Harrogate Astronomical Society - active or not ?

[stevebb]

Just wondering if this society is still up and running, the link to the webpages is broken and I have just had a returned email from the society point of contact (undeliverable).

I really would like to know if there are any astronomers around the Knaresborough/Harrogate area.

Best wishes,

Steve

[brantuk]

I've just had a brief skim around it Steve - the site looks fine from here

| CommuniGate | Homepage

Perhaps you could pop down to their monthly meetings?

Edit - Oh the link at the bottom of the page is broken as you say.

[stevebb]

Hiya :-)

It was the link from that page I had tried. I have visited it in the distant past but no longer seems to be hosted unfortunately.

Steve

[LeoLion]

Try contacting their email contact person via this information from the Federation Of Astronomical Societies website Federation of Astronomical Societies - Member Societies . This FAS page shows no current webpage address but a contact email. Hope this helps. ( Provided that this is not the 'bouncing' address ). There is a different contact via here http://www.astronomyclubs.com/1/189/0/6/club.aspx . Worth a try.

[stevebb]

Hi Leo,

That was the email address I posted to (Andrew) but came back undeliverable.

Fingers crossed, someone on the forum might know if the group has disbanded or merged with another local group and I am searching on the wrong terms lol

Steve

[LeoLion]

Hi Steve , Just for clarity - Did you try the pat22 email address on the FAS link ( so I know that neither email address functions )?. The other is with talktalk.

York AS is active ( for definite ) and cannot be too far from you .

You live in a great part of Yorkshire ( I used to have relatives in Little Ribston )

[stevebb]

Thanks Leo, I have visited the York astro a few times - super club and great people and will probably end up joining them.

However, I do not wish to keep bothering some poor sole 20+ miles away hence wishing to find someone a little closer.

The address@demon..co.uk is the one that bounces.

But just noticed a telephone number so will give that a call later.

Really appreciate your help Leo, Thank you

Steve

[stevebb]

Ok, a lot of soul searching later I have managed to track down a point of contact.

However, the contact information online is incorrect and the club has desperately been trying to get it removed as the gentleman is sadly deceased.

If anyone here has a point of contact at astronomyclubs.com please could you raise this with them as it is obviously very upsetting for his widow.

I have a date for the meeting, and once I obtain further information I can hopefully update the above site. If they allow me to, I may also setup a webpage for them and get them up and running. Saying that, see what it is like first

Steve

ps thanks again for all your help

[Howling]

Hi Steve,

I'd be interested to hear how you get on, I was a member of Harrogate AS back in the 80's-90's and was wondering if they were still on the go since I got back into astronomy.

Might be able to attend some meetings now I am moving back to Knaresborough. If they are still going - fingers crossed!

[stevebb]

Hi Andrew,

I have still not found anything definite although it still seems it is the last Friday in the month somewhere off the road that leads to Beckwithshaw (Harlow hill area).

I also live in Knaresborough so when you do move in give me a shout (steve@stevebb.com). Although I am not in an ideal dark sky location, I can see a few stars but that said, I have an awful lot to learn. Including polar aligning a mount lol

Best wishes,

Steve (Aspin area of Knaresborough)

[jayjt29]

Could well be interested too, im north east Leeds so not a million miles away. I too have lots to learn!!

[LeoLion]

I will see if the Yorkshire FAS Representative has up to date information about them ( Harrogate AS ) and flag up if I find out more. I have heard that they have occasional joint meetings with the York Astronomical Society so the York AS officers may well be able to help out with current contact information .

[Howling]

Hi Andrew,

I have still not found anything definite although it still seems it is the last Friday in the month somewhere off the road that leads to Beckwithshaw (Harlow hill area).

I also live in Knaresborough so when you do move in give me a shout (steve@stevebb.com). Although I am not in an ideal dark sky location, I can see a few stars but that said, I have an awful lot to learn. Including polar aligning a mount lol

Best wishes,

Steve (Aspin area of Knaresborough)

If they are there it sounds like they haven't moved in years, they met in a Scout hut around the Beckwithshaw area and had the lease on Harlow Hill Tower Observatory from Harrogate Council. I was Secretary for a few years, but have lost touch with all the members - it was a long time ago, when I was young, free, single and had more hair...

