Category: Society News

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We welcomed the Children of Sutton-at-Hone Primary school to the Dick Chambers Observatory on the 12th December 2018. They had a chance to look through the Peter Hindle telescope and from the photos it looks like they had a great time, whilst learning a bit about the science of Astronomy.

Parental permission given for all images used.

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The society observed 210 Meteors linked to 32 different showers in November using the semi-automated meteor camera

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1st November 2018

Chair: John Archer

Attendees: Mike Rushton (MR), Keith Rickard (KR), Martin Crow (MC), Rita Whiting (RW), John Archer (JA), John Howarth (JH), Andy Barber (AB) 

Apologies: Simon Dawes (SD)

Minutes: 2017 minutes read by JA and Signed by JA

Matters Arising: None

Chairman's report:

JA's first year as Society Chairman.

Summary of report & highlights provided to members as a PPT

Report (in Word) not reproduced here, but will be circulated to Committee for review / amendment then provided via website to members and forwarded to the PC.

Thanks extended to Trustees, Committee Members, Project contributors and members for supporting the Society at events, meetings and project work throughout the year.

Membership was at 66 members in total

Results of member survey were presented in part, then deferred to a later date due to Internet connectivity issue mid-way through.

Treasurers Report:

Keith presented the Treasurer’s Report covering the period to 31/8/2018

Accounts were awaiting examination– funds healthy, with contingency in place.

Gift Aid had allowed another £1k (approx.) to be recovered from membership dues.

Election of Trustees as per Constitution:

Retiring Trustees this year, Mike Rushton and John Archer, put themselves up for re-election.

Vote by show of hands: Mike and John re-elected.

AGM closed at 20:33UT

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October saw us identifying 308 meteors from 32 different showers, the October Draconids and the Orionids being the most interesting.

The brightest meteor was -3.7 vMag

October Draconids Report

21 October Draconids were identified in the charts below you can see they are a very narrow peak, suggesting a narrow stream of dust the Earth is passing through. The average magnitude was 1.

Ground map of the Draconids showing the meteors that were triangulated with the Nemetode group, our observations are the ones detected by the 'Dartford' Observatory

Orionid Report

We identified 53 Orionids, peaking on the 21st October and an average magnitude of 1

Below is a 15 minute video of all 308 meteors verified in October.

Ground map of the Orionids showing the meteors that were triangulated with the Nemetode group, our observations are the ones detected by the 'Dartford' Observatory.

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We hosted The 2018 British Astronomical Association Back to Basics workshop on 6th October.

These workshops are great for beginners just starting out in astronomy and wanting to learn how to use their telescopes or get started in Astronomy and over 50 people turned up - well done and thank you to all the Crayford Members who helped out.

The slideshow below is of photos taken of the day by member Jim Burchell - Thank you Jim.

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The society run an 'almost automated' meteor camera, if you want to be part of the meteor team checking the results every morning then please speak to the coordinator - Janice.

A total of 535 Meteors were captured, with 340 of them being Perseid meteors. Below is a video of the 20 brightest meteors during August.

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Summary of the report sent to the Nematode meteor group.

The Nematode group were able to match 11 of our meteors with observations from other observers in the group producing these orbits.

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Some of you who were present at the Pavilion on the 29th of March will be aware of the following changes to the Society’s Calendar rules. Each month will now consist of a collage of member’s images rather than just one per month.

The Calendar size will also increase from 21 x 28cm to 28 x 37cm picture size to accommodate the collage of images, I am unsure how many images can be accommodated per page but it may be between 6 to 8, actual numbers TBA. Price TBA.

Rather than the list of 4 groups such as the Moon, Sun, Deepsky etc. there will be a list of 'Targets' for member’s to photograph or sketch.

Important: Image/s to be submitted for the 2019 Calendar must have been photographed or sketched after the 1st of January 2012 but no later than 8pm (GMT) on the 3rd of October 2018.

(All images for the 2020 Calendar will need to been photographed or sketched AFTER the 3rd of October 2018 but before the 2nd of October 2019 so keep this in mind when submitting your images).

DON’T FORGET TO READ THE RULES!

PLEASE DO YOUR BEST TO TAKE PART, THANKS.

