Whitby & District Astronomical Society

Conditions permitting Sunday evenings from October to April are set aside for observations from the Bruce Observatory – Whitby School. A potential of 25+ observing opportunities to explore the night sky for society members and public alike. The reality of being able to observe on a given night from these shores is fraught with the likelihood of failure, our weather can – and often is fickle and probably 70% of our Sunday evenings are non-observing evenings, non-starters. When conditions are conducive however, the vintage 5" Cooke refractor housed within the dome can provide truly memorable views, especially of the Moon and planets, the long f15 focal ratio of the 5" Cook ideally suited for this.

November dates started where October left off - under a sea of cloud, the first scheduled event (Nov 3rd) a no-show.  It looked for all the world the following Sunday would follow suit, but against all odds skies cleared during early evening, allowing John, Keith and Mark observing time at the eyepiece.  Top of the observing agenda was an 8-day old Moon, which looked spectacular.  

Of note was the magnificent walled crater Copernicus, its floor still partly in shadow.  Some of the peaks of the nearby Apennine Mt’s were startlingly noticeable, their peaks illuminated like torches catching the first rays of sunshine. Plato and the Alpine valley were eye catching as too was the huge crater Clavius - its floor strewn with the array of craters arcing across it not yet fully basking in the early light.  Saturn was our other target, conveniently situated a few degrees upper left of the Moon.  The view not what we are normally accustomed too, the rings tilted toward us only slightly, but the image was steady and pleasing, Titan clearly visible as speck of light close by the disk.

The following week (Nov 17th) turned out to be one of those half and half evenings, cloud coming and going, but frustratingly from 7pm until almost 8:30pm cloud was mostly present and few stars if any were visible.  Having informed Keith and John it probably wasn't worth it, only Mark ventured up dropping off some books and other items at the observatory.  No one else turned up and Mark departed by 8pm.  Ironically in the time it took Mark to travel back home skies started to clear, all rather annoying to say the least.  

The final date in November (24th) was very nearly a carbon copy of the previous week, the only difference being skies did not start to clear until after 11pm.  Just the one successful visit in November then - or, as we have come to accept - the norm!    

Please note for anyone intending to come along the school drive gate now operates via an electric key code system which only certain WDAS members can access.  Please try to be in the school drive top carpark for 19:05hrs or contact Mark with a pre-arranged arrival time.  If not, you may have to use car horn or car head lights (if in vehicle), or shout, for us to become aware in the dome as the gates will be closed!