Steve, thanks for getting in touch, I am actually moving into the Aspin area, next month fingers crossed! So we may be able to look at that polar allignment with you some time...

[nh001]

Andrew/Steve,

Did you manage to track anybody down in Harrogate AS?

Would be interested to see if anybody existis still - will help with a discussion I'm having with Harrogate Council.

Neil

[stevebb]

Hair ? what is that, when I got married the wife took my hair dryer and told me then I would not be needing it

Still nothing from the enquiries I had made which is a shame, I am not sure if they need someone to advertise the club on there behalf or if they just prefer elusivity (if there is such a word)

Andrew, when you do move into the Aspin area then please drop me a line either on here or via home email which is linked within my profile.

Once again, if I do here directly or indirectly about Harrogate Astronomical Society I will update this posting.

Best wishes,

Steve

If they are there it sounds like they haven't moved in years, they met in a Scout hut around the Beckwithshaw area and had the lease on Harlow Hill Tower Observatory from Harrogate Council. I was Secretary for a few years, but have lost touch with all the members - it was a long time ago, when I was young, free, single and had more hair...

Steve, thanks for getting in touch, I am actually moving into the Aspin area, next month fingers crossed! So we may be able to look at that polar allignment with you some time...

[Ayaka]

Hello, my name is Silvia, me and my husband came to live in Harrogate about 6 months ago and we are immature astronomers. We were looking for others astronomers, here is where my research bring me. I guess nobody still have news from the Harrogate astronomical society... i was thinking to go this friday and see if they are there. I live really close. Said that, does anybody knows a nice spot to look at the stars withouth drive too far away from the town? The biggest problem we encountered is that the best sposts are always far from the road and transport the telescope and the other stuff is a little complicated.

Thank you!

Hope to find this society

[Ayaka]

oh, i recieved answer from the pat22 email, it said they are still active and the next meeting will be "September 30th at Harlow Community Centre Hall on Beckwith Avenue at 7.45 pm, The speaker will be Brian Fulton from York University

[stevebb]

Just to update this thread as I am receiving direct emails (which is fine) asking if they are still active.

Thanks to Ayaka, I did attend the club, paid a years membership and then provided a talk on astrophotography ... but, and a big but, as I was introduced to the members (and after I had paid my subs) the chairman began "as most of you know, we are not an observing club...." after that I felt very disheartened as to did a few other colleagues that turned up the same evening.

At one stage we toyed with the idea of starting a new club but after a heart to heart email chat with a friend at another club we came to the conclusion that if we had started another group it would have been the kiss of death on the Harrogate one so we decided not to. 

A few of us offered to help the club (as it needed help) - I offered to create, host and maintain a homepage for free. Also suggested the possibility of holding star parties on the Stray - York club have been doing this for years on the Knavesmire and they are an absolutely superb club .... great bunch of friendly and very helpful people.

We asked if our own offers of help could be put to the committee for consideration but alas we heard nothing back at all even though we did chase up a few times. Reluctance to change perhaps ?

Some of the speakers were brilliant, sometimes though they were let down last minute which was a shame - I have to plug the York club here because they often stood in last minute to provide a talk and make the evening worthwhile.

Final straw for me was the chairman cancelling a months meeting due to poor attendance the previous month. 

That was a few years ago now and I honestly do not know what the latest news is for the club. It was sad, really sad, we genuinely wanted to help but didn't want to be seen as "interfering"  

I have since moved to Scarborough and joined SARAS. This is an observing club with some incredible astronomers. I learned more of the night sky in one evening than in years from studying books - thanks to John Harper and his laser pointer

Best wishes,

Steve

[Kerisdale]

The society is certainly active - please contact me as its secretary if you have any queries.

We meet on the last Thursday of each month (August and December excepted) in the Harlow Community Centre.

richardturner6842@gmail.com