Meetings and Events

MEETINGS 2024-2025

 

Society meetings are normally held on the second Friday of each month from September to July and are free for members (See how to become a member on our Join Us Page).  Visitors are very welcome (£3 at the door) - Please bring cash, change preferred, we have no card payment facilities.

All these meetings will be from 7.30 - 9.30pm in our normal room on the Plymouth University campus, Room - Rolle 002 (Ground floor).

There is a map on the Join Us page of our website https://plymouthastro.co.uk/Join-Us/

 

Please note that there will be plenty of time at the meetings for socialising but that refreshments will no longer be served, please feel free to bring a drink and vending machines are available outside. For any further details regarding these meetings, get in touch with us on our Contact Us page.

 

Please Note: Due to increases in the costs of running the society, as of September 2024 we have had to increase the yearly membership from £15 to £20 and the guest entry from £2 to £3. Apologies for this, we hope you still enjoy and find value in attending our Society meetings.

 

Meetings normally conclude with a short presentation of "What's in the night sky this month?".

 

Monday 12th August 2024
Observing Evening - Perseid Meteor Shower at Wembury Beach car park at 20.30.

WEATHER dependant! Please check our Facebook event for updates on the day. If it is cloudy or worse the event will be called off.

We are starting the new season of observing evenings with our usual meeting at Wembury to hopefully see some good Perseids. This year there is a 1st quarter Moon low in the SW, which shouldnt interfere too much with the Perseids. These meteors are fast and often leave persistent trails. Rates per hour are the best of any meteor shower at the maximum of 12th to 13th August. If this event is clouded out we will change the date to Tuesday 13th instead.

 

Wednesday 11th September 2024

PLEASE NOTE: DATE CHANGED TO WEDNESDAY 11TH at 20.00 DUE TO CLOUD

Join us near Drake's Statue on the Hoe for an evening of stargazing. We can guide you around the night sky and show you views of the heavens through a variety of telescopes. There will be the Moon at 1st quarter, Venus (briefly), Saturn (later) in the evening, plus some of the brighter objects in the early autumn sky. Please keep an eye on the weather as we will have to cancel if cloudy or wet. If so, we will try again on Wednesday 11th.

 

Friday 13th September 2024
Beginning of new PAS Membership year (Full year membership is 20 pounds - cash only).

A talk by Colin Stuart over the internet using "Zoom", entitled "The Ultimate Guide to Time Travel". 

You are normally restricted to moving one way through time – forwards, at the steady rate of one second per second. It takes a significant effort to travel through time in any other meaningful way, but as our technology improves it may become commonplace. Colin is a prolific astronomer speaker and author and this the second talk he has given the Society in recent years. Note this this a ZOOM talk but with a physical audience!

 

Friday 11th October 2024

*RESCHEDULED* A talk by Dr Wayne Thomas FRAS entitled "Astronomy Outreach in an International Dark Sky landscape".

The talk will be based on the work of DarkSky International to address the growing adverse impact of artificial light at night; and specifically, what's happening in the UK. He will talk a bit about how news outlets discuss light at night (good and bad) and his understanding of what's happening at local and national government level to look at light pollution. He will then discuss how he does outreach from Bodmin Moor tying in observation of the night sky and what we as individuals can do to think about light pollution. Finally he will touch on his aspirations and future directions.

This talk was replaced by a short talk from our chairman, Chris, who explored the astronomical links of the local area Tamerton Foliot and explored the details of correct sundial usage! It was followed by an extended "whats in the night sky" talk by Steve Cooke.

 

Tuesday 22nd October 2024

Observing Evening - This will take place at Wembury Beach. One of the last chances to see Comet Tsuchinshan A3 as it speeds away from the inner solar system, not to return for 80,000 years! Weather dependent- will try again on Wednesday 23rd if cloudy. We will be looking out for Orionid meteors and Jupiter and Saturn as well as the Autumn night sky! Check our facebook page for more info closer to the event date.

 

Friday 8th November 2024

A talk by Joe Williams and Raphael Bendahan-West, University of Exeter. Talk is titled "The Planetary Patisserie: The Recipe for Forming and Finding Exoplanets".

