We shall once again be travelling over to Westerdale to host a star party on Friday Sept 2nd. The venue will be the village hall/car park area within the village. Start time is 20:00h for the public, but will members wishing to attend (contact Mark) be there for 19:30-45h to allow time for equipment to be set up. Anyone who has been before will know the site is reasonably dark and the natives are always friendly, and it will be nice to see our friend John. Plan B (indoors) will be initiated if cloudy. [Read more about Westerdale Star Party]
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Finally, a star party actually that went ahead, July 15th. It was a bit last minute, but conditions were clear, a little breezy, but nevertheless observations were actually possible. With skies still quite bright, the 10 day old moon was our first target... 
It would seem that a regime change has been encouraged at Whitby Museum. Although exact details of hire charges etc, have yet to be verified, it’s looking likely these will be similar to what the society used to pay for use of the Normanby room. Better news still, food is back on the menu! Watch this space for further news on a likely date for Paul Money. 
This was our first Parkfest event, held at the Moors centre, Danby. Keith and Mark had an early start, arriving at the grounds by 9am. Because the forecast was for overcast skies, turning to rain by late afternoon, Mark had loaded the car for almost every eventuality (the kitchen sink wouldn’t quite fit)... 
What started out as a cloudy, chilly and blustery day, the evening seemed to be from a different season altogether, calm, clear and sunny. 
The society has been invited to the NYM Park Fest day on Sunday 24th July, to be held at the Danby Moors centre. 
Well, would you believe it, a transit untroubled by the weather? Yes, it was true, you weren’t dreaming, for all 7 and a bit hours, Mercury remained visible against the Sun’s disk, as hardly a cloud dared show its face in the sky. Mark ventured up to the Whitby Youth Hostel with a couple of refractors, setting up in the rear garden in ‘most agreeable’ surroundings and a backdrop probably unmatched anywhere in the country, ie the Abbey. 
The Transit Party at Whitby Youth Hostel did allow Mark to schedule in some star party dates there. Both dates for May were clouded out, so the next date is June 10th (Friday) from 9pm – initially solar viewing, then lunar, and finally planetary observations. 