Meetings and Events

Friday 1st November 2024 19:30 Main Talk Ian Sharp FRAS "How to get started with Photometry".
Ian has a background in physics, electronics and programming. He is a very enthusiastic, active member of the Altair Group which is currently carrying out research into the detection of exoplanets in PCEB binary systems using Eclipse Time Variations (ETVs). The most recent published paper by the Group is:
Eclipse timing variations in post-common envelope binaries: Are they a reliable indicator of circumbinary companions?

Friday 6th December 2024 19:30 19:30 Main Talk Michael Foulkes "Transit Phenomena"
This talk discusses the most famous of transit events, I.e transits of Mercury and Venus. It looks at the history of Venus transits and the attempts to use these events to measure the distance between the Earth to the Sun. It also discusses other types of transit phenomena including how transits have been used to find exo planets.
Michael is the Director of the BAA Saturn, Uranus and Neptune Section.

Friday 10th January 2025 19:30 AGM and Main Talk Dr Colin McGill Galaxies - Colin will show a series of pictures of galaxies, then ask people what questions do they have (e.g. why are disks formed, why is there spiral structure, what do the colours mean) and try and answer them.
BIOGRAPHY
Colin had a 3” refractor at school, but found it difficult to see anything except the moon. At University, he studied physics as a degree, and theoretical astrophysics for his Doctorate, followed by two post-docs in cosmology and galactic dynamics.
At that point, family life got in the way - it was not until Colin was 40 that he bought himself his next telescope - an original Nexstar 8. The frustration of not being able to see more than a smudge for even the brightest galaxies led him to imaging and a remote telescope in Spain. After retirement, Colin became the president of the Guildford Astronomical Society

Friday 7th. February 2025 19:30 Main Talk Claire Bradshaw "TBC"
I have been interested in space and astronomy most of my life, gaining my first set of binoculars as a child followed by a Tasco reflector telescope. From these early days, interruptions came with University, marriage etc and it wasn't until 2012 that I obtained my first real telescope - an eq3 Skywatcher 150p gifted from a friend's lottery winnings! After that things took off, using webcams to image planets and a DSLR to shoot deep space. I then leapt into dedicated astro-camera imaging and things moved on from there. I love doing talks, having my work on display in galleries and trying to get the next best shot, learning more as I go. I am also part of a five-woman strong team creating a forthcoming book on Women in STEM, due for release in 2024.

Friday March 7th 2025 JULIAN ONIONS subject tbc
Julian has always had an interest in astronomy, and after many years as an amateur studied for a Phd in astrophysics at the University of Nottingham. There he studies computer models of galaxy formation using some of the biggest computers in the world, building model universes using mostly dark matter. He also helps out with undergraduate teaching and various outreach activities.
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Friday 4th April 2025 19:30 Main Talk Ian Smith “Ian will give a talk following on from his talk on imaging planetary nebulae in April 2024. This time he will enlighten us about planetary nebulae as objects in their own right"
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I’ve been an amateur astronomer for several decades and used to be chairman of the Abingdon Astronomical Society for many years. My own astronomical interests started with planetary observing and then imaging. Then when the planets effectively disappeared from UK skies, I turned to imaging PNe, which I’ve now been doing now for the last 6 years or so.

Friday 2nd May 2025 19:30 Main Talk Peter Goodhew “Setting up and operating a robotic telescope for remote astrophotography”. Live talk.
Peter will describe how amateur astronomers go about making such discoveries, and some of the challenges involved. He will take the audience through a typical case study. He will share some of the most remarkable, and beautiful discoveries made by the team, including some strange and unexpected objects.

Peter is part of an international team of amateur astronomers collaborating in searching the Cosmos for undiscovered objects. The team have already made over 200 discoveries. He coordinates the operation of a network of 6 high-performance robotic telescopes located in dark sites in Spain. Peter is a Fellow of The Royal Astronomical Society and a frequent contributor to Astronomy Now magazine.

Friday 6th June 2025 William Joyce "Astrobiology." Live talkWith an astrophysics degree, William has worked in space research at Leicester university with Earth remote sensing satellite instruments and in industry in laboratories, space software engineering and later in aerospace systems engineering. William changed career in the mid 2000's and obtained a degree in Earth and Planetary science and followed this with university teaching and astronomy work

Friday 4th July 2025 19:30 Main Talk Tony Roberts "Airborne Observatories" Live talk.
Tony Roberts has observed the heavens since a child in the sixties and is the current chair at both SAGAS and Croydon Astronomical Society.

No Meeting in August

Friday 3^rd October 2025 19:30 Main Talk Owen Brazell "Galaxy clusters"
Bio:
Owen has been interested in astronomy from an early age and got his first telescope when he was ten years old so has been involved in astronomy for over 50 years. He did an astronomy O level, probably the only time he used a Patrick Moore book, and this led to him doing an Honours degree in Astronomy at St Andrews University and then a part time MSc from Queen Mary college but has spent his working life in the oil exploration industry. Nevertheless, he has found time to be on the council of the British Astronomical Association a number of times and was deputy director of its deep sky section for 20 years. He now holds the post of President of the Webb Society and is also chairman of Abingdon AS. He has also been on the council of the FAS. His main interests are in visual deep sky observing which he does with a variety of telescopes up to 22” in aperture. He also has an interest in observing comets and in solar observing. He has given talks on various aspects deep sky observing to many societies and has written a monthly deep sky column in the Astronomy Now magazine for many years. He also writes a monthly Galaxy of the Month column for the Webb Society website. He has also contributed material to a number of books. Owen has also been a keen attendee at star parties and he has been at some of the best sites in the world for these.

Friday 7th November 2025 19:30 Main Talk TBA
Ian has a background in physics, electronics and programming. He is a very enthusiastic, active member of the Altair Group which is currently carrying out research into the detection of exoplanets in PCEB binary systems using Eclipse Time Variations (ETVs). The most recent published paper by the Group is:
Eclipse timing variations in post-common envelope binaries: Are they a reliable indicator of circumbinary companions?

Friday 5^th DECEMBER 2025 RENE BRETON subject tbc
Rene Breton received his PhD in Physics from McGill University, Canada, in 2009. He is a Professor of Astrophysics at the Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics, University of Manchester. His main research interests revolve around the study of pulsars, which he uses to attempt to understand matter under extreme density, gravity and magnetic fields. Some of his past work enabled us to test 'geodetic spin precession' - a phenomenon predicted to exist in General Relativity - for the first time in the strong gravity environment. Rene also has a keen interest for science communication. He recently started applying his data analysis skills for research in the area of agriculture and trying to map the spread of invasive plants using satellite imaging. He recently started applying his data analysis skills for research in the area of agriculture and trying to map the spread of invasive plants using satellite imaging.

Observing Events weather permitting