Think back to July 2018, when during a long heat wave with the majority of evening’s fine, it was greatly frustrating to have apocalyptic weather for the total lunar eclipse on July 27th 2018.
Almost a year on (July 16th 2019) another lunar eclipse would grace our skies and again would already be underway as the moon rose. Not a total, but a partial eclipse. This time however prospects looked encouraging with clear skies forecast... [Read more about Partial Lunar Eclipse]
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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. 
If the Moon had been at a better phase, (ie. pre Full Moon), we could have almost started the outdoor star party season at Easter, with the weather being as good as it was. But it was rising just a little too late, and with no planets visible – (Mars being well passed its best) the spring sky is not ideally suited to the passing public... 
Staying at the Whitby Youth Hostel, this year’s outward bounds party from Ayresome Primary school in Middlesbrough once again brought fine weather with them, even though the forecast originally had been for light or low cloud for much of the week. 
We are currently in the process of booking Paul for a talk, however due to various factors this is most likely to be later in the year rather than May. 
During our March meeting, it was agreed that the best method of weather proofing the observatory dome and roof was the one put forward by Saul, ie. by applying a new fibre glass surface over coated directly onto the existing felt. Following the generous donation by Norman Wright and perhaps other monies forthcoming from the college, we should have enough funds to carry out the necessary work for the refurbishment... 
Our association with Ayresome Primary School & Lego Innovation Studio will again be renewed this year when a group of pupils (around 30 or so) when we will host a star party event for them on either the 9th, 10th, or 11th (depending which evening according to the forecast)... 