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Astronomy

Updated 29 December 2024 - RP                                                                                                                                                              Group Risk Assessment - 18 April 2024

The Astronomy Group meet once a month, which with effect from 2025 will be throughout the year. Usually our meetings are held in the Southwell library where we gather to explore a wide variety of astronomical topics. The sessions always have a theme and can be delivered either by a presentation or a DVD. After a coffee break comments, discussions, thoughts and questions from members are encouraged as we aim to support each other.  Most of the sessions are presented by volunteers from the group members, but we also have outside speakers from time to time.
 
​Astronomy is a very fast-moving subject with better telescopes, incredible space explorer probes and highly capable scientists, which together allow us to make exciting new discoveries.  We try to keep up to date with all of the recent developments, while ensuring that we present information in a format that is understandable by all. The Internet helps, and we have a lot of interesting links which can be viewed by clicking  here (Word document) or here (PDF document).
 
New members of all ages are very welcome, irrespective of how advanced your knowledge may be, if you find astronomy fascinating and intriguing like we do, please come along and join us.
 
Sometimes we move away from our library base, indeed in the past we have enjoyed star gazing locally, at Woodborough, plus visits to the Mansfield and Sherwood Observatory and the NT University Dome. We have also travelled down to the National Space Museum in Leicester.
The Sherwood observatory website, which is local to us,  is well worth a visit, just click here.
 
We started as a group of novices, all very interested in astronomy but are now pleased to be expanding and sharing our understanding of this wonderful universe around us, while still encouraging and appealing to beginners.
If you are a beginner and want a gentle introduction to the solar system, I will be running a short course, consisting of two weekly sessions of about 1.5 - 2 hours each, probably in March.
More details will follow later on, but all members of Southwell u3a will be invited irrespective of your background knowledge.

Our planned programme of events for 2025
Jan 2025  The Moon
Feb 2025  The Apollo Space Missions
Mar 2025  Mars
Apr 2025  Venus
A fuller programme will be published and regularly updated as the situation develops. 
At some point in the year we hope to have an external speaker from Nottingham University.
We are also trying to plan a group visit to the Mansfield and Sherwood Observatory now that the new planetarium is open.
Finally we hope to invite the popular Alex Dean back to talk more about astrophotography.

Our programme of events throughout 2024:
Jan 2024   Pluto DVD
Feb 2024  The universe - from the beginning through to the end
Mar 2024  Mars DVD
Apr 2024  The birth and death of stars
May 2024  Radio Astronomy
Jun 2024  Milky Way DVD
Sep 2024  Exoplanets
Oct 2024   Astrophotography 2
Nov 2024  Black Holes
Dec 2024  Dimensions and wormholes

A single list of our events since April 2023 can be viewed by clicking here.

Meeting Venue:   Southwell Library                Leader:   Richard Peacock               Contact:   [email protected]   
Meeting time: 10am to 12noon on the fourth Thursday of every month
                          (The December meeting will be rescheduled to the third Thursday in order to avoid the Christmas period)
                                                                                                                                                                     
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​​

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                                                                        At Sherwood Observatory, Sutton-in-Ashfield
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                                                                                    Orion - photo by Barry Severn
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​​Think you might be interested in joining this group?

1. If you are not already a member of Southwell u3a but are interested in finding out more about the Astronomy Group and/or would like to attend one of the group meetings please click on this Contact us link. We will then arrange for the Group Leader to get in touch with you as soon as possible.

2. If you are already a member of Southwell u3a and are interested in joining the Astronomy Group you can contact the Group Leader directly, his email address is given above. 
  © Southwell u3a                                                                 Reg'd Charity No. 1132337                
​                                      
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