The Plymouth Astronomical Society (PAS) meets on the second Friday of each month at the University of Plymouth from September to July. Society meetings are free to members and visitors are very welcome to attend at a cost of £3 on the door. Please bring cash (change preferred) as we have no card payment facilities.
All meetings are held in Room 002 (ground floor) in the Rolle Building and there is disabled access to the venue. If the ground floor door is locked, please ring 01752 588400.
Please contact PAS via the webform for further information.
Friday 11 October | Astronomy Outreach in an International Dark Sky Landscape – speaker: Dr Wayne Thomas FRAS
The talk will be based on the work of DarkSky International to address the growing adverse impact of artificial light at night; and specifically, what's happening in the UK. I'll talk a bit about how news outlets discuss light at night (good and bad) and my understanding of what's happening at local and national government level to look at light pollution. I'll then discuss how we do our outreach from Bodmin Moor tying in observation of the night sky and what we as individuals can do to think about light pollution. I'll finally touch on our aspirations and future directions.
The talk will be based on the work of DarkSky International to address the growing adverse impact of artificial light at night; and specifically, what's happening in the UK. I'll talk a bit about how news outlets discuss light at night (good and bad) and my understanding of what's happening at local and national government level to look at light pollution. I'll then discuss how we do our outreach from Bodmin Moor tying in observation of the night sky and what we as individuals can do to think about light pollution. I'll finally touch on our aspirations and future directions.
Friday 8 November | The Planetary Patisserie: The Recipe for Forming and Finding Exoplanets – speakers: Joe Williams and Raphael Bendahan-West, University of Exeter
This talk will explore how to build a solar system, from tiny dust grains to gas giants like Jupiter and Saturn. We’ll delve into how we detect exoplanets around distant stars, revealing what ground- and space-based telescopes can tell us about these alien worlds. Along the way, we’ll share exciting research conducted at the University of Exeter.
This talk will explore how to build a solar system, from tiny dust grains to gas giants like Jupiter and Saturn. We’ll delve into how we detect exoplanets around distant stars, revealing what ground- and space-based telescopes can tell us about these alien worlds. Along the way, we’ll share exciting research conducted at the University of Exeter.
Friday 13 December | Exploring Astronomy, Past and Present, with NASA ADS – speaker: Clive Beech
NASA ADS provides an amazing resource for those who are interested in the field of astronomy. During this short introduction and real-time demonstration of NASA ADS we'll be able go back more than 400 years to see and read some of the original works of Tycho Brahe, John Flamsteed, Edmond Halley, Isaac Newton and Edwin Hubble among the many great people who have contributed to astronomy as we know it today.
NASA ADS provides an amazing resource for those who are interested in the field of astronomy. During this short introduction and real-time demonstration of NASA ADS we'll be able go back more than 400 years to see and read some of the original works of Tycho Brahe, John Flamsteed, Edmond Halley, Isaac Newton and Edwin Hubble among the many great people who have contributed to astronomy as we know it today.
This meeting will include a Christmas Quiz and Raffle, and Steve Cooke on the Night Sky.
Friday 10 January | Shadows in Space and the Stories They Tell – speaker: Mary McIntyre
The study of shadows here on Earth or on photographs of the lunar surface, there is so much we can learn, but it doesn't stop there because shadows are absolutely everywhere in space. From cloud shadows, eclipses and images of shadows on other planets, asteroids or comets the shadows have taught us so much. This talk covers all of this and more!
The study of shadows here on Earth or on photographs of the lunar surface, there is so much we can learn, but it doesn't stop there because shadows are absolutely everywhere in space. From cloud shadows, eclipses and images of shadows on other planets, asteroids or comets the shadows have taught us so much. This talk covers all of this and more!
Future meeting dates (details tbc)
- Friday 14 February
- Friday 14 March
- Friday 11 April
- Friday 9 May
- Friday 13 June
- Friday 11 July | Summer quiz, raffle and AGM