Stars come in many flavours, temperature, luminosity, mass, size, element composition, all are factors which combine to indicate what sort of a star it is and where it lies on its evolutionary journey.  A glance at a stars classification 'ID nameplate' can therefore tell us a great deal about that star.  So, how do we go about understanding the spectral classification system?  [Read more about Stellar Classification ]

Sky Notes - May 2023

In this month's edition:

  • Planetary Skylights.
  • May Meteors, penumbral lunar eclipse and NCC .
  • May Night Sky.
  • May 2023 Sky Charts.

  [Read more about Sky Notes - May 2023]

Monthly meetings of the WDAS occur on the first Tuesday of each month from October to May, college opening hours and holidays permitting.  You can locate us at Caedmon College - Normanby Campus.  Due to the Easter holidays and teacher training days at the college, there is no meeting in April, the next one being on May 2nd from 19:30hrs.   [Read more about Society Monthly Meetings and Observatory Open Nights ]

The lighter evenings of April offer up an interesting stellar challenge, testing the observing dexterity of star gazers - casual or otherwise. 

  [Read more about The Stellar Baker's Dozen Challenge - 2023]

The Fox and Hounds at Ainthorpe are hosting a 'Welcome Spring' Star Party evening on Friday April 7th.  Run along similar lines as the 'Evening under the Stars' event last October, it promises to be a cracking evening.   

 

 

 

  [Read more about Fox and Hounds - Spring Evening under the Stars ]

Sky Notes - April 2023

In this month's edition:

  • Planetary Skylights.
  • April Meteors & Aurora Images.
  • April Night Sky.
  • April 2023 Sky Charts.

  [Read more about Sky Notes - April 2023]

The Dark Skies event at Danby Moors Centre hosted this year  by Richard Darn with outside assistance from WDAS, looked for better sky conditions than the previous year when cloud prevented observations.  So would our luck change?  

  [Read more about Danby Moors Centre – Dark Sky Event - The Curse of the Cloud II]

The final event of the Feb-mid term period found us closer to home, Whitby Youth Hostel, where an expectant party were hoping for a walk under the stars.  Were they in luck? 

 

 

 

 

  [Read more about Whitby Youth Hostel Event - Feb 15th]

Monthly meetings of the WDAS occur on the first tuesday of each month (October thru April) You can locate us at Caedmon College - Normanby Campus. The next meeting is on TuesdayMarch 7th from 19:30hrs.   [Read more about Society Monthly Meetings and Observatory Open Nights ]

Its always a pleasure to fter what seems like an age, it was great to be back supporting the Dark Skies & Warm Fires weekend hosted by Colin and Vicky, proprietors of the Fox and Hounds at Ainthorpe. It was pretty marvellous to actually do some observing outside, the first occasion we have been able to do so in 3 years!.. [Read more about Fox and Hounds – Dark Sky & Warm Fires Event 2023]

Sky Notes - March 2023

In this month's edition:

  • Planetary Skylights.
  • March Meteors and Comet 2022 ZTF E3.
  • The Spring Equinox.
  • March Night Sky.
  • March 2023 Sky Charts.

  [Read more about Sky Notes - March 2023]

Barring, snow, rain, or tempest, a trip up to the Whitby Youth Hostel will be our destination on February 15th from 7pm for an event hosted by the Hostel, postponed from last October ...

 

 

 

 

  [Read more about Whitby Youth Hostel Event - Feb 15th]

Hosts Colin and Vicky of the Fox & Hounds Hotel - Ainthorpe, are hosting their Dark skies - Warm fires night under the dark skies of the North York Moors on February 10th this year. [Read more about Fox and Hounds – Dark Skies Event. ]

The Tartan Unicorn

The seasonal Winter night sky is a wonderful sight to behold, adorned with conspicuous constellations, dripping in stellar jewels and rich in associated mythology.  Yet, next to the very epicentre of this sparkling tableau; Orion, there lies a star group with little pedigree, its faint stars difficult to spot with the naked eye, and yet, hidden from our immediate gaze it is peppered with deep sky objects truly worthy of the lofty company it hides amongst.  Stand forth Monocerus - the Unicorn.  [Read more about The Tartan Unicorn]

Monthly meetings of the WDAS occur on the first tuesday of each month (October thru April) You can locate us at Caedmon College - Normanby Campus. The next meeting is on TuesdayFebruary 7th from 19:30hrs.   [Read more about Society Monthly Meetings and Observatory Open Nights ]

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