The now annual visit to the Whitby Youth Hostel by visiting pupils from Ayresome Primary School in Middlesbrough coincided with the early Easter holidays, a period which is often susceptible to the weather, and so it proved with cloud and or rain for much of the week. Fortunately Thursday 5th was the exception and clear skies during the day lasted into the evening (more or less), making observation possible for the 3rd year in succession... [Read more about Ayresome Primary School visit - Whitby Youth Hostel]
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In this month's edition:
After a 3 year break, all being well Paul will return to Whitby on May 8th to give a presentation on the Voyager. Entitled “Triumphs of Voyager Part 1: Journey to Jupiter / Splendours of Saturn”. This was planned for last year but due to family illness at the last minute, Paul was unable to make it. Apparently though this talk has now become one of his most popular, along with part 2 of the voyager story. It promises to be a very entertaining evening. 
Continuing the tour of stellar objects crossing the meridian line this month: a double-star in the 'Sickle' of Leo, a field barred spiral galaxy also in Leo, knwon to its friends as "NGC 2903"; and the 'Ghost of Jupiter' planetary nebula in Hydra.
Following recent further correspondence with Dr Sean Paling regarding a visit to DMF at Boulby, it has been established that Friday’s are difficult for Sean and his team. We're discussing other dates...
Just to reminder that we shall be hosting a star party event for visiting pupils from Ayresome Primary School & Lego Innovation Studio up at the Whitby Youth Hostel on April 3rd 2018...
This was a last minute event – organised by the youth hostel. Conditions on the evening were actually very good with clear skies and little wind. Initially we thought hardly anyone was going to turn up, but by 18:30h a sizeable gathering had mustered on the front quadrangle in front of the Abbey Visitor centre... 
The start of April offers up an interesting stellar challenge, testing the observing dexterity of astronomers; casual or otherwise in a race against time.. This is all about spotting first magnitude stars; those ranked brightest in the sky.
The date of the Vernal Equinox and officially the start spring in the northern hemisphere falls on March 20th this year. This is when the Sun's path - the ecliptic, first crosses the celestial equator on its apparent journey northwards into the sky. The orientation of the Earth at the spring or autumnal equinox is such that neither of the poles are inclined towards the Sun and all locations experience equal hours of daylight and darkness - hence the term equinox... 
As part of the Dark Skies festival held throughout February half term across North Yorkshire and beyond, our society will be hosting a ‘star party’ at the Danby Moors Centre. And the RAF Fylingdales event planned for January 18th, and organised by York A.S, the base, with assistance from us, had to be cancelled, victim of the wintry conditions... 