Latest Society News – Page 4 – North Essex Astronomical Society

Live Astronomy – 8th December 2017 – The International Space Station

22nd December 201716th February 2018 By Ian LauwerysNo Comments

In this Live Astronomy event we watch the International Space Station pass over Essex. You can find out more about our Live Astronomy events on our Live Astronomy Information page or check the Event Calendar for the date and time of the next Live Astronomy event. Important: The sound on this video is muted by default - move your mouse over the video and use the volume control that appears at the bottom right to turn up the volume. We also recommend using the fullscreen button to enlarge the video stream. Live Astronomy Event. Posted by North Essex Astronomical Society Archives of all previous events are also available via our Live Astronomy Archives page. Recordings are also available on our YouTube Channel....

Live Astronomy – 28th November 2017 – The Moon

22nd December 201716th February 2018 By Ian LauwerysNo Comments

In this Live Astronomy event we view the moon from the Scottish Dark Sky Observatory. You can find out more about our Live Astronomy events on our Live Astronomy Information page or check the Event Calendar for the date and time of the next Live Astronomy event. Important: The sound on this video is muted by default - move your mouse over the video and use the volume control that appears at the bottom right to turn up the volume. We also recommend using the fullscreen button to enlarge the video stream. Live Astronomy Event. Posted by North Essex Astronomical Society Archives of all previous events are also available via our Live Astronomy Archives page. Recordings are also available on our YouTube Channel....

Free Guide to Observing Meteors

13th December 201713th December 2017 By Ian LauwerysNo Comments

Stories about spectacular meteor showers often appear in the news. We know that editors like to exaggerate a bit to entertain their readers, so what will you see in reality? In this free guide, we explain what a meteor is and how you can easily go about observing them. Meteor watching is fun for all the family and best of all it doesn't require any specialised equipment. So why not head over to our Free Astronomy Resources page and download your copy today?...

Star Gazing at Great Notley 9th December 2017

9th December 2017 By Ian LauwerysNo Comments

The Star Gazing event at Great Notley will be going ahead tonight (9th December) from 6:00pm until 9:00pm. Hope to see you there but wrap up warmly as it will be cold (three pairs of socks weather). Full details of how to get there and other useful/important information are available here: https://www.northessexastro.co.uk/great-notley-information/ https://www.northessexastro.co.uk/events/star-gazing-at-great-notley-dec17/...

Free Guide to Choosing a Telescope

16th November 201716th November 2017 By Ian LauwerysNo Comments

To celebrate our brand new web site and just in time for Christmas shopping, we've produced a short guide to choosing your first telescope. We often get asked which telescope to choose. The simple fact is that there isn’t one ‘best’ telescope for the beginner, or anyone else for that matter. It all depends on your needs and circumstances. Our short guide explains telescope basics, asks you to answer a few simple questions to narrow down the choices and then presents a list of possibilities. There’s something for everyone and for every budget. So why not head over to our Free Astronomy Resources page and download your copy today?...

Adventures in Kelling, Autumn 2017

15th November 201716th November 2017 By ClareLauwerysNo Comments

Kelling Heath Holiday Park in North Norfolk has stunning night skies due to the very low levels of light pollution. As a result, they hold twice yearly star parties which are attended by hundreds of astronomers from all over the country. The event held during September each year is thought to be the largest star party in Europe. North Essex Astronomical Society members view it as a highlight of the year and a must-do! Here are some pictures from the 2017. (Editors note: We asked for words but apparently what happens in Kelling stays in Kelling!) ...

Pride of Place for Stuart Grainger

25th August 201716th November 2017 By North Essex Astronomical Society Comment Closed

Earlier in the year we told you the sad news of the loss of Stuart Grainger. Stuart's commitment and dedication to the society is beyond compare (you can read more about Stuart here) and those of us who are regulars attendees at the observatory on Thursday night are sure that as well as us missing him, "astro-dog" Smudge still misses him and his laser pen. We recently put up a picture of Stuart so we can see his friendly face every time we go out of the door and onto the patio to gaze at the night sky. Stuart - your one more year of being involved at the observatory has been extended for just a bit longer....

Stuart Grainger, 1935–2017

17th March 201716th November 2017 By North Essex Astronomical SocietyNo Comments

It is with great sadness that NEAS announces the loss of our good friend and Observatory Director, Stuart Grainger, at the age of 81. Stuart had been a member for some 17 years, and served on the committee for much of that, being instrumental in helping to shape the society into the organisation it is today. Every year for the past 5–6 years he had announced he would retire from his role, only to decide to carry on for "just one more year". His passion and commitment to the society were second to none. Anyone who has attended one of our public lectures, stargazing nights at Great Notley, or school or scout group outreach events is likely to have met Stuart, who continued to attend virtually every one of these up until very recently when ill health prevented him (reluctantly, we might add!) from doing so. Stuart worked tirelessly to keep our observatory running smoothly, often carrying out maintenance and repairs himself, and was always...

BBC Inside Out Films at Observatory

11th January 20121st October 2021 By North Essex Astronomical SocietyNo Comments

UPDATE - Here's the footage: On Wednesday afternoon we welcomed BBC presenter David Whiteley to the observatory in order to film some footage for the current affairs programme Inside Out. The programme will feature a story segment about the radio astronomy pioneers of Cambridge and is also tied in with Stargazing Live. The show will be broadcast on Monday 16th January at 7:30pm on BBC1, so look out for us. (Unfortunately most of us will be taking part in Stargazing Live events on that night, so we'll have to check it out on iPlayer!) ...

User Solar Observing Links

19th June 200916th November 2017 By North Essex Astronomical SocietyNo Comments

Following on from Peter Meadows' talk about solar observing, here is the list of weblinks he showed at the end: British Astronomical Association Solar Section 'The Astronomer' Magazine The Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SoHO) Spaceweather.com Atmospheric phenomena (rainbows, ice halos, etc) NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center Peter Meadows ...