Author: WebMistress

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Our society currently supports the Dartford Grammar School Astronomy Club, and on the 25th January 2021 we held a virtual observing evening using Simon's observatory.

The students really enjoyed the evening

'The boys from last night have been on the google classroom leaving you rave reviews'  

'Last night blew their minds! They loved it.'

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Image by Simon Dawes & Dartford Grammar School Astronomical Society[/caption][caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="384"] Image by Simon Dawes & Dartford Grammar School Astronomical Society[/caption][caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Image by Simon Dawes & Dartford Grammar School Astronomical Society[/caption]

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Lunar Halo Competition

As the name suggests, take an image of a Lunar Halo.

Rules:

Whilst the points awarding is somewhat ambiguous I’ll be looking for the following…

• Technically a good image (in focus)
• Well composed 
• Other points of interest (foreground or background)
• A good story – if you have a story of how you took the image it can’t hurt!

Entry criteria:

• You can only enter if you are a paid up member (any tier of membership)
• Entries must be to webmaster@crayfordmanorastro.com – feel free to post them on what’s app as well!

Entries:

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Images By Diane Clarke

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[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Image By Diane Clarke. The two stars to the left of the Moon are Castor & Pollux in the constellation of Gemini Image details, Taken on 30.12.20 @ 21.48 Camera EOS 750D, Lens Sigma 18 -250 @18mm 1/2 Sec @ f3.5, Image as taken Static Tripod[/caption][caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Image by Diane Clarke This image shows the Moon and a 22° lunar halo, along with the stars of Gemini Aruga, Taurus & Orion Image details, Canon EOS 750D, Sigma 18 - 250mm lens @ 18mm 8 sec @ f5.6, ISO 800, 25.01.21 @ 20.48 hrs Static Tripod Image as shot[/caption]

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Images by Leigh Slomer

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[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Image by Leigh Slomer Taken with a stock Canon EOS 200d and a Samyang 135mm lens. Exposure time was 1/5 of a second at ISO 400 at an f ratio of 2.8. Processed in GIMP.[/caption]

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Images by Jim Burchell

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[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Image by Jim Burchel image taken on the Evening of 25/01/21. Image taken with a pentax K70. ISO 800/ F8 and 30 second exposure. Image showing some part of Orion Taurus and the Pleiades..[/caption]

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CMHASD Objectives:

1. To improve Dartford Light Pollution for CMHASD observation at the Pavilion and geographically as far as possible, from x to y by date z as measured from the Pavilion using a calibrated Sky Quality Meter.
2. To Link the Darkford event with the 60th Anniversary of CMHASD
3. To make the community of Dartford (and beyond by association) aware of CMHASD and market our membership and outreach services:
4. To increase the influence of CMHASD with local and national authorities to meet agreed objectives:
5. To find and make allies with other organisations to achieve mutually agreeable objectives

Community Objectives:

1. To identify and work with others (including Dartford Local Authority and the media) to designate a 'Darkford Night' that will (as far as possible) allow a general 'switch off' of external lighting for the citizens of Dartford to enjoy the night sky:
2. To draw attention to the blight of light pollution and educate the community against unnecessary and anti-social use of external lighting:
3. To promote dark-skies and 'stargazing' as a right for ALL citizens of Dartford (and beyond) and to show just what citizens are missing in the night sky:
4. To increase interest in astronomy and 'stargazing' amongst children and adults alike:
5. To urge thoughtful social-responsibility within business and industry to ensure that sensible use of nighttime lighting and avoidance of thoughtless and anti-social light polluting practice.....

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Correction: It’s not a weekend (just Saturday Afternoon) and it’s not at Crayford (it’s at the Pavilion Sutton-at-Hone).

The BAA are running a virtual ‘Winchester Weekend’ – and COVID Restrictions permitting (i.e. restrictions and social distancing in London and Kent have been lifted) – we intend to add a little of that Winchester magic (OK it’s food, drink and conversation) to the proceeding by streaming it at the Pavilion Sutton-at-Hone.

Price: (to cover costs only) £10 per person – on the door – cash only (the chip shop only takes cash)

(Fish & Chips is £7.80 at my local chippy, the rest is for cake, biscuits, milk, tea and coffee.)

Date: 10^th April 2021 13:00

13:00 Registration: (Tea and cake)

14:00 BAA Winchester Agenda

15:00 Tea and biscuits & discussion about the lecture

15:15 BAA Winchester Agenda

16:30 Tea and Biscuits and discussion about the lecture, socialise.

18:00 Dinner (Fish and chips)

19:30 BAA Winchester Agenda

21:00 Tea and biscuits and discussion about the lecture

Observing (weather permitting)

At the moment I’m canvasing who might be interested, no commitment at this stage, just to see if it is worth taking further, closer to the event I’ll ask for confirmation and provide a menu.

This is a ticketed event, please contact the webmaster@crayfordmanorastro.com if you are interested in attending (no commitment at this stage)

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Almost 2000 meteors were detected in 2020, we would have had quite a few more but for the cloudy skies in August that limited the view of the Perseid's in August.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="800"] 2020 Meteor stats collated by Simon Dawes from data reviewd and analysed by the Crayford Meteor Team.[/caption]

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December was particularly cloudy, but we still manage to detect 288 meteors, 115 from the Geminid meteor shower.

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Images by Honor Wheeler

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[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Image by Honor Wheeler Skywatcher ED80 refractor, Canon M6 Mark2 camera. EQ3 synscan mount. For the full disc I used a x2 Barlow and the close up x5 Barlow. Processed using PIPP, AS!3 & PShop elements6. I could have done better but didn't have clear skies really for long enough and at the moment the sun is so darn low! Anyway happy to get these.

[/caption][caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Image by Honor Wheeler Skywatcher ED80 refractor, Canon M6 Mark2 camera. EQ3 synscan mount. For the full disc I used a x2 Barlow and the close up x5 Barlow. Processed using PIPP, AS!3 & PShop elements6. I could have done better but didn't have clear skies really for long enough and at the moment the sun is so darn low! Anyway happy to get these.[/caption]

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Honor recently took this video of a transit of the Sun by the ISS, something she has been attempting for 10 years.

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[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="782"] Image by Honor Wheeler This was taken using: Skywatcher ED80 refractor Canon 700D set in movie mode @50fps 2x Barlow EQ3 mount Date 2020.04.20 13:09UTC Transit time was 0.9 sec 16 frames extracted from the original video using PIPP and then the layers merged in Photoshop elements 6. Additional processing also done in Photoshop E6.[/caption]

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[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Image by Jim Burchell 11/07/20. Image's taken with a pentax K70[/caption]

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[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Image by Jim Burchell 11/07/20. Image's taken with a pentax K70 comet is C/2020 F3 NEOWISE[/caption]

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Comet c/2020 F3 Neowise was visible for a couple of weeks in the Northern sky, quite close to the horizon, to say it was spectacular is an understatement and the brightest comet since Hale Bopp visible from the UK.

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Images by Jim Burchell

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[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Image by Jim Burchell 11/07/20. Image's taken with a Pentax K70[/caption]

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Images by Simon Dawes

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[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Image by Simon Dawes Taken at Reculver towers, Kent. Canon 650D, single shot.[/caption]

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[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="770"] Image by Simon Dawes Taken at Reculver towers, Kent. Canon 650D, single shot.[/caption]

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[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="617"] Image by Simon Dawes Taken at Reculver towers, Kent. Canon 650D, single shot.[/caption]

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[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="350"] Image by Simon Dawes Taken at Reculver towers, Kent. Canon 650D, stack of images[/caption]

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