A very successful visit took place to the National Space Centre, Leicester. Thirty people attended: a mix of Young Astronomers and their parents, plus adult club members. We saw a planetarium show, followed by a walk around the exhibition, displays and rocket tower. We also took part in a mission to Mars at the Tetrastar Spaceport. 

The Young Astronomers' attendance was made possible through a kind donation made by Ian Ridgley and family in memory of Frances Ridgley, late Society founder member and long time Society Secretary.

Many thanks to our club Secretary, Liz Watson, for organising this event, and to Peter Watson, for driving the minibus. 

Photos continue below. 

Photo credits: #1-9: - Liz Watson; #10-12 - Les Jones

"Essex Astrofest" - 21 September 2024, 10am to 5pm -

Burnham-on Crouch Village Hall

Following on from last year's successful event (7 October 2023; see further below), eight Essex astronomy clubs met up again.

The talks on various topics included one by our Outreach Officer, Les Brand, who presented "Variable stars and how to measure them", and also by our honorary member and regular present Nik Szymanek, on the subject of robotic imaging.  As before, it was a great chance to meet and chat with members from other clubs, and to see some fascinating displays.

Many thanks to all involved for organising this. See also the Essex Astronomy Facebook group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/1453921072043797

Image credits: Martin Gill

It was an early start for the many HAS volunteers as they arrived at 8.30am to open up the venue and set up the various scopes, equipment and activities. We were very pleased that the weather was sunny and warm and, for the most of the day, had a cloudless sky. The solar scopes, spectroscope, Society Seestar and gazebo were all set up in the area outside the Education Room with an unobstructed view of the Sun. Also in this area the Moon Craters activity was set up (well away from the scopes!).

On the opposite side of the barn, various telescopes and binoculars were set up and pointed towards a "mini" solar system that had been set up on sticks a good distance away in the field. There were also displays of members' astrophotography equipment. When inflated the Planetarium took up a large part of the barn but there was still room for the rolling projection show of members images in one corner and the straw rockets activity in the other. Our anniversary astrophotography exhibition was relocated to the barn for the day, and it received a lot of interest and praise from visitors. Inside the Education Room tables were set up around the edge with activities such as Society Information and activity handouts, space models and astronomical exhibits, Solar system Model making, Solar System Distance model, Spectroscopy, Grow a universe activity, etc.

At 11am the visitors started to arrive and shortly after the Planetarium presentations began, with sessions well attended throughout the event. Although a large number of places had been pre-booked there were also a number of visitors who bought tickets on the day. Throughout the day there was a steady stream of people attending with many youngsters taking part in all of the activities. The volunteers were kept busy but it was pleasing to see the interest and enjoyment generated by their efforts.  The last Planetarium presentation ended just before 4pm and this very successful and enjoyable Open Day came to a close. All that remained was for the volunteers to dismantle and disassemble their equipment, displays and activities, close up the venue and head home for a well deserved rest. 

~ More photos below! ~

Photo credits: Les Jones #1-3, 5, 7-9; Sarah O'Shea: #4, 6, and 9-12:

Our grateful thanks to the many club members and volunteers who helped in varios ways on the day. Names are stated where feasible

Our 30th anniversary celebration started with a pre-recorded talk by the club's inspiration, Konrad Malin-Smith (from whose evening classes on astronomy the club arose), entitled 'Harvard, Lowell, and the expansion of space' - a fascinating talk on a topic of great importance. We are very grateful to Konrad for making this recording specially for this occasion. 

We then had a special raffle, with lots of great prizes.  Next, our Chairperson, Les Jones, gave an illuminating talk about the club's formation and history, interspersed with recollections from audience members, who included some former members - among them Ian Ridgley, son of founder member and former Secretary Frances Ridgley - and regular presenter Jerry Workman (who was one of the club's very first speakers). Some in the audience helped to identify a few of the people featured in the slides. 

There were some lovely refreshments, with a specially commissioned cake (Liz Watson usually makes our anniversary cakes, but had only just returned from Texas to view the 8 April eclipse). During the extended break, we had the chance to view the astrophotography display, of which more below!