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Target images for the 2019 CMHASD Calendar are as follows:

1. Earthshine 

The Moon’s shadow side can often be seen when the young crescent Moon is visible. Images must show the Moon with the shadowed side also visible 

2. A Rainbow

Images can be an Arc or a portion of the Rainbow.

3. The Planets

Images can be of any of the Planets (not the Earth that would be cheating ;)

4. Lunar and/or Planetary Conjunctions

Images can be of the Moon in conjunction with Planet/s or a planetary line-up of 2 or more Planets.

5. The Orion constellation

Images that show the Orion constellation in full as the left image or as the image on the right with the four stars Betelgeuse, Bellatrix, Saiph and Rigel at each corner.

6. Lunar Eclipse

A Lunar eclipse will hopefully be visible on the 27th of July but any images photographed or sketched after the 1st of January 2012 can be submitted. The Moon partially or fully eclipsed will be acceptable.

7. Atmospheric Optics

Images of any of the following: Solar Halo, Sundogs, Circumzenithal Arc, Cloud Iridescence and Crepuscular Rays etc.

8. The Andromeda Galaxy

A close-up image of this wonderful Galaxy.

9. Sunset or Sunrise

Any photograph or sketch of a Sunrise or Sunset over land or water.

10. Lunar crater Copernicus

A close up of the crater Copernicus photographed or sketched using a Telescope or a Telephoto lens.

11. Sunspots

Images of Sunspots in White Light or a projected image only, not H-alpha (as only a few members have H-alpha telescopes).

12. Ursa Major constellation

Images of the whole constellation or the Plough will be acceptable.

13. A Full Moon

The Moon must be between 98 – 100% to qualify for this Target, you’ll need to make sure as I will check the date and the image was photographed or sketched.

14. The Pleiades and/or the Hyades

An image of either the Pleiades or the Hyades or an image of them together.

I am aware there are 14 Targets, not everyone will be able to image all of the Targets so hopefully this way everyone will be in with a sporting chance of obtaining at least one image for the Calendar.

Rules: And please make sure you read them!

• You may only enter one image per category.
• Sketched, Single, Multiple Stacked or Mosaicked images are acceptable, Composite images are NOT acceptable.
• All images entered must have been Photographed or Sketched by the person entering the image/s.
• If too many images (maximum numbers TBA) are entered for one ‘Target’ then a vote will be taken on each image and the images with the most votes will be included in the Calendar.
• All images MUST have been taken AFTER the 1st of January 2012 but before 8pm (GMT) on the 3rd of October 2018.
• The two ‘Targets’ with the least number of images received will not be included in the Calendar.
• Images can be taken using another member’s telescope but the camera used MUST belong to the member submitting the image/s.
• Poor quality images will have to be omitted so make sure the image resolution is good enough for printing.
• All images MUST be submitted to this email address: honor . draconis @ talk21  .com (remove spaces) BEFORE 8pm (GMT) on the 3th of October 2018, no exceptions.

When emailing your images please use the email subject heading ‘CMHASD CAL2019’ that way I can save the images easily all in one place!

Small print - Feel free to ask me any questions that are not covered by the rules but if you do ask me a question that IS covered by the rules…then I’ll know you didn’t read them! Simon, Martin, Jim….! [this is scandalous Ed.] 

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The Society took part in an Astronomy Fun Day on Saturday 25th August 2018 at the Priory Shopping Centre to promote Astronomy, and encourage locals to visit the shopping centre, the day was well attended and along with CMHASD was an inflatable planetarium. During the day we were promoting the BAA Back to basics workshop  we are supporting in October.

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The Society were at Hall Place on Sunday 19 August 2018 showing members of the public the Sun using safe observing techniques and talking to people about Astronomy in general. Whilst there was a fair amount of cloud about and the Sun was playing 'hide-and-seek'  the day was a massive success.

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The Society were at Hall Place on Sunday showing members of the public the Sun using safe observing techniques and talking to people about Astronomy in general. Whilst there was a fair amount of cloud about and the Sun was playing 'hide-and-seek'  the day was a massive success.

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The summer BBQ was a great hit again. About 25 members attended and we had food for about 100! The day was very relaxed. We had a few glimpses of the Sun through our Dobsonian telescope, Anita using Baader Solar Safety Film, unfortunately there were no Sun spots visible.

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