This talk will explore how to build a solar system, from tiny dust grains to gas giants like Jupiter and Saturn. They will delve into how we detect exoplanets around distant stars, revealing what ground- and space-based telescopes can tell us about these alien worlds. Along the way, they will share exciting research conducted at the University of Exeter.

 

Friday 13th December 2024

PAS Christmas meeting with a short talk, and additionally includes a christmas quiz and a raffle of astronomically themed goodies.

The short talk is by Clive Beech and is titled "Exploring Astronomy, past and present, with NASA ADS"

NASA ADS provides an amazing resource for those who are interested in the field of Astronomy.  During this short introduction and real-time demonstration of NASA ADS we will be able go back more than 400 years to see and read some of the original works of Tycho Brahe, John Flamsteed, Edmond Halley, Isaac Newton and Edwin Hubble among the many great people who have contributed to Astronomy as we know it today.

 

Friday 10th January 2025

Talk Title: Shadows in Space and the Stories They Tell" by Mary McIntyre FRAS

Zoom Talk with Real Audience meet in Rolle2. Mary is a prolific speaker, author and advocate for astronomy and public outreach and is a regular contributor to the "Sky At Night Magazine".

The study of shadows here on Earth or on photographs of the lunar surface, there is so much we can learn, but it doesn't stop there because shadows are absolutely everywhere in space. From cloud shadows, eclipses and images of shadows on other planets, asteroids or comets the shadows have taught us so much. This talk covers all of this and more!

Followed by Steve Cookes "Whats up on the sky in January and Spaceflight retrospective" 

 

Friday 14th February 2025

60th Anniversay Meeting. Talk by Sheila Evans  on the History of the Society, its beginnings with Patrick Moore and eventsup to today, followed by Steves "Whats up on the February Sky" and Spaceflight  60 years ago.

 

Wednesday 5th March 2025

PLEASE NOTE ADJUSTED DATE.

Observing Evening - Wembury Beach Car Park 18.15.

Our next observing evening has an early start to try and catch a view of Mercury as it sets towards the sea ahead of Venus, which will be very bright despite being a fine crescent. Higher in the sky, the first quarter Moon and Jupiter are close together. Plus a near to last chance to see Orion with Leo and Cancer rising in the east. We will have telescopes available to see the best bits.

 

Please note these events are weather dependent and may change at short notice. If there is cloud cover or rain you can safely assume the event is cancelled. It may be re-scheduled to a nearby date with better weather. Please consider weather appropriate clothing - observing can be chilly - gloves, hats, extra layers are advised. 

Check the event on our Facebook Page for up to date last minute information.

 

Friday 14th March 2025

Equipment Evening. Bring your own telescope (if you like) and ask our members for advice . Short talk on Solar Observing by Chris Cooke  (in preperation for the upcoming partial eclipse), short talk on SeeStars by  followed by Steve Cooke on "Whats Up in the Night Sky"

 

Saturday 29th March 2025

Partial Solar Eclipse visible from Plymouth 10:00 AM to 12:00 Mid day - JennyCliff Car Park  (Free car parking or Bus no 2)

On Saturday 29th of March there will be a partial eclipse of the Sun. Come and meet the Plymouth Astronomical Society at Jennycliff carpark and see the event safely with the Societies telescopes equipment. There are a number of free solar glasses to those who come early. Please note - never look directly at the sun without eye protection or appropriate equipment.

NOTE The Eclipse will happen whatever happens but seeing it is WEATHER DEPENDENT!!!

 

Friday  11th April 2025

Talk by Chris Cooke "Observing the Sun safley and what to see in the next few years" followed by "Whats Up" by Steve Cooke.

 

Friday  9th May 2025

Talk by PAS member Clive Beech. Talk on "An Introduction to Photometry and Variable Stars" followed by "Whats Up" by Steve Cooke.

 

Friday  13th June 2025

Talk by our Patron Professor David Southwood on "Space Weather:Electromagnetic threats from the Sun" followed by "Whats Up" by Steve Cooke.

 

Friday  11th  July 2025

David Wiltons famous "End Of Year" Quiz with prizes, then the fantastic raffle, followed by "Whats Up" by Steve Cooke.  Finishing with the AGM

 

 

In addition, there are no scheduled PAS meetings in August (2025).