Scopes, scopes, scopes: if you are looking for a telescope, well, we have several looking for good homes.  Ring Mark for details.

Welcome to the WDAS monthly newsletter for July 2018: a digest of the month's latest contributions to our website.  Below you'll find Society News, Sky Notes, the latest in Mark's monthly Crossing the Line series, as well as coming events.

Society News

The society has again been invited to the NYM Park Fest day on Sunday 22nd July, to be held at the Danby Moors centre.

We attended the event in 2016, and although Mark and Keith put on a good display the weather didn’t, and only fleeting glimpses of the Sun were possible for solar viewing.  We have been tasked again with solar viewing and if conditions are fine a scaled solar system demo.  The event runs from 10:00-17:00h.  Two free car spaces have been allocated to us and the attending charge has been waved.

Mark and Keith will be in one car – so any member wishing to help out and has a car can have a free day!

As this edition of the WDAS Newsletter goes to press (digitally speaking) Mark's on holiday, enjoying the sunshine on some windy mountain, I expect.  And he's sent me a photo of a star party from last Saturday (23-Jun-2018) with no little by way of accompanying article. "Views of the moon, Jupiter, Venus and finally Saturn", it said.  "Kept all busy, but Mercury could not be picked out of some streaky haze low in the west".  So lucky you... you get to read a short and geeky padded article from me.

Mark took a break from writing this month's Planetary Skylights last Saturday evening to run a Star Party on West Cliff.  He was excited to try out Keith's new scope: a treat he'd been anticipating for much of the month.  (Various missives reached me in Tenerife carrying news of fog, fog and more fog in Whitby in the early month... in the end even with idle speculation about whether Keith's telescope may be cursed!).

But here you have it.. a small image of Keith's new, black, 12" Skywatcher Dobsonian 'Truss' telescope with Go-to facilities, which they've helpfully photographed against a black background!

And, shining bright through the gloom you see it here in action in the star party, although - wouldn't you know it - everyone was globularly clustered around a far smaller scope at that moment.

Events

Whitby Youth Hostel - East Whitby - rear of Abbey vistor centre. Book now: email whitbyatyha.org.uk or call 01947 602 878 to reserve a space.

 

Date:
29 March, 2024 - 19:30 to 21:15
Address:

Public viewing open night at the Bruce Observatory - Caedmon College, Normanby Campus, Whitby. Please contact Mark before travelling -01947 605516

Date:
31 March, 2024 - 20:15
Address:
Bruce Observatory - Caedmon College
Prospect Hill
YO21 1LA Whitby
United Kingdom
GB

Observe the night sky with us at the Bruce Observatory, Caedmaon College - Normanby campus (formally Whitby College).

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 19:30hrs.  Otherwise shout or bip car horn - we'll hear.

Date:
8 December, 2024 - 18:00 to 21:00
Address:
Bruce Observatory, Caedmon School Normandy Site (Whitby School)
Prospect Hill
YO21 1LA Whitby
United Kingdom
GB