Welcome to the WDAS monthly newsletter for June 2019: a digest of the month's latest contributions to our website. Below you'll find Society News; past and coming events; a tour of the Seas and Craters of The Moon; and, of course, Sky Notes including notes on the Summer Solstice and noctilucent cloud.
Society News
After skies cleared quite late for our scheduled star party on the May11th, (and having not erected any placards as a result), we decided to utilise the conditions by trying out the LX 200 and power pack for a pre-season shakedown run.
Keith, John, Phil and Elaine all came up to the college where we hoped to have a good shakedown test of the Meade scope. Initially, things did not look promising, problems with the power station/power cable, locking/motor synch mechanism and hand controller, gave some cause for concern.
Eventually the scope was coaxed into action and slewed to the desired target with fairly decent accuracy, allowing views of mostly stellar objects (still wasn’t dark enough for deep sky objects). We concluded that the power pack may require changing and the scope’s hand controller is not responding as it should every time and also likely wants replacing. We may also consider getting the scope serviced. It is after all 16 years old, and parts do wear out.
The event on the 18th was clouded out (just as well the forecast more or less was proved right as Mark had bunked off to watch a Bowie tribute act in Scarborough). Anyway nobody knows… sshhh.
The event on the 26th also fell victim to the more familiar bank holiday type weather we have grown accustomed to – ie cloud. So May was not very fruitful, at least not on scheduled event dates. Let’s us hope June (which is always awkward due to the very light nights) has something better to offer.
Our annual pilgrimage over to Hook’s House has been booked for Aug 31st, that’s the Saturday after bank holiday, so the site should be pretty full and with a new Moon, skies should be dark!
Could be a great evening!
Not a great deal to tell, the college has the estimate of the work involved, the methods of how this will be tackled has been somewhat amended since the last update.
The felting on the roof etc may have to be removed after all as it has ‘bubbled’ in places, and a stable surface is required for the fibre glass to adhere to. It is hoped work will commence sometime in June. We will keep you informed.
Events
Caedmon College Normanby Site (you may know it as Whitby College or Whitby School), Room H1.
In Members' monthly meetings we usually take a tour of the night sky for the coming month using the Planetarium program. Have talks and presentations on various topics of astronomy/space etc, and discuss future events etc. New members welcome.
A Public Star Party, weather permitting, near the Captain Cook monument on West Cliff (setting-up from 20:30hrs).
Solar & Lunar Observations.
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.
