NWGAS Minutes : Saturday, 28th September 2002

The meeting was held at the Pex Hill Observatory of Liverpool AS, Mr Gerard Gilligan in the chair. Representatives from Chester AS, Liverpool AS, Altrincham & District AS (ADAS) and Llandrillo AS were present. Ron Kelly (NWGAS Rep. to FAS) also attended. Apologies for absence had been received from Gwynedd AS and Macclesfield AS. Also from Graham Hodson the NWGAS webmaster.

Gerard Gilligan noted that Liverpool Council had put two large spotlights to shine on the Liver building, with an attendant light spill problem. Don Utton (ADAS) reported how a significant light pollution problem had been created by a hotel at Manchester airport choosing to illuminate its tennis court by shining light up to a reflector mounted above the court. As to be expected there was light spill up into the sky.
On a happier note, Richard Sargent (Chester AS) reported on some success in including anti-light pollution clauses in the Chester City Council Local Plan.

The CfDS web site is at... http://www.dark-skies.freeserve.co.uk/

  Federation of Astronomical Societies:

Ron Kelly reported on FAS matters, including the following points:

The society subscription to the FAS would be increased to £20 for a large society and £12.50 for a small society. Also the premium for the Public Liability Insurance scheme available to societies in the FAS would have to be increased, probably to £25.
Ron gave a reminder of the Autumn AGM & Convention of the FAS to be held at the University of Leicester on 19th October. Details can be found on the web and in the FAS Newsletter.
Ron again appealed for people from the North West to put themselves forward for FAS Council duties, as more volunteers were needed to fill various vacancies on the FAS Council. He reported that he would be becoming Vice President of the FAS at the next session.
There is to be a National Astronomy Week in August 2003 and this will provide national publicity for Astronomy which societies can take advantage of. A website for NAW ’03 was established and PPARC were part funding the event.
Ron encouraged people to contact him if they wanted him to raise any matters at the FAS, or if they wanted him to come and talk to their society committee about the FAS or the NWGAS. There followed a discussion on the apparent lack of interest in some societies to attend the NWGAS meetings. This broadened into a discussion of society committee work and the difficulty in finding members prepared to be on a society committee.

  NWGAS on the WWW: http://www.manastro.co.uk/nwgas/

No report.

  Society Reports

Gerard Gilligan from Liverpool AS described the visit to the LAS of the veteran sidewalk astronomer and telescope maker, John Dobson. This had been a great success and John’s talk to the Society was a highlight. His visit included taking him on trips to the Astronomy Centre, Telescope Technologies Ltd and observing sessions at Pex Hill. A group making exploratory moves to create a museum with astronomical exhibits at the Bidston Observatory on the Wirral had approached local societies including the LAS for their possible interest in being involved. There was also talk of a possible Space Centre at the Seacombe Ferry Terminal on the Wirral. A new dome had been commissioned from Peter Drew for the Pex Hill Observatory and work has begun.

Richard Sargent reported that the annual Chester AS star party/barbecue would take place at Hatton Farm, near Waverton, on Saturday, 12th October (from 7.30pm) whatever the weather, as the BBQ will be inside a barn! Members of the NWGAS are invited to attend. A donation is requested from attendees to help cover the cost of the BBQ fire and free tea and coffee, but you have to bring your own food to cook. People are encouraged to bring their telescopes, which can be set up in the adjacent field for observing the cloudless, starry skies! Richard confirmed that Dr Alan Chapman would be giving a talk on the astronomer Galileo to the society on in April 2003.

Steve Reid from Llandrillo AS described a successful star party barbecue that they had recently held, at which approximately 70 people attended, including some from Gwynedd AS. A society trip involving 50 people was shortly to take place to the National Space Centre at Leicester. Although modesty had prevented Steve from describing the local and national press coverage of his triumph in adapting a septic tank into an observatory, the subject was still raised by other attendees! Patrick Moore had also inspected this adaptation and congratulated Steve. Note that the tank was previously new and unused!

Don Utton from Altrincham & District AS described how a lottery grant application for astronomical equipment had been assisted by the intended part use of the equipment with the public. The application was successful and had helped fund the purchase of a telescope and CCD camera. A discussion then took place covering grant applications in general (including to PPARC), society constitutions and on how societies obtained charitable status with associated benefits.

Kevin Kilburn from Manchester AS noted that 2003 was the centenary year of the MAS. The actual anniversary date was September 18th 2003, when it was hoped to hold a “mega” cheese and wine party (with hopefully the support of UMIST). The society was also planning an astronomy convention at Sacha’s Hotel in Manchester, to be held on Saturday, 30th August 2003.

Kevin also gave a report on behalf of the Society for the History of Astronomy (SHA). The recent inaugural meeting of this society was noted in the previous NWGAS minutes. Kevin reported that 82 people had attended the meeting, which had attracted both amateur and professional astronomers. The SHA was seeking regional coordinators to feedback local astronomical information to it before such information was potentially lost. Kevin would be pleased to receive any such information from NW groups and may be e-mailed at kkilburn@globalnet.co.uk. The next meeting of the SHA would be in Birmingham on 2nd November 2003 and the first annual meeting may be at Greenwich in January (possible weekend event).
Full details of the society may be found on their web site (http://www.historyofastronomy.fsworld.co.uk/).

  Any Other Business

1. The secretary again appealed for updates to the list of NWGAS speakers. A couple of possible speaker suggestions were made.

Post meeting note - The following additional speakers willing to give talks to NWGAS societies were notified by ADAS:

Colin Steele has several possible talks - colin.steele@umist.ac.uk

Philip Masding (philip.masding@virgin.net) has a double act with Mike Tyrrell giving a talk on 'Imaging the ISS'. They have taken movies of ISS passes and created corresponding simulations to confirm the detailed features observed. A 'tour de force’ of what amateurs can do with modern electronic gadgetry. Their talk requires an electronic projector that would need to be supplied by their hosts.

2. A short discussion took place on travelling to the north of Scotland (and further) to observe the annular solar eclipse due on 31st May 2003. A number of societies appear to have some members making such arrangements.

 

  Next NWGAS meeting:

11.00am, Saturday, 22nd February, 2003. Venue will be courtesy of Llandrillo AS at the Community Centre close to their observation site at the White Lion Pub at Llanelian-yn-Rhos village, near Colwyn Bay. See map below. We can purchase food at the White Lion after the meeting. The web site for Llandrillo AS is located on the NWGAS web site.

R.Sargent,
NWGAS Secretary