Basic Astronomy and Observation Programme
Welcome to 2021.
We wish you a good year ahead despite all the uncertainties.
Our ‘normal’ regular weekly meetings are online at the moment. To receive the link to join the events, please join using the registration link.
Our main communication is through emails to registered members. Our Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp are also channels used by the community.
Introduction
The Cranfield Astronomical Society aims to provide a forum at Cranfield for the discussion of all astronomical matters, to encourage amateur observation and to operate, on behalf of the University, the observatory which was built to house the telescopes.
We are a friendly group and a happy blend of novices and experts.
Basic Astronomy Course
As part of our regular meetings, the Society runs a course in Basic Astronomy and Observation on Tuesday evenings.
The programme starts in October and runs to just before Easter. It is designed to help you to do astronomy without coming to the observatory.
The cost of membership is £10 for students and staff of Cranfield University (this includes the course and use of equipment). Persons not related to Cranfield University can join as Associate Members.
Membership fees are waived until we can meet face to face again.
2021 Winter Term Programme
Programme from January 2021
All meetings are online.
The Teams link for meetings is email to members who registered.
| All meeting are on Teams for now. The Teams link shall be posted one day before the meeting. | ||
| Date | Topic | Moon ephemeris |
| 12 January 19:30-20:30 | Informal Open Evening | Sets 15:14, 1% Virtually New moon |
| 19 January 19:30-20:30 | An Introduction to Astrophotography | Sets 21:22, 28% 2d before 1st Qtr |
| 26 January 19:30-20:30 | Mars. Why? Why not? A webinar by one of our former students. | Rises 13:43, Sets 05:28 90% |
| 2 February 19:30-20:30 | Introduction to stellar spectroscopy | Rises 22:56, 78% 2d to 3rd Qtr |
| 9 February 19:30-20:30 | Image processing of Astro-photographs | Sets 14:06, 6.5% 2d to New Moon |
| 16 February 19:30-20:30 | The Development of the HR diagram and it’s uses | Sets 21:30, 15% 5d crescent |
| 23 February 19:30-20:30 | Synthesis of Elements in the Universe | Rises 13:45, 93% Sets 06:37 |
| 2 March 19:30-20:30 | The Cosmic Distance Scale | Rises 22:04, 90% 3d after Full |
| 9 March 19:30-20:30 | The Galilean Moons of Jupiter | Sets 13:04 17% 4d to New |
| 16 March 19:30-20:30 | Galaxy distribution and current cosmology from the Big Bang till now | Sets 21:33, 9.5% 3d after New |
| 23 March 19:30-20:30 | Meteorites-Origins and Evolution of the Solar System | Rises 11:23, 72% Sets 04:34 |
| 30 March 19:30-20:30 | Open night and results of the photo competition or observing night if conditions and restrictions allow | Rises 22:06, 98% 2d after Full |
| 6 April | Committee meeting | Rises 13:08, 30% Gibbous |
| The programme is subject to change; depending on sky conditions and availability of speakers. Issued 26 September 2020 |
About us
The Cranfield Astronomical Society membership is mainly Cranfield University students and staff. It is one of the active local amateur astronomical societies and helped many to enjoy the night sky.
Meetings
At the moment, all meetings are online. The links shall be posted one day before the meeting.
During NORMAL term time the Society meetings are held on Tuesday evenings in the CSA lounge at 7:30pm on the main Cranfield campus, except when events or lectures are organised elsewhere. As much as the weather permits, observation at Loxham Observatory is prioritised. Special observing sessions are arranged, not necessarily Tuesdays, to enable newcomers to gain experience or to observe incidental astronomical events.
The Observatory
The observatory is equipped with a Celestron C11 telescope on a powered equatorial mounting. Facilities exist for simple astrophotography through the main equipment. Some computer software is available for demonstration and observation calculations. There is also a range of portable equipment for offsite observation.
Members of the Society are permitted to operate the telescopes at their own convenience, provided they are able to demonstrate competence in doing so. Training is provided.
