Oct.05, 2015

Leeds Astromeet 2015

Leeds Astromeet 2015 is on Saturday 7th November, and as always WDAS Members will be taking transport over.  This year's speakers:

  • Prof Tom Marsh (Warwick University)
    "Astronomy at High-Speed: delving the depths of white dwarfs, neutron stars and black-holes"
  • Dr Richard Massey (Durham University)
    "What's the (Dark) Matter?"
  • Dr Melvin Hoare (Leeds University)
    "Developments in Radio Astronomy"
  • Dr Alan Chapman (Oxford University)
    "The Life of Sir Patrick Moore"
[Read more about Leeds Astromeet 2015]
By Mark D
Oct.25, 2015

Halloween Tales

Ah, mid autumn, the ‘witching season’, a time in the year most associated with ghoulish revelry, the tragic and the macabre.  Not surprisingly the autumnal night sky plays host to a reflection of such ‘unearthly goings on’, manifest as tales associated with the stars and constellations. 

So, are you sitting comfortably?  Good.  Let us begin with one of the oldest and most intricate tales associated with the heavens, one that incorporates a number of important and ancient constellations currently located in the night sky... [Read more about Halloween Tales]

By Mark D
Oct.31, 2015

Sky Notes - November 2015

In this month's edition:

  • Planetary Skylights: Uranus and Neptune in the evening, Jupiter and the Moon joining Venus and Mars in the early morning.
  • Meteor Activity: Leonids and Taurids
  • November 2015 Sky Charts
[Read more about Sky Notes - November 2015]
By Mark D
Oct.31, 2015

Pumpkin or Skull? Asteroid 2015 TB145 "Near Miss"

A large asteroid discovered just a few weeks ago will narrowly miss the Earth on Oct 31st – Halloween. 

Nicknamed “the Great Pumpkin” and “Spooky” but technically known as 2015 TB145, is an estimated 400m wide – 20 times bigger than the meteorite that exploded over Chelyabinsk in 2013... [Read more about Pumpkin or Skull? Asteroid 2015 TB145 "Near Miss"]

By Mark D
Oct.31, 2015

Comet C/2013 US10 Catalina

Comet Catalina was discovered on 31 October 2013 by the Catalina Sky Survey with their 0.68 meter Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope.

It is closest to the Sun on 15-Nov-2015... [Read more about Comet C/2013 US10 Catalina]

By Mark D
Oct.31, 2015

Event write-up: Fyling Hall School Star Party

Keith and Mark hosted a star party for pupils and staff at Fylinghall School on Oct 2nd.

Once again the weather played ball and although some wispy cloud developed, it soon dispersed allowing fine views of various objects through the LX 200 and Keith’s reflector.  Intended to last a couple of hours, the event went on until after 10pm, with a host of questions to answer.  The pupils certainly enjoyed the evening and from the reaction of the staff more astro related material may in future pop up in science lessons! [Read more about Event write-up: Fyling Hall School Star Party]

By Mark D
Oct.31, 2015

Event write-up: Star Party for Pathways School

Mark and Keith travelled over to Westerdale again on Oct 9th and were joined by John Randles to host an event at the village hall for pupils, parents and staff of Pathways School (Grangetown, Middlesbrough) along with children belonging to staff.  The event was requested by event Emma Shaw, a science teacher at the school whose parents live in Westerdale, and arose after Emma had heard about the success of our Westerdale star party in September... [Read more about Event write-up: Star Party for Pathways School]

By Andi
Oct.31, 2015

Event write-up: Creatures of the Night, Danby

On Halloween itself, as Whitby was overflowing with Goth Weekend revellers, WDAS Members headed out with scopes to Danby, where the North Yorkshire Moors National Park had laid on a family Halloween event... [Read more about Event write-up: Creatures of the Night, Danby]

By Andi