Open University Astronomy Club
Open University Astronomy Club
Last updated 11 April 2025
Next meeting 6 May 2025
7:30pm at Robert Hooke Building
May's talk is by Gary Poyner
"The Monster in the Crab - The story of the largest black hole yet discovered - OJ287"
Gary details its discovery, Pro-Am campaigns to observe it since the 1990s and the results of these campaigns up to 2019 and the association with gravity waves.
Gary joined the BAA in 1978, and served as Director of the Variable Star Section for five years - 1995 to 1999. He was also Variable Star editor for 'The Astronomer' magazine from 2000-2018. He is primarily a visual observer, and have been observing Variable Stars since 1975 following 10 years of general observing (mainly Jupiter) from my first telescope bought for me in 1965. My main interests are Cataclysmic and Eruptive Variables, which I observe at every opportunity with my 51cm and 22cm reflectors from my observatory in North Birmingham. I also use AAVSOnet remote telescopes in New Mexico and Arizona for CCD observations of Variables. Over the past few years I have mentored a number of observers in the UK and abroad in the art of VS observing, and I give VS related talks to Societies around the country. Mentoring and talking to clubs about different aspects of Variable Stars is something I greatly enjoy, and get lots of personal satisfaction from. On the local society side of things, I was a junior member at the Birmingham AS in the early 1970's, past President of Wolverhampton AS and recently retired chairman of the Heart of England AS, where I have been a member for over 45 years.
Meetings take place in the Robert Hooke Building
Stargazing locations, events and astronomy groups in the UK
Links to local astronomical clubs/societies/activities/STEM
OU Fusion - the Open
University Physics and Astronomy Society (You
might need to open this link in a new window)
FUSION was formed in 2001 by students who recognised the
need to create a society for OU students and graduates whose primary interest is
in physics & astronomy. We have over 150 members many of whom are studying at
various levels of the physical sciences study program. We organise regular
events of interest to members, have a regular newsletter, a Facebook group. We
welcome current and past students or anyone with a general interest in physics
and astronomy.
New link
The evolution of satellite communication, starting with the launch of Sputnik, improving with NASA's developments and continuing to evolve with SpaceX's Starlink
https://www.ooma.com/blog/telecommunications-satellites-and-space-exploration/
------------------------------------------
BAA Lunar Section Circular - April 2025
BAA Historical Section Newsletter 31 - Spring 2025
|
Home |
|
Home Page
The club
now uses groups.io for club messages,
and photos. To send a group email send to:
ouastro@groups.io
Please help Michael with his Space News by sending him anything you
find that may be of interest. See Contact Us for his
email address.
Meetings
of the Open University Astronomy Club are normally held from 7:30pm - 10:00pm on
the first Tuesday of every month from September to June at the Robert Hooke
Building of the Open University, Milton Keynes. A map showing the location of
the Robert Hooke building in the OU campus can be found from the link
Where we meet above.
Meetings
are open to all (not just OU students and staff) and please do not worry if you
are a beginner, our speakers are chosen to be of interest to all, and our
members will be only too pleased to help you.
Click on
Meetings' Programme above to see a list of speakers.
Members' images now on:
https://groups.io/g/ouastro
Astronomy Apps for smartphones
New additions:
I've been contacted by Ms. Stephanie Cooper a home school Teacher https://studentsforresearch.org/ on behalf of Kiel,
who has a keen interest in data science. Kiel discovered an excellent resource on the role of Data Science in Astronomy and Interstellar Exploration at
Personnel
Chair: Vacant
(please address all correspondence to the Vice
Chairman Peter Hudson)
Vice Chairman: Peter Hudson
Treasurer: David Baines
Secretary: Adrian Rawlings
Observatory visit and Outreach: Sheridan Williams
Webmaster: Sheridan Williams
To contact any of the above click on
Contact us.
Web site created and maintained by Sheridan Williams. I need help, so
if you are willing and able, please contact me.