Make a payment online to CMHASD here. The Society meets weekly every Thursday evening at 7:45pm. Enquiries about membership, or attending for the first time, should be directed to the Secretary of the Society. Below is a summary of the various memberships the Society has on offer, Full Membership being the most popular.
Membership fees to 31 August 2023 are £90 for Full membership, £50 for Remote, £33 for Basic, Junior and Student memberships.
GREAT NEWS – FEES HAVE BEEN SLASHED! From 1 September 2023, membership fees have been reduced by around 50%. This is in recognition of the increased cost of living that many of our members are facing.
Basic & Junior**
- Full access to:
- Observing Sessions
- Observatory***
- Society Nights
- Informal Evenings
- Workshops
- £4 fee payable for each:
- Professional Lecture*
Full
- Full access to:
- Observing Sessions
- Observatory***
- Society Nights
- 22 Professional Lectures*
- Informal Evenings
- Workshops
- (i.e. everything!)
Remote Member
- Member lives more than 30 miles from Sutton-at-Hone or has agreed dispensation
- Full access to:
- Observatory***
- Via Zoom only:
- ~ Society Nights
- ~ 22 Professional Lectures
- ~ Informal Evenings
- ~ Workshops
There is a Student Membership for £18. The Student must be over 18 years of age and can provide evidence, such as a Student Union Card, to show that they are in Higher Education. Student Members received the same Member Benefits as Full Members
* All members have access to Zoom broadcasts, though Basic and Junior members are required to pay a £4 fee per professional lecture.
** Junior members must be accompanied by a parent or guardian and can attend lectures for free with their fee paying parent or guardian.
*** After passing a proficiency test.
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Member Benefits
Professional Lectures
are usually 90 minutes long and are given by professional astronomers, university and college lecturers, astronomy experts and highly regarded amateur astronomers. Our 22 lecture programme is the jewel in our crown.
Observatory
Use of the Dick Chambers Observatory, housing a 16” Meade LX200 Schmidt Cassegrain telescope, is available to members who have successfully completed a proficiency test.
Observing Sessions
Take place from the Sutton-at-Hone Pavilion, one of the darkest sites in Dartford, free access to all Society telescopes.
Society Nights
take place 8 times a year. All members are encouraged to attend these evenings as news updates and events in which the Society is involved are given, and talks from members are made.
Workshops
are usually conducted by more advanced members imparting knowledge covering subjects such as which telescope to buy, imaging and observing. Often members are encouraged to take part in any projects which are starting up or on going.
Informal Evenings
are less structured evenings which can include carrying out observations, using the Dick Chambers Observatory and socialising. It is a great opportunity for beginners to approach advanced members for advice and mentoring such as how use their telescope, imaging, etc.
Equipment
comprising of three Dobsonian telescopes with digital setting circles and access to our meteor camera. Also, we have a library of books, periodic journals and popular monthly astronomical magazines with latest editions free to borrow.
Weekly meetings
Unlike most astronomical societies we meet every week, not monthly, on Thursday evenings from 7.45pm.