Our Meetings – Bath Astronomers

We hold regular monthly Beginners meetings for informal talks about astronomy (and occasionally other things!) on the last Wednesday of the month. We usually stroll up to the New Inn to finish the evening’s discussion.

We also enjoy the monthly William Herschel Society Lectures which are focused towards the science of astronomy and the history of those involved.

All with an interest in astronomy are welcome from beginners to old hands.

Date	Time	Meeting/Activity	Location	Audience
25th September 2019	19:30	Talks by James Fradgley	Herschel Museum of Astronomy, New King Street	Members and the curious
16th October	19:30	Talk by Simon Holbeche on Getting to Grips with Astronomy Register via https://bathastronomers.org.uk/count-me-in/	Herschel Museum of Astronomy, New King Street	Members and the curious
30th October	19:30	Talk by Mark Woodland on Exoplanets for Amateur Astronomers	Herschel Museum of Astronomy, New King Street	Members and the curious
27th November	19:30	Talk by Roger Pickard on Variable Star observing	Herschel Museum of Astronomy, New King Street	Members and the curious
10th January 2020	19:00	Members Christmas Meal	Venue TBD	Members
29th January	19:30	Talk by Chris Starr on Cassini mission to Saturn	Herschel Museum of Astronomy, New King Street	Members and the curious
26th February	19:30	Talk by Owen Brazell on Observing Planetary Nebulae	Herschel Museum of Astronomy, New King Street	Members and the curious
25th March	19:30	Talk by Bud Martin on A life on Mars	Herschel Museum of Astronomy, New King Street	Members and the curious
29th April	19:30	Members Talks	Herschel Museum of Astronomy, New King Street	Members and the curious
27th May	19:30	Monthly meeting	Herschel Museum of Astronomy, New King Street	Members and the curious
24th June	19:30	Monthly meeting	Herschel Museum of Astronomy, New King Street	Members and the curious

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