Read more about Star Party – News and Schedule]

For the final society monthly meeting before the summer recess break Society member Paul Cass revisited the talk he gave in January about the Anglo-Australian Schmidt telescope facility, which proved even more fascinating than before. Full details below... [Read more about Society Meeting - May. Paul Cass Talk. ]

In this month's edition:

• Planetary Skylights.
• June Meteors, Noctilucent cloud. 
• Summer Solstice.
• June Night Sky.
• June 2025 Sky Charts.

  [Read more about Sky Notes - June 2025]

Society members Keith and Mark were able to give a presentation to the Rosedale Abbey WI following an invitation offered some months earlier. Purely an indoor event, the evening proved most enjoyable.  [Read more about WI presentation - Rosedale Abbey (East) ]

Two years have passed since our previous visit to the NYMR Outstation facility at Stape, disrupted as it was by storms and flooded routes. Ultimately, the event went ahead and was highly successful. We were therefore pleased to be invited back to host another event at this facility, but would the weather co-operate again?

  [Read more about Event at the NYMR Outstation - Stape ]