Constellations – Bath Astronomers

What are we up to?

Oct19

19 OctPublic Car Park, Wellow, Somerset

Update on 18th Oct: Weather forecasts currently suggest it'll rain up until 8pm but "may" then clear. Update on Saturday morning. Public stargazing session at Wellow, south of Bath. These events involve Bath Astronomers bringing along a telescope and helping visitors see objects of interest in the sky that evening. It's all about sharing. If you have your own kit, bring it along and we might be able to help you use it more effectively or give you some hints/tips. Start time is 7:30pm. Subject to clear skies - weather dependent. You can find out more about the Wellow site by visiting https://bathastronomers.org.uk/observing/sites-wellow/ We'll check the weather is suitable and issue guidance on whether things are going ahead by 4pm on the day. Guidance will be issued on Facebook and Bath Astronomers website. Do no travel until you see confirmation in this Facebook event or on Bath Astronomers website. If you register for the event on our web site, we'll email you to confirm the event is happening i.e. registration is a good idea. You should dress warmly and arrive as close to the start time as possible to avoid car lights ruining people's night vision too frequently. Wear stout, warm, waterproof footwear and consider a thermos of your favourite warm drink. If you are not a member of Bath Astronomers/William Herschel Society, you can get on our mailing list by emailing stargazing-join@bathastronomers.org.uk

Oct26

Talks by Simon Holbeche (Chairman of Bath Astronomers)

26 OctTithe Barn, Dunster

Speaker Simon Holbeche is the leader of Bath Astronomers, the observing arm of the William Herschel Society. He's passionate about making stargazing and astronomy accessible to all. As a STEM Ambassador, he visit schools, run kids workshops and work with the Herschel Museum, Bath Preservation Trust, Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution and English Heritage on youth and adult "Looking Up" projects. £1 pp per talk, payable on the door. No booking required. Part of the Exmoor Dark Skies Festival 2019 ~ 14th October - 3rd November

Oct30

Talk by Mark Woodland, Exoplanets for Amateurs

30 OctHerschel Museum of Astronomy

Wednesday 30th Oct – Monthly meeting. Bath Astronomers monthly meeting for all members and new comers to meet up, enjoy perhaps a new topic and a cup of tea and a biscuit. Held on the last Wednesday of every other month at the Herschel Museum of Astronomy, 19 New King Street. The format is open and comprises an update for the month and a talk on an astronomy topic within the reach of amateurs. All visitors welcome and there is a charge of £5 which helps cover the cost of the venue. Reduced to £2 for juniors, students or Bath Astronomers members. Registration is not required. Picture: Simon Holbeche

Nov1

Stargazing at Wellow for all

1 NovPublic Car Park, Wellow, Somerset

Public stargazing session at Wellow, south of Bath. These events involve Bath Astronomers bringing along a telescope and helping visitors see objects of interest in the sky that evening. It's all about sharing. If you have your own kit, bring it along and we might be able to help you use it more effectively or give you some hints/tips. Start time is 6pm. Subject to clear skies - weather dependent. You can find out more about the Wellow site by visiting https://bathastronomers.org.uk/observing/sites-wellow/ We'll check the weather is suitable and issue guidance on whether things are going ahead by 4pm on the day. Guidance will be issued on Facebook and Bath Astronomers website. Do no travel until you see confirmation in this Facebook event or on Bath Astronomers website. If you register for the event on our web site, we'll email you to confirm the event is happening i.e. registration is a good idea. You should dress warmly and arrive as close to the start time as possible to avoid car lights ruining people's night vision too frequently. Wear stout, warm, waterproof footwear and consider a thermos of your favourite warm drink. If you are not a member of Bath Astronomers/William Herschel Society, you can get on our mailing list by emailing stargazing-join@bathastronomers.org.uk

Nov11

Day-time astronomy: Transit of Mercury

11 NovHerschel Museum of Astronomy

Visit the Herschel Museum of Astronomy to have the opportunity to take part in daytime astronomy on the day of the transit of Mercury. Free with normal admission to the museum. Generously supported by the Bath Astronomers

Nov24

Stargazing at Wellow for all

24 NovPublic Car Park, Wellow, Somerset

Public stargazing session at Wellow, south of Bath. These events involve Bath Astronomers bringing along a telescope and helping visitors see objects of interest in the sky that evening. It's all about sharing. If you have your own kit, bring it along and we might be able to help you use it more effectively or give you some hints/tips. Start time is 6pm. Subject to clear skies. You can find out more about the Wellow site by visiting https://bathastronomers.org.uk/observing/sites-wellow/ We'll check the weather is suitable and issue guidance on whether things are going ahead by 4pm on the day. Guidance will be issued on Facebook and Bath Astronomers website. Do no travel until you see confirmation in this Facebook event or on Bath Astronomers website. If you register for the event on our web site, we'll email you to confirm the event is happening i.e. registration is a good idea. You should dress warmly and arrive as close to the start time as possible to avoid car lights ruining people's night vision too frequently. Wear stout, warm, waterproof footwear and consider a thermos of your favourite warm drink. If you are not a member of Bath Astronomers/William Herschel Society, you can get on our mailing list by emailing stargazing-join@bathastronomers.org.uk

