Open University Astronomy Club

This is a temporary web page until the Open University manages to resurrect the official page.

Last updated 2010 January 31

Click to go to a page of useful links

February 2010 Sky notes (by Peter Hudson).

Sheridan's images taken in December while Geminid observing in the Libyan desert:

A Geminid

M31
Canon EOS 30D (Modified), Williom Optics 66mm f5.6 scope
ISO1600 - 4 x 20s exposures (plus dark frame)

Barnard's Loop (Orion)
Canon EOS 30D (Modified), Tamron 20mm f3.5 @ ISO3200
8 x 30s exposures (no dark frame)

Neptune and Jupiter (notice how blue Neptune is)
Canon EOS 450D, Sigma 400mm f5.6 @ ISO1600
1 x 30s exposure (no dark frame)

 

Click here to view earlier images. Here's a sample:

and

Meetings - next meeting is Tuesday 5 January 2010.

Meetings of the OU Astronomy Club are normally held from 7:30pm - 10:00pm on the first Tuesday of every month from September to June at the Open University, Milton Keynes. The precise venue is given in the table below. Meetings are open to all (even those with no astronomy experience).

Map showing meeting rooms

If you would like to attend an OU Astronomy Club event please contact the Chairman: John Walters Tel: 01908 653830 (day) 01908 648655 (day), e-mail: use the table below or the Secretary: Sheridan Williams Tel: 01525 237370 (anytime) or email using the table below.

Emailing members

 I have set up a system whereby one can email individual members of the club simply by appending the following prefixes to: @ouastro.co.uk

Who Prefix
Sheridan Williams sheridan
John Walters johnw
Alan Cooper alanc
Peter Hudson peterh
Jonti Horner jonti

If you wish to be added to this list please let me know.

Latest notes...

Note: Peter Hudson's December Skynotes are now available for download.

Minutes of the AGM, click here to download a PDF. If you have any comments on this, please email them to me at the email address in the table above.

Please bring any photographs you have to the next meeting for the "Members' Journal" spot where you members' are encouraged to talk briefly about anything they have read or seen that is astronomy or space-related.

Meanwhile, please email me (Sheridan) with ideas on topics you would like me to find speakers for next year.

Programme of meetings

Date/Venue

Speaker/Topic

Astronomy News

Sky Notes

1 Sep 2009
Physics Seminar Room
The 2009 Total Solar Eclipse - an observer's report on the experience from around the world.
Sheridan Williams, Assistant Director of the Computing Section of the BAA

 

Peter Hudson

6 Oct 2009
Physics Seminar Room

 
Exoplanets through the Hubble Space Telescope
Andy Carter - OU PhD student

 

Peter Hudson

3 Nov 2009
Physics Seminar Room

 Institute of Physics lecture on Historical Supernova Explosions in the Milky Way
The talks starts at 7:30 in the Berrill Theatre, so go straight there.
After the talk we will go to the usual room for Peter's Sky Notes.

 

Peter Hudson

1 Dec 2009
Physics Seminar Room

 "The Accidental Death of an Anarchist" (anarchist attack on the Royal Greenwich Observatory, 1894)
Mike Frost (more details on his website: http://www.mikefrost.info/)

 

Peter Hudson

5 Jan 2010
Physics Seminar Room

"Saturn - Solstice and Equinox"
Mike Foulkes - Director of the BAA Saturn Section http://britastro.org/baa/content/view/42/80/

Diana Parsons

Peter Hudson

2 Feb 2010
Physics Seminar Room

 Various club member reports including Diana Parson's talk on Enceladus

 

Peter Hudson

2 Mar 2010
Physics Seminar Room

  

 

Peter Hudson

6 Apr 2010
Physics Seminar Room

  

 

Peter Hudson

4 May 2010
Physics Seminar Room

 "Leading Edge Imaging Sensor Technology for the Amateur Astronomer"
Karen Holland - CEO of XCAM Ltd - Scientific CCD Cameras http://www.xcam.co.uk

 

Peter Hudson

1 Jun 2010
Physics Seminar Room

  

Next meeting will be  on Tuesday 7 September 2010.

 

Peter Hudson

Map showing meeting rooms:

Web site created and maintained by Sheridan Williams