The beginning of March saw two star party events coinciding with the half term ‘dark sky window’, one at Fylinghall School and the other at Danby Moors Centre. After a very fine and unseasonal end to February (almost summer like) it was almost inevitable conditions returned to those normally associated with late winter:- in a word, unpredictable. Observations outdoors was not possible at either event, and yet they could be construed as being successful. [Read more about Dark Sky Events: Fylinghall and Danby]
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After receiving a most intriguing email from Mr Jim Storey, concerning a Mr Norman Wright, who was keen on visiting the Bruce Observatory, it was arranged to meet with Jim and Norman at the observatory on February 17th. 
Our association with Ayresome Primary School & Lego Innovation Studio will be continued again this year after been contacted by Elizabeth Labelle; assistant Head Teacher (phase3). This year’s group of pupils (around 30 or so) will be stopping at the Whitby Youth Hostel from April 8th - 12th and we shall be hosting a star party event for them on either the 9th, 10th, or 11th, whichever evening according to the forecast looks best. 
The exhibition has now opened and is most definitely worth a visit. Sponsored by the Royal Society, the exhibition showcases the area’s connections investigating the cosmos, from Captain Cook’s 1768 voyage observing the transit of Venus to the search for Dark Matter at Boulby Underground Laboratory. The exhibition runs until early July... 
On Saturday March 2nd we will be in action again at the Danby Moors Centre for their Dark Sky half term event. This is their ‘flagship event’, and if skies are clear we shall definitely require assistance from members regarding scopes/transport, similar to the event held last October. Hopefully skies will be clear this time round, if so, we shall be observing some of the jewels of the winter sky. The event runs from 7pm- 9pm, so we shall have to set off shortly after 6pm to allow time to set up equipment etc if conditions look promising... 
On March 1st we will be hosting an event at Fylinghall School, which is also being co-promoted by Baytown Coffee. It’s 3 years since we last visited the School for a star night event, and it will be nice to renew ties. If conditions are satisfactory (not chucking it down, blowing a Hooley, or knee deep in snow- none of which look likely) the boarding students will be flogged enlisted to help out with a scaled solar system demonstration before observing is commenced, or the implementation of plan B (indoor presentation)... 
This exciting exhibition sponsored by the Royal Society at Whitby Museum opens on February 16th and will showcase the importance of Whitby and the surrounding area in investigating the cosmos, from Captain Cook’s 1768 voyage mapping the transit of Venus to the current search for Dark Matter at Boulby Underground Laboratory.