Herefordshire Astronomical Society - first meeting

[Mark at Beaufort]

Herefordshire Astronomical Society Tuesday 18th March 2008

The first meeting of the society was held at the Kindle Centre in Hereford from 7-9pm with 36 people attending. Short talks were given by Steve Watson (planetaria), Mark Chamberlain (Messier objects), Paul Haley (Webb-SHARE project), Paul Olver (meteorite impacts) and Chris Park (St Mary’s astronomy group and observatory plans). Suggestions from those present were then invited with a short plenary session to hear the ideas for how the society could develop. These included:

Star parties

Talks – background covering different knowledge levels / guest speakers / GCSE astronomy

Email link to get people to a clear site

Subscriptions – low / plus £1 per evening for refreshments

Meeting at St Mary’s

Events / organised trips – Space Guard Centre / Jodrell Bank / Leicester

Learning activities

Observing sessions / evenings

Historical / heritage - Herefordshire

Helping with telescopes

September – May meetings / monthly

Astrophotography

Availabile information – Internet / newsletter

Robotic telescopes access – Faulkes – Paul Roche

www.stargazerlounge.com

Meeting for juniors / junior group

Getting to know the constellations - laser pointer

Short lectures on appropriate subjects – visiting speakers

Solar eclipse – 1st August 2008

Radio astronomy

Talks on types of telescope

Telescope making workshops

www.spacewatch.co.uk

New discoveries

Geophysics – the Earth as a planet

Beginners’ workshops

‘The Comet’ pub – social event

The meeting finished with agreement that a society was needed for Herefordshire and that many other people would also be interested. The suggestions above would be discussed further by the organising committee and details posted on both the websites listed above and e-mailed around. A newsletter summary would be posted to those people providing their address. Further information to follow.