Beckington Astronomical Society

Stargazing in North East Somerset

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Previous Programmes

General Information

Tea, Coffee and lively conversation is available at the end of the evening.
Meetings take place in Beckington Baptist Church Hall and start at 7:30pm. The evening usually comprises:

  • Chaiman’s Introduction (10 mins)
  • Beginners’ Talk (20 mins)
  • Main Talk (40mins to 1 hour)
  • Tea, coffee, biscuits and chat

Main Talks Programme 2016/2017

Date Title Speaker
16th September Four Short Talks
James Fradgley
OBAFGKM, Night Vision, Laplace Resonances, Libration & Nutation
21st October Spectroscopy: Cracking starlight’s hidden code
Hugh Allen
18th November An Echo of Ingenuity
Dick Cardy
The Antikythera Mechanism
2nd December Social Evening
20th January Tales from the Dark Side of the Universe
Mike Witt
17th February John Herschel: A Very Victorian Scientist
Andy Burns
17th March The Sun
Ron Westmaas
21st April Observing the Solar System
Mark Radice
19th May Imaging Colloquium
Steve Hill
Talks discussions and demos
16th June Annual General Meeting
Member Talks

Main Talks Programme 2015/2016

Date Title Speaker
18th September Observing in the Tropics
Mark Radice
16th October The Planet Designated 134340
Mike Witt
20th November The Magic of Starlight
Dick Cardy
4th December Social Evening
15th January Planetary Nebulae
Martin Griffiths
19th February Science of the Solar System – 2
Steve Hill
18th March Ten ways the Universe tries to kill you
Stephen Tonkin
15th April Seven Moons
Bob Mizon
20th May Tales from the Dark Side of the Universe
Mike Witt
17th June Annual General Meeting
Member Talks

Main Talks Programme 2014/2015

Date Title Speaker
19th September Secrets of Cosmic Light. Will Gater
17th October An Eye to the Sky Andy Burns
21st November A Nobleman and his House Dog Dick Cardy
5th December Social Evening
16th January Patterns in the Sky – Exploring and Observing Asterisms Jonathan Gale
20th February Science of the Solar System Steve Hill
20th March The Spark of Gumdrop
Simon Barnes
17th April Variable Stars: What makes them tick? James Fradgely
15th May The Greatest Scope on Earth Nick Howes
19th June Annual General Meeting
Member Talks

Main Talks Programme 2013/2014

Date Title Speaker
20th September Why this Universe? Exploring the Cosmic Landscape. Steve Hill
18th October Project Alcock: Observing and Recording Comets Roger Dymock
15th November Volcanoes of the Solar System Dick Cardy
6th December Social Evening
17th January Cancelled
21tst February Titanic Stellar Explosions and Cosmic Dust Mysteries Haley Gomez
21st March Ten Targets for Light-Polluted Astronomers
Bob Mizon
25th April Imaging the Moon and Mars Len Telford
16th May Observing the Deep Sky Mark Radice
20th June Annual General Meeting 
The Cosmic Menagerie: A Ramble through the Universe
Steve Hill.

Main Talks Programme 2012/2013

Date Title Speaker
21st September Imaging Jupiter Damian Peach
19th October Galaxies Steve Hill
16th November Riddles in Cosmology Dick Cardy
7th December Social Evening
18th January Project Alcock:

Cancelled due to bad weather
Roger Dymock
15th February Pheonix from the Ashes:

The Origin of the Elements
Prof. Mike Edmunds
15th March Lunar Observing
Mark Radice
19th April Cosmic Telescopes Dr. Phil Marshall
17th May Space: What’s in it for Us? Mike Witt
21st June Annual General Meeting
Members’ Talks

Main Talks Programme 2011/2012

Date Title Speaker
16th September Use the Force: Shaping the Universe Steve Hill
21st October Sky at Night Magazine: Highlights Graham Southorn
18th November The Most Beautiful Diagram Dick Cardy
2nd December Social Evening
20th January Astronomy Equipment MC2
17th February John Herschel Andy Burns
16th March Meteors
Ron Westmaas
20th April Binocular Observing Mark Radice
18th May Highs & Lows of the Space Shuttle Era Simon Barnes
15th June Annual General Meeting
Members’ Talks

Programme 2010/2011

Date Title Speaker
17th September The Mechanics of the Solar System Steve Hill
Caroline Herschel Dick Phillips
15th October A Slippery Slope Sheila Hill
History of the Universe Steve Hill
19th November The Observatory at Lake Tekapo Terry Morrow
The Gas Giants Dick Cardy
3rd December Social Evening
21st January Cosmic Distances and Scales Dick Cardy
Mysteries and the Unexplained Mike Witt
18th February Which Telescope for Me? John Dolton
Upside-down Cloud Watching Mike Worsley
18th March Planetarium Bob Mizon MBE
15th April The Velocity of Light John Williams
The Cosmic Menagerie Steve Hill
20th May TBA Mike Witt
Imaging and Observing the Sun Nick Howes
17th June Annual General Meeting
Members’ Talks
  • Upcoming

    • April 22, 2018
      • MeteorsMeteors

        Lyrids peak. ZHR 15.
        all day
    • May 6, 2018
      • MeteorsMeteors

        Eta Aquariids peak. ZHR 60.
        all day
  • Recent Posts

    • Christmas Social Cancelled
    • New Programme!
    • Imaging Show and Tell!
    • AGM Coming Up
    • Asterisms
  • Astronomy Picture of the Day

  • Current Moon Phase


    Waxing Crescent Moon
    Waxing Crescent Moon

    The moon is 3 days old

    Distance: 58 earth radii
    Ecliptic latitude: -4 degrees
    Ecliptic longitude: 73 degrees
  • The Sun Today

    Image Unavailable

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