The Astronomy Centre

It is that time of year again........

Just a reminder that it is time to renew your membership. Have you considered setting up a standing order to save you having to remember?

Stargazing Live 2012 events

The Observatory will be open at additional times during the BBC Stargazing Live 2012 broadcasts.

On Saturday 14 and Saturday 21 January there will be an opportunity for solar observing between noon and 3pm. The normal evening sessions will start at 7pm.

On Monday 16 and Tuesday 17 January both 16" reflectors, the 8" refractor and a number of smaller telescopes and binoculars suitable for beginners will be available. Also, various members will be making presentations and providing guided tours of the observatory.

Members can contact Peter, Andy and David via the usual channels for further details, or to offer their help for the various sessions.

Visitors should register as described on the webpage BBC Stargazing Live 2012 events and they will receive more information.

Weather updates

1)
Saturday 14 and Monday 16 will be very cold with generally clear skies, although there may be occasional periods of haziness on the horizon (especially to the east).
There will be cloudier conditions moving in from the west on Tuesday 17 and this will lead to slightly less cold observing conditions with the possibility of interruptions to the sessions if the cloud is unbroken.

2)
The warm front moving in from the west on Tuesday 17 is likely to arrive slightly earlier than predicted on Friday. There is a moderate chance of the outdoor sessions being disrupted by unbroken cloud.
Early indications are for snow on Friday 20 and Saturday 21 January.

3)
The forecast for tonight is for generally cloudy skies with occasional breaks. There will be a moderate to strong westerly breeze which may prevent use of the smaller domes on the site.

Solar observatory

Work has started............... offers of help for various tasks needed.

25/07/11 Foundations being laid.

26/07/11 Foundations finished

27/07/11 Pier installed

28/07/11 Pier modified for EQ6

04/08/11 Trench dug for electrics, LAN and video cables

01/11/11 Dismantled observatory at Farm (except floor), ready to transport up to site

02/11/11 Floor dismantled and brought to site, floor frame assembled on foundations

03/11/11 All parts moved from farm to site, servicing of door runners started.

04/11/11 Door runners all serviced

09/11/11 Base drilled and fixed to foundations

10/11/11 Corner uprights re-fixed back in position

14/11/11 Onwards - cleaning of parts ready for assembly

21/11/11 Removal of outside paint continues!

26/03/12 Well after a long break good weather has allowed us to start re-assembly

30/03/12 Assembly went well, we are now 'fettling' got a temporary power supply connected

14/05/12 Flooring ordered

15/05/12 Flooring arrived, one side varnished

16/05/12 Finished varnishing floor, polythene laid to stop moisture under floor

17/05/12 CAT6 cables to main dome laid, floor laid and secured

Peter's personal new web site

Peter now has his own web site at http://pdrew.co.uk/

Partial Solar Eclipse - Tuesday 4 January 2011

Created - 00:55

Unfortunately, the latest weather forecast is for cloud.
Various members will be making observations at home and any images which are captured will be shared through the usual channels.

Update - 10:20

Thick cloud following overnight snowfall obscured the skies to the south-east of Blackburn, Accrington and Clitheroe. Reports from observers in the Rochdale, Halifax and Bradford areas are still to be received.

Update - 8 January

Further reports from members east of the Pennines indicate that conditions were poor across the whole region.

Please forward a short note about any observations that you managed to make to the Research & Education Group.

Spring Star Party - 2010

Spring 2010 Star Party Program

The Spring 2010 Star Party was held on Saturday May 1st. The programme of events was as follows:

12:00	Doors Open
12:30 - 13:15	Registration
13:15 - 14:15	Our active Sun	Prof. Philippa Browning, Manchester University
14:15 - 14:45	Break
14:45 - 15:45	My (short) career as a Radio Astronomer	Rod Hine, MA Cantab
15:45 - 16:45	Rev Dr William Pearson - Founder of the RAS	Mike Frost
16:45 - 17:15	Break
17:15 - 18:15	The construction of large amateur telescopes	Dave Owen, Liverpool AS

Progress at the site

The rotating "half cylinder" dome for the remaining on-site peripheral observatory is now in the final stages of construction. This observatory will house the long awaited re-appearance of the 8.5" F12 refractor. Weather prmitting, it is hoped that completion will be early next year, in time for the best views of Saturn and ready for events during International Year of Astronomy 2009. The housing for the 12" reflecting binocular telescope is also virtually complete and again is waiting for some suitable weather conditions to install it. In the early days of the Astronomy Centre we had a Camera Obscura on site. This proved immensely popular with visitors, particularly children. A replacement instrument is well under way and will be fitted near the top of the main observatory dome. This Camera Obscura will be manually operated to give that "hands on" appeal. The main lens is 8" diameter operating at around F25. The viewing table is 2 metres diameter making it one of the largest image presentation units in operation. On a good sunny day it will give spectacular views of the surrounding countryside in full living colour. Astronomically, it will be possible to project the image of the Sun revealing whatever sunspot activity is going on at the time.

Joint project with the Lancashire Council of Mosques.

Determining the time of darkness in mid-summer at medium to high latitudes.

The Research and Education Group are assisting scholars and clerics from the Lancashire Council of Mosques to determine the extent of full darkness at the latitude of East Lancashire. This move has been precipitated by the slow regression of the holy month of Ramadan into mid-summer, due to the 354 day lunar-solar year.

It is hoped that the study will provide accurate information upon which the scholars can timetable the Islamic prayers which occur close to the end of Evening Nautical Twilight and the beginning of Morning Nautical Twilight.

Any members who are at a fully dark site on a cloudless evening or morning are asked to record the moment at which the faint horizon glow begins to form a concave pyramidical spike - or when that spike collapses before dawn - and to pass the timings to David C.

IYA2009 Launch

Due to forecast heavy snow this event has been cancelled.

The Astronomy Centre's first event to mark UNESCO's International Year of Astronomy 2009 will take place on Saturday 24 January 2009.

Roger O'Brien of the Open University will present a talk called "Twinkle, Twinkle, little star", which will be followed by a hands-on observing session.

During this, visitors will be introduced to views of the sky through a wide range of instruments, guided by experienced members of local societies.

More details will follow shortly.

Spring Star Party 2008

Star Party - Saturday 12th April

The Astronomy Centre Spring Star Party was held on Saturday 12th April 2008. The event was a huge success, with 75 members and guests attending. The talks were held on the top floor of the observatory, which was completely packed out. A video and audio feed was provided down to the first floor, so that the attendees who couldn't squeeze in upstairs didn't miss out.

Everyone who came along seemed very pleased with the day. There was even a gap in the clouds just after sunset to allow a brief Lunar observing session with the 16" GOTO Meade.

The full schedule from the day is available here.

Please send any enquiries about Star Parties to starparty@astronomycentre.org.uk.