Welcome to the WDAS monthly newsletter for July 2016: a digest of the month's latest contributions to our website. Below you'll find Society News, Sky Notes and In-Focus articles printed in full. There's also future events, and trailers for other articles which appear in full on the website - just a click away!
On the website you'll also be able to comment on articles, and if you'd like to play an editorial role in creating new content, just let us know!
Notice: Andy Lawrence is unable to attend tomorrow's (Saturday 2nd July) trip to the BAA Summer Meeting in York (see here) - a day of talks on cosmology. If you'd like to take his place, please reply straight away to this newsletter e-mail, or call Andi on 0161-408-4297.
Society News
The society has been invited to the NYM Park Fest day on Sunday 24th July, to be held at the Danby Moors centre.
Predominantly a food and craft fair with a theme this year of ‘try something new’, we have been asked to provide some Mars bars, Galaxies, Milky Ways, Rocket biscuits and ‘planets’.... just joking. We have though been tasked with solar viewing, scaled solar system demos and anything else that may be considered adventurous.
The event runs from 22:00h-17:00h. Two free car spaces have been allocated to us and the attending charge has been waved. Further details will appear next month, but can also be found on the website.
What started out as a cloudy, chilly and blustery day, the evening seemed to be from a different season altogether, calm, clear and sunny.
Having been at a birthday party, Mark rushed up to the headland on the west cliff, for what proved to be the most successful star party so far this summer. The scopes were all deployed; the Moon was out, a few punters even managed to get a look. Then the cloud rolled in off the sea and in the space of 20 minutes skies were almost totally obscured. How nice. It was agreed that we are actually getting closer to holding a star party... sometime.
Assisted selfie. Left-to-right: Keith, Lee, Mark and John. Click for full-sized image.
If you have not already done so, would members please find time to sign the online petition – re light pollution, set up by Wakefield Astronomical Society. This should have been sent via email to you already. A link will be given on our website. Ten thousand signatures (now reached!) are required for the Government to take note, and 100,000 for them to consider the subject for a parliamentary debate. The closing deadline is July 22nd. If you know anyone else who would be inclined to sympathise with the cause, get them to sign it too!
Events
Observe the night sky with us at the Bruce Observatory, Whitby School - formally Caedmon College - Normanby campus ).
Observing Nights are held weather permitting: check for a relatively clear sky before leaving home. If in doubt, Mark can be reached on tel 01947 605516.
Please note the college drive gate is now operated via a electronic key code - so anyone wishing to attend must be at the car park at the top of the drive by 19:00hrs - unless an arrival time has been arranged with Mark/Keith after 19:00hrs.
