Saturn at the Observatory

Saturn – taken using the Philips SPC900 camera through the main observatory telescope (12″ Meade LX200). Image processing via Registax 4 and Photoshop Elements 5.

Processed image:

Raw Video:

Sidewalk Success

On Saturday 12th April, society members took part in the International Sidewalk Astronomy Night event. We set up various telescope in Sainsbury’s supermarket car park and over forty people from all walks of life came over to see what was happening.

They were wowed by great views of the Moon, as well as the orange-red planet Mars and the ringed wonder Saturn.

The event aims to interest and educate the general public by going back to simple, grass-roots astronomy and taking telescopes out on to the streets.

April Public Meeting

On the 16th April, Jerry Workman gave a talk about the Hubble Space Telescope planetary imaging.

Telescope returns to observatory

The main telescope at the observatory – a 12″ Meade LX200 – has been returned to the dome after it’s servicing was completed. The optics have been cleaned and realigned and are now producing a really quality image. Go along to the observatory on Thursday nights to give it a go.

New gallery images

Some new member images have been added to the image gallery. You can click here to view them, and many others.

International Sidewalk Astronomy Night 2008

This Saturday, 12th April, some members of the Society will be taking part in International Sidewalk Astronomy Night. ISAN is a worldwide event where astronomers take their telescopes out to the streets and allow the general public to see the night sky – and thus hopefully promoting interest in astronomy (and the Society).

We have been given to permission to use the site of Sainsbury’s supermarket in Braintree, and we’ll should be there from the late evening onwards.

In you’re are interested in getting involved, please in contact.