Whitby & District Astronomical Society

In this month's edition:

• Planetary Skylights 
• September Meteors
• Autumn Equinox
• September Night Sky
• September 2022 Sky Charts

  [Read more about Sky Notes - September 2022]

Whitby Regatta; so often coincides with a mixed, unsettled  weather, but with near heat wave conditions forecast this year confidence in hosting a full programme of Regatta events was high. So did matters work out that way ... well not quite. [Read more about August Events - Regatta - A retrospective view. ]

August tends to be a busy month - skies are darker earlier for one reason. Decent, warm conditions are another factor and we have some planets to observe now. Would cloud stay away, or spoil the party. [Read more about Star Party Reports -Aug 6th, 20th, 26th & 28th ]

A new astro-convention will take place this October organised by Brian Jones, editor of the Yearbook of Astronomy. Called the Yearbook of Astronomy Convention, it will feature guest speakers and is hoped to become an anual event ... [Read more about Yearbook of Astronomy Convention - 2022-update]

Following a three month initial instrument shakedown period the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) science team have released the first slew of images from the $10 billion telescope... and boy, was the wait worth it.  [Read more about James Webb - Initial Images ]

August is expected to be somewhat busier on the star party front than the past two months, with darker skies and planetary offerings - weather permitting.  

  [Read more about Star Party Schedule - August ]

Due to circumstances beyond our control; ie light evenings and lack of planets, star parties have been few and far between. That said a successful event on July 9th, meant a 100% star party success rate this summer ...   [Read more about Star Party - Report ]

In this month's edition:

• Planetary Skylights 
• August Meteors 
• Noctilucent cloud - Supermoon & Sunspots
• August Night Sky
• August 2022 Sky Charts

  [Read more about Sky Notes - August 2022]

Brian Jones, the Editor of the Yearbook of Astronomy has organised a convention, called the Yearbook of Astronomy Convention, which he hopes will become an annual event and will include guest speakers... [Read more about Yearbook of Astronomy Convention - 2022]

By late July, evenings gradually become darker once again, allowing more time for observers to explore and appreciate the summer night sky.  

The brightest stars emerge around 22:15h: isolated jewels dotted around the heavens.  Of these, three form a large asterism known as the 'Summer Triangle', visible in UK skies until well into autumn.  The three stars, Altair, Deneb and Vega, are all bright, main sequence stars, but of very different nature.. [Read more about The Summer Triangle Stars ]

So often clouded out, rained off, even blown away, our first scheduled star party of the summer on June 11th from the West Cliff coincided with some fine evening conditions, allowing some fine views of the waxing gibbous moon, and to test out some equipment ...sort of.   [Read more about Star Party - Report and Schedule ]

In this month's edition:

• Planetary Skylights 
• July Meteors 
• Noctilucent cloud sightings
• July Night Sky
• July 2022 Sky Charts

  [Read more about Sky Notes - July 2022]

The constellation of Scorpius is not surprisingly one of Ptolomy's original 48 being one of the brighter, more distinctive patterns visible in the sky. It is also littered with many fine deep sky objects. It is however best appreciated from more southerly latitudes.  [Read more about Scorpius]

It will be rather a slow start to the summer star Party season, with all the major planets not wanting to come out to play in the evening sky until early-mid August.   [Read more about Summer Star Party - Schedule/Events ]

In this month's edition:

• Planetary Skylights 
• Lunar Eclipse Sighting
• June meteors 
• Noctilucent cloud season 
• June Night Sky
• June sky in brief 
• June 2022 Sky Charts

  [Read more about Sky Notes - June 2022]