Nov27

Talk by Roger Pickard, Variable Stars

27 NovHerschel Museum of Astronomy

Wednesday 27th Nov – Monthly meeting. Bath Astronomers monthly meeting for all members and new comers to meet up, enjoy perhaps a new topic and a cup of tea and a biscuit. Held on the last Wednesday of every other month at the Herschel Museum of Astronomy, 19 New King Street. The format is open and comprises an update for the month and a talk on an astronomy topic within the reach of amateurs. All Visitors welcome and there is a charge of £5 which helps cover the cost of the venue. Reduced to £2 for juniors, students or WHS/Bath Astronomers members. Registration is not required. Picture: Simon Holbeche

Dec6

Stargazing at Wellow for all

6 DecPublic Car Park, Wellow, Somerset

Jan29

Talk by Chris Starr, Cassini and Saturn

29 JanHerschel Museum of Astronomy

Wednesday 29th Jan – Monthly meeting. Bath Astronomers monthly meeting for all members and new comers to meet up, enjoy perhaps a new topic and a cup of tea and a biscuit. Held on the last Wednesday of every other month at the Herschel Museum of Astronomy, 19 New King Street. The format is open and comprises an update for the month and a talk on an astronomy topic within the reach of amateurs. All visitors welcome and there is a charge of £5 which helps cover the cost of the venue. Reduced to £2 for juniors, students or Bath Astronomers members. Picture: Simon Holbeche

Feb26

Talk by Owen Brazell

26 FebHerschel Museum of Astronomy

Wednesday 26th Feb – Monthly meeting. Bath Astronomers monthly meeting for all members and new comers to meet up, enjoy perhaps a new topic and a cup of tea and a biscuit. Held on the last Wednesday of every other month at the Herschel Museum of Astronomy, 19 New King Street. The format is open and comprises an update for the month and a talk on an astronomy topic within the reach of amateurs. All visitors welcome and there is a charge of £5 which helps cover the cost of the venue. Reduced to £2 for juniors, students or Bath Astronomers members. Picture: Simon Holbeche

Mar21

Wells & Mendip Astronomers Messier Marathon

21 MarCharterhouse Outdoor Activity Centre

Wells & Mendip Astronomers are having their Messier Night on Saturday 21st March 20120 The event is open to the public and to Bath Astronomers. Discover Charles Messier’s deep-sky wonders in an almost moonless sky and listen to a Introductory talk.

Mar25

Talk by Bud Martin, A Life on Mars

25 MarHerschel Museum of Astronomy

Wednesday 25th Mar – Monthly meeting. Bath Astronomers monthly meeting for all members and new comers to meet up, enjoy perhaps a new topic and a cup of tea and a biscuit. Held on the last Wednesday of every other month at the Herschel Museum of Astronomy, 19 New King Street. The format is open and comprises an update for the month and a talk on an astronomy topic within the reach of amateurs. All visitors welcome and there is a charge of £5 which helps cover the cost of the venue. Reduced to £2 for juniors, students or Bath Astronomers members. Picture: Simon Holbeche

Apr29

Member's Night; Short talks on your own projects and activities

29 AprHerschel Museum of Astronomy

Wednesday 29th Apr – Monthly meeting. Bath Astronomers monthly meeting for all members and new comers to meet up, enjoy perhaps a new topic and a cup of tea and a biscuit. Held on the last Wednesday of every other month at the Herschel Museum of Astronomy, 19 New King Street. The format is open and comprises an update for the month and a talk on an astronomy topic within the reach of amateurs. All visitors welcome and there is a charge of £5 which helps cover the cost of the venue. Reduced to £2 for juniors, students or Bath Astronomers members. Picture: Simon Holbeche

NASA APOD

Interstellar Interloper 2I/Borisov

After the 2017 detecton of 1I/'Oumuamua, comet 2I/Borisov has become the second recognized interstellar interloper. Like 'Oumuamua, Borisov's measured hyperbolic trajectory and speed as it falls toward the Sun confirm that its origin is from beyond our Solar System. But while detailed observations indicate 'Oumuamua is a rocky body with differences from known Solar System objects, Borisov is definitely a far wandering comet. Taken on October 12, 2019 this Hubble Space Telescope image of Borisov reveals a familiar looking comet-like activity and concentration of dust around around its nucleus. Not resolved in the image, some estimates suggest the nucleus could be between 2 and 16 kilometers in diameter. At the time of the Hubble image, comet 2I/Borisov was about 418 million kilometers away. Borisov is still inbound though and will make its closest approach to the Sun on December 7 at a distance of about 300 million kilometers (2 Astronomical units).

