Welcome to the WDAS monthly newsletter for September 2020: a digest of the month's latest contributions to our website. Below you'll find Society News: including Member photos, a fare-ye well to one of our good friends and longest standest Members, as he heads for the hills in search of pastures new, across the distant Northern border. And Sky Notes for the coming month. Obviously. ;-)
Society News
No.
Cancelled earlier in the year, a casualty to the Covid 19 pandemic, this year’s Whitby Regatta (had it gone ahead) would still have been a huge disappointment weather-wise with cloudy, misty and damp conditions prevailing across the weekend. I very much doubt whether we would have even ventured onto the West Cliff at all, such were the leaden skies. Some things never change.
With certain parts of the UK basking in a heat wave, clear skies were in short supply, certainly round here. Predictably, little was seen of the Perseids, comet NEOWISE is but a memory, and even the few star party events tentatively planned in early August, would all have been cancelled due to the weather.
Hook's House Event - 22nd August 2020
Planned as our first real outdoor ...outreach event, it was hoped conditions would play ball for our annual pilgrimage over to Hook’s house. They did, unfortunately it was after 23:00h, long after the event had been cancelled by Mark due to forecast rain – which did arrive for the several hours we would have been present on the campsite. Lady luck has deserted us in August – with no star parties possible due to the ‘bad weather pandemic’!
Westerdale Event
As of ‘going to keyboard’, we haven’t yet officially had a date confirmed for the annual Westerdale star party event, but it certainly will not be in September. Hopefully however, we are looking to host one on either Oct 9th or 10th. We shall seek conformation in time for October’s notes.
Monthly Meetings Recommence??
WDAS monthly meetings may also possibly re- start in October, but to be honest we won’t know whether it will be feasible until after the college goes back and settled down... or not. We may get to know by late September. If it is October, It may also not be the first Tuesday of the month (Oct 1st), but rather later on in the month... should we be given the go ahead. It’s a case of watch this space.
We will soon sadly be losing one of the stalwarts of the society shortly: Andy Lawrence. I say sadly, but for Andy and his wife, Anne, it is the start of a whole new exciting chapter in their lives as they move up to Scotland by October.
09-Jun-2017 at 21:00h: Andy with trusty Tal scope, on West Cliff. (Click for full-sized image)
Andy has been a valued member for over 20 years (and hopefully will continue to be so). He just won’t be physically present at our star parties, meetings or astro-days out. His enthusiasm and willingness to assist over all this time, in all weathers and locations, will really be a sore loss and his participation will be greatly missed. But hopefully he will be taking many treasured memories of society events north of the border.
11-Aug-2018 at 15:00h on West Cliff: Andy dressed for Regatta. (Click for full-sized image)
I feel sure I speak for all our members in wishing Andy and Anne all the very best for their new life in retirement in Scotland. Here’s to you Andy!!
10-Apr-2019 at 13:00h: Andy and Society friends near Whitby Abbey (Click for full-sized image)
Thanks to Members for some stunning pictures of The Moon, Jupiter, and the house across the street.
03-Aug-2020 at 22:45h: Moonrise, by Mark. (Click for full-sized image.)
06-Aug-2020 at 05:30h: Gibbous Moon, by Richard Randle. (Click for full-sized image.)
07-Aug-2020 at 05:45h:
Mars, by Richard Randle.
11-Aug-2020 at 23:30h: Alcor and Mizar, by Richard Randle
(in France). (Click for full-sized image.)
24-Aug-2020 at 21:00h: Jupiter and Saturn over roof-tops, by Mark. (Click for full-sized image.)
24-Aug-2020 at 21:00h: Quarter Phase Moon, by Mark. (Click for full-sized image.)
26-Aug-2020 at 21:30h: The Moon: Appennines with Archimedies lower right.
By Richard Randle. (Click for full-sized image.)
26-Aug-2020 at 22:00h: Jupiter, by Richard Randle.
28-Aug-2020 at 22:15h: Crater Copernicus, upper left,
by Richard Randle. (Click for full-sized image.)
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.
