WDAS monthly meetings are ongoing for the winter/spring period.  The venue is Caedmon College - Normanby Campus (formerly Whitby College) - room H1 starting from 7:30pm.

If you are new to the area and would like to join the society or have become interested in the night sky and want to take 'one small step', please do come along, you will be very welcome. 

Meetings normally follow the format of a revue of the night sky that month, upcoming celestial events, coupled with a talk or presentation on astronomical aspects or associated with space. Meetings end by 9:25pm at latest, although usually it's around 9:15pm.   

Our last meeting on February 6th was rather eventful.  To start we had difficulty gaining access into the college (yes, we were locked out), but after a phone call or two James the caretaker came to the rescue.  Mark started a presentation on 'hunting Bears' the celestial variety, but we ended up hunting for torches after a power cut left us in the dark!  Not knowing when it would be restored, we naturally packed away and were on the verge of calling for help believing we were locked in when the power came on again just before 9pm.  James and inmates were all relieved!  The bear hunt will resume at the next meeting, also taking a look at Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks. The next meeting is on March 5th.  There will be no meeting in April due to the closure of the College for Easter Holidays. 

 

Open Nights 

Sunday evening open nights at the Bruce Observatory commence at a 7pm start time until the final Sunday in March.  They are weather dependant, so if you are intending on coming along, please contact Mark on the day, the conditions at Whitby can be very different to inland, or further up or down the coast!  The observatory (the conical domed building) is also located at the Normanby Campus, at the bottom of the drive.  

For anyone wishing to come along, please be at the College top carpark for 7pm if possible as the security gate for the drive is operated via keycode and closes automatically after being opened.  Only the 'guardians of the gate' have the code.  Anyone arriving later will need to attract our attention within the observatory (flash car lights, pip horn, or shout). We will notice.  March dates are the 3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th and 31st - this last date will start from 8:15pm following BST coming into operation.