Four members (Andi, Keith, Lee and Mark) journeyed over to Leeds on a foul morning for this year’s Astromeet. Indeed even though Andi managed drop us off within just a few metres of the entrance, such was the intensity of the cloudburst at the time, we still got soaked. Once inside the venue we had just enough time to dry off and quickly peruse the two vendor’s rooms, meeting Mark’s friend Mike who lives in Melsonby in one of them.

A full account of the lectures will feature in next month’s notes.

During the first interval Mark bagged a 21mm eyepiece for the society – the same type and brand as the previous ones purchased in past years. We now have a set of 21mm, 18mm, 12.5mm and 7.5mm. This was actually the only purchase of the day.

Our usual dinner time ritual of dining in the Terrace bar at the students union was scuppered this year thanks to Rag week festivities (live music: passes and door guards) Although Andi managed to blag his way in (we all reckon they thought he was in the band) For the rest the local Tesco Express provided sustenance, before all too soon the afternoon lectures started.

Before the final lecture, delivered in customary fashion by Dr Alan Chapman, the raffle was drawn. Mark managed to lose his tickets (which was a shame as all were winners... at least that’s what he maintained).  But we did manage a genuine win, bagging an oversized 2016 calendar/almanac from the items still on the table.

And so another Astromeet was over, with talk of the day’s events passing the time on the journey home.