Eridanus

By sholbeche | February 5, 2017

Meaning: The River Print out the star map from Sky and Telescope Things to look for: Witch Head Nebula NGC1909 Messier objects: None Note: [x.x] indicates visual magnitude Pronunciation: air uh day’ nus Associated Asterisms: None % of the sky: 2.76 Visible Stars: 79 stars brighter than magnitude 5.5 You may have looked…

Celestial Objects, Constellations

Monoceros

By sholbeche | February 1, 2017

Meaning: The Unicorn Print out the star map from Sky and Telescope Things to look for: Rosette Nebula NGC 2244 Plaskett’s Star Hubble’s Variable Nebula Christmas Tree Cluster NGC 2264 Messier objects: M50 [] Note: [x.x] indicates visual magnitude Pronunciation: mon oss’ sir us Associated Asterisms: None % of the sky: 1.67 Visible Stars:…

Celestial Objects, Constellations

Lynx

By sholbeche | January 31, 2017

Meaning: The Lynx Print out the star map from Sky and Telescope Things to look for: NGC2419 Globular Cluster Messier objects: None Note: [x.x] indicates visual magnitude Pronunciation: links Associated Asterisms: None % of the sky: 1.32 Visible Stars: 31 stars brighter than magnitude 5.5 The final (almost) circumpolar constellation visible to the UK…

Celestial Objects, Constellations

Camelopardalis

By sholbeche | January 16, 2017

Meaning: The Giraffe Print out the star map from Sky and Telescope Things to look for: IC342 [9.1] The Hidden Galaxy Messier objects: None Note: [x.x] indicates visual magnitude Pronunciation: kam uh low par’ dah liss Associated Asterisms: None % of the sky: 1.835 Visible Stars: 45 stars brighter than magnitude 5.5 Camelopardalis is…

Constellations, Uncategorized

Lacerta

By sholbeche | December 19, 2016

Meaning: The Lizard Print out the star map from Sky and Telescope Things to look for: The little W Messier objects: None Note: [x.x] indicates visual magnitude Pronunciation: luh sir’ tuh Associated Asterisms: The Little W % of the sky: 0.49% Visible Stars: 23 stars brighter than magnitude 5.5 Lacerta is a small faint…

Celestial Objects, Constellations

Draco

By sholbeche | December 19, 2016

Meaning: The Dragon Print out the star map from Sky and Telescope Things to look for: Thuban – this used to be the North Star… in 2800BC Messier objects: None Note: [x.x] indicates visual magnitude Pronunciation: dray’ koe Associated Asterisms: The Head, the Lozenge % of the sky: 2.63% Visible Stars: 79 stars brighter…

Celestial Objects, Constellations

Cancer

By sholbeche | December 19, 2016

Meaning: The Crab Print out the star map from Sky and Telescope Things to look for: Praesepe/ Beehive Cluster M44 Messier objects: M44 [3.7] M67 [6.1] Note: [x.x] indicates visual magnitude Pronunciation: kan’ sir Associated Asterisms: The Asses and the Manger % of the sky: 1.23 Visible Stars: 23 stars brighter than magnitude 5.5…

Celestial Objects, Constellations

Buying a Telescope

So you're considering buying a telescope and the internet is awash with advice. So what can we add?

The key advice is to not buy immediately. Try to use a variety of telescopes in the field before you buy. You can do this by going to a public stargazing event or joining a local astronomical society and going on an observing night. All you need is a pair of 10x50 binoculars and your curiosity.

You can pick up a cheap pair of 10x50 binoculars from Millets for £15 to £25 - not great quality but they'll help you find objects in the sky.

Small, cheap telescopes (less than £150) tend to be very poor value for money as the view through them is limited, often coloured or distorted, and the view wobbly. The kicker is their resale value is low too.

If you have space to store it and can confortably lift 10kgs then we'd recommend the Skywatcher Skyliner 150P and preferably 200P. These are Newtonian reflecting telescopes on a Dobsonian mount costing between £199 and £275. These push me pull you telescopes are quick to set up and simple to use. You'll need to learn your way around the sky but then that's part of the fun.

If you wish to be more "astro tourist" and SatNav than learning your way around then a small to medium sized computerised telescope is a lighter but pricier option. The most compact versions are Maksutovs and Schmidt Cassegrains comprising both lenses and mirrors.

You can see a map of telescope retailers here

Archive For The “Constellations” Category

Eridanus

Monoceros

Lynx

Camelopardalis

Lacerta

Draco

Cancer