Notes:

• For further details about our club, please see Who we are
• Any photos or information relating to the club's history would be highly welcomed by Les Jones.  Feel free to contact him on chair@havastro.co.uk. 
  
  

Photo credits: Liz Watson - #1, 3 and 5; Emma Christmas - #2 and 4

As part of our 30th anniversary celebrations, during April we have an exhibition of 30 stunning images taken by club members.  This can be seen on the walkway at Thames Chase, between the café and the barn. There will be time during our April meeting, in the extended refreshment break, to view the exhibition. Also, please spread the word, and let your family and friends know!

Many thanks to Les Brand - whose idea the exhibition was, and who gathered and labelled all the images - and to Les Jones, for their sterling work in arranging this and setting everything up.  A big 'thank you' also to everyone who submitted images.

Photo credits: Les Brand (this display); astroimages by club members

We exhibited at a Thames Chase event entitled 'Feel Good in the Forest', to help raise awareness of our club. The event, run in conjunction with Forestry England, centred around taster activities, including (among others) a wildlife walk, cycling awareness, and mindfulness meditation and yoga sessions. 

As always, many thanks to those who assisted on the day. For info about Thames Chase, and their many activities for adults and children, please see: www.thameschase.org.uk/ .

Photo credits: #1, 2 and 4 - Jill Mead, Forestry England; #3 - Les Jones

We gave a talk about astronomy to members of the public who attended the walk - and also displayed some telescopes. The Thames Chase Winter Solstice Walk is an annual wellbeing and mindfulness event, to celebrate the shortest day of the year. We all had a really good time!  Many thanks to those who helped on the evening.

Photo credits: Steve Smith

Visit to Bayfordbury Observatory, University of Hertfordshire -

18 November 2023, 6-8pm

[this info also appears on our Young Astronomers page]

A very successful visit to Bayfordbury Observatory, at the University of Hertfordshire, organised by Les Brand. Thirty three people attended: a mix of Young Astronomers and their parents, plus adult club members. 

The evening opened with a talk by Calum about astronomy, covering aspects such as the structure of the universe, star development, and the university's own research.  There was then a thrilling planetarium show, presented by Ashley.  After this, we went outside, to see the radio and optical telescopes, and had a fascinating time learning how the 50cm Cassegrain and the 24” CDK telescopes are used. 

This visit was made possible through the kind donation made by Ian Ridgley and family in memory of Frances Ridgley, late Society founder member and long time Society Secretary.

Our thanks are due to Mily Riley, Bayfordbury Education Officer, and to Calum and Ashley.  We are very grateful to Les Brand for organising this visit.  See more photos below.

Further information:

Bayfordbury Observatory is the University of Hertfordshire's teaching observatory for astronomy and astrophysics.

• Click here for info on its teaching and research, plus resources for adults, and children of various age groups.
• Check out the HOYS Citizen Science project, which observes nearby young clusters and star-forming regions to study their variable young stars.

Photo credits: #1 - Magda Wheatley; #2 - Les Brand; #3 - Bill Wood; #4-6, 8 - Les Jones; #7 - Peter Morris

"Essex Astrofest" - 7 October 2023, 10am to 5pm -

Burnham-on Crouch Village Hall

Eight astronomy clubs from across the county met up, with short talks on various topics; including our Outreach Officer, Les Brand, who spoke on variable stars.  It was a great chance to meet and chat with members from other clubs, see some fascinating displays, and do some solar observing. 

Many thanks to all involved for organising this.   See also the Essex Astronomy Facebook group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/1453921072043797

Image credits: #1 and 2 - Stephen Smith; #3 and 4 - Les Jones

Thames Chase public stargazing evening -

26 November 2022

A range of images (credit: Les Jones)

Activities at meetings -

including refreshments!

Meeting the public

We have gone to a wide range of public events,

to inform the public about our society.

Photos are from local events in 2019; handing out information and demonstrating telescopes