Torbay Astronomical Society - Meetings from Previous Years

2011/2012

2011 September 15Professor Bernard Carr (Queen Mary College, University of London): "Universe or Multiverse?"
September 29Observational evening - focus on Cygnus / binary star Albireo (beta Cygni)
October 13Professor Ian Morison (Jodrell Bank and Gresham Professor of Astronomy) : "Black Holes"
November 3Observational evening - focus on Jupiter / Moon
November 17Jason Heales (TAS): "Particles and Forces in Astronomy"
December 1Observational evening - focus on the Pleiades Open Star Cluster (M45)
December 15Quiz vs North Devon AS (at TBGS!)
2012 January 12Observational evening - focus on the Orion Nebula (M42)
January 26Dr Jennifer Hatchell (Exeter University): "Sub-millimetre Astronomy"
February 9Observational evening - focus on Ursa Major / binary star Mizar
February 23Mini-lectures
March 1Observational evening - focus on 1st quarter moon / Hyades open star cluster
March 22Steve Duncan: "Eros and the Astronomical Unit"
April 12Observational evening - focus on Mars
April 26Chris Lee (Bristol AS): "Beagle 2 - a Personal Reflection and a Look Forward"
May 17Annual General Meeting and Summer 2012 preview
June 21Summer Social Evening at The Barn Owl, Torquay

2010/2011

2010 September 16 Hedley Robinson Memorial Lecture by Dr Haley Gomez of Cardiff University:
"Dust in Space"
(Dr Gomez is currently working on data from the Herschel Space Telescope)
Please Note: This meeting will be in the "Business and Enterprise" suite. For directions go to the library from where you will be directed by a TAS member
October 7Observational evening
October 21Simon Harding (Torbay AS): "Historic Comets"
Note: this is our first ever meeting in the Manor House! - see directions above
November 4Observational evening
November 18Douglas Rice of Tiverton AS: "Art and Astronomy"
December 1Quiz vs North Devon AS (in Barnstaple!)
December 2Observational evening
December 16The TAS book auction!
Your chance to bid for some of the many books from the TAS library that have been purchased, donated or otherwise collected over the years!
See the book listing (a Word doc file) and 'extras' (a .pdf file) for more details
2011 January 6Observational evening following up the BBC
"Stargazing LIVE" programmes (Jan 3rd, 4th and 5th on BBC2 at 8pm)
January 20Mini-lectures: (Jim Horwell: "Cyclical Changes in the Earth's motion and its effect on climate", Dennis Humphreys: "Variable Stars", Adele Beale: "Colours")
February 3Observational evening
February 17Damian Peach (well-known astronomer and astro-photographer): "High Resolution Astrophotography"
March 3Observational evening
March 17David Love: "The Origin of the Universe"
Articles used by Dave included :- "The Free Lunch That Made Our Universe", "What Happened Before the Big Bang" and "The WMAP Universe"
April 7Observational evening
April 28Chairman's Annual Address: "Extrasolar Planets"
May 19Annual General Meeting and Summer 2011 preview
see Minutes of 2010 AGM

2009/2010

2009 September 17 Dave Norman: Current and upcoming space missions, and Simon Harding: Forthcoming astronomical events
October 1Observational evening
October 15 Will Gater (of the Sky at Night Magazine): "The Cosmic Keyhole" - an explanation of how astronomy is unlocking the secrets of the Universe
November 12Observational evening
November 19 SteveDuncan: "Measuring Earth's Orbit"
December 3Observational evening
December 10 Quiz Night vs North Devon Astronomical Society
2010 January 7Observational evening
January 21 Mini-lectures (titles to be posted)
February 4Observational evening
February 25 Jon Coleman: "The British Space Programme"
March 4Observational evening
March 18Observational evening
March 25 Professor George Simnett: "Explosive Events on the Sun and their Effects on the Earth"
April 22 Chairman's Annual Address
May 20 Annual General Meeting (and Summer 2010 preview)
June 24 Summer Social Evening at the Church House Inn, Marldon

2008/2009

2008 September 18 Dave Norman: A look ahead to some upcoming space missions
October 2Observational evening
October 16 Steve Duncan: "Earth CARE"
November 6Observational evening
November 20 Dr Paul Roche of Cardiff University: "Las Cumbres Observatory Global Robotic Astronomy Network"
December 4Observational evening
December 11 Mini-lectures (by Jim Horwell and others!)
2009 January 8Observational evening
January 22 David Love: "A Brief History of Astronomy"
February 5Observational evening
February 26 Nick O'Donnell of Somerset AS: "Here be Monsters!"
March 5Observational evening
March 19 John Hedley-Robinson memorial lecture:
Professor Mark Sims of the University of Leicester Space Research Centre
:
" Is there or has there been life on Mars?"
April 2Observational evening
April 23 Chairman's Annual Address
May 21 Annual General Meeting (and Summer 2009 preview)
June 25 Summer Social Evening at the Church House Inn, Marldon

2007/2008

2007 September 20 Grahame Veale and Dave Norman:
Summer 2007 review and a look ahead to coming events this year
October 4Observational evening
October 18 Mark Hunter of Spirent: GPS satellite navigation
November 1Observational evening
November 15 Mini-lectures by society members: "The life and works of Charles Messier" by Dennis Humphreys and "The new telescope controller" by Steve Duncan
November 29Observational evening
December 13 Annual Quiz
2008 January 10Observational evening
January 24 Chris Lintott (BBC Sky At Night): "The Galaxy Zoo project"
February 7Observational evening
February 28 Andy Norton (Open University): Exoplanets
March 6Observational evening
March 20 Will Gater (contributor to Astronomy Now): "Not just pretty pictures" - the science behind Hubble's greatest images
April 3Observational evening
April 24 Grahame Veale - Chairman's Annual Address: "Blowing in the (Solar) Wind"
May 15 Annual General Meeting (and Summer 2008 preview)
June 26 Summer Social Evening Coombe Cellars, Coombe in Teignhead (TQ12 4RT)

2006/2007

2006 September 21Kieron McGrath of SCS Astro Wellington: "Telescopes and Gadgets"
- Astronomical instruments that are available now on an amateur budget
October 19Mini-lectures: Ralph Bell: "Meteorology" and Dave Norman: : "Probing the System"
November 21 at Torquay Boys' Grammar School Dr David Southwood (Director of Science, European Space Agency): "Europe in Space"
December 14Jeff Jones (TAS): "Λ-CDM Model of Cosmology"
2007 January 18John Brimble (South Somerset AS): "The Outer Limits"
February 15Steve Duncan: : "50 Years of Rocket Science"
March 15J Hedley Robinson Memorial Lecture
Dr Robert Massey of the Royal Observatory, Greenwich :
"The Royal Observatory: Past, Present and Future"
April 19Chairman's Address: