Whitby & District Astronomical Society

Continuing the tour of stellar objects crossing the meridian line this month: three objects from the constellation of Hercules:

• Planetary Nebula: Turtle (or NGC 6502)
• Globular Cluster: M92 (NGC 6341)
• Star: Alpha Herculis (or 'Rasalgethi' - ‘the kneeler’s head’)

Observers join WDAS Members for the one star party scheduled in 'the lightest month'.  And the fog in which had marked the early part of the month had given way to clear skies and warm temperatures.

Also on test - Keith's new telescope: a 12" Dobsonian number fro Skywatcher. [Read more about June 2018 Star Party]

The society has again been invited to the NYM Park Fest day on Sunday 22^nd July, to be held at the Danby Moors centre.

We attended the event in 2016, and although Mark and Keith put on a good display the weather didn’t, and only fleeting glimpses of the Sun were possible for solar viewing.  We have been tasked again with solar viewing and if conditions are fine a scaled solar system demo.  The event runs from 10:00-17:00h... [Read more about WDAS News - Park Fest 2018]

In this month's edition:

• Planetary Skylights: Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars at Opposition.
• Meteors: Capri-Cornids, Alpha-Cygnids- Delta-Aquarids
• Lunar Eclipse
• July 2018 Sky Charts

The summer star party season is now upon us, and with the good weather mostly holding several events have already been held on the cliff.  The first was an unscheduled event for the May bank holiday Sunday, and proved quite successful.  Warm temperatures and clear skies made it a pleasurable evening with Venus and Jupiter being the chief targets... [Read more about WDAS Star Party Events]

After a three year break Paul returned to Whitby to give the presentation he was due to give last year, but had to pull out due to family illness.  For once his trip was less susceptible to the worst of the weather, yet despite being a settled warm weather period, Mother Nature still tried to rain on our parade, but i think we got away with it.

Paul arrived in good time at the college, which was utilised marrying up his IT equipment with the IT system in the main hall... we eventually won.  There was then just time to show Paul the observatory and take some pictures... [Read more about About Paul Money's 2018 Lecture]

Continuing the tour of stellar objects crossing the meridian line this month: two globular clusters from the constellations Serpens and Scorpius.

• Globular Cluster: M5 (NGC 5904)
• Globular Cluster: M4 (NGC 6121)

In this month's edition:

• Planetary Skylights: Venus, Jupiter, Mars, Saturn
• Meteors: Ophiuchids, June Lyrids
• Summer Solstice
• Noctilucent Cloud
• June 2018 Sky Charts

Continuing the tour of stellar objects crossing the meridian line this month: two objects from the small 'Hunting Dogs' Galaxy, officially called 'Canes Venatici'

• Star: Cor Coroli or ‘Charles's Heart’.
• Galaxy: Sunflower Galaxy (M63 or NGC 5055)

It’s been a pretty frustrating winter and early spring with regard to Sunday evening observatory sessions, averaging out at just over one a month... "poor".  Still, we have managed to get up in the last few weeks... [Read more about Observatory Nights]

The ‘summer‘ star party season is almost upon us and as per other years we shall be hosting events from the Captain Cook headland area – West Cliff and some from the Archery Green area later in the summer... [Read more about Event Horizon – future Star party events]

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 5^th was the exception and clear skies during the day lasted into the evening (more or less), making observation possible for the 3^rd year in succession... [Read more about Ayresome Primary School visit - Whitby Youth Hostel]

In this month's edition:

• Planetary Skylights: Venus, Jupiter, Mars, Saturn
• Meteors: eta Aquarids, Orionids
• May 2018 Sky Charts

After a 3 year break, all being well Paul will return to Whitby on May 8^th 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. [Read more about Paul Money Lecture]

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.

• Star: Algieba: the ‘The Lion's Mane’.
• Galaxy: NGC 2903.  Discovered by William Herschel in 1784, this barred spiral galaxy lies in Leo near the top of the lion's head, to the right of the sickle asterism
• Nebula: NGC 3242 - ‘Ghost of Jupiter’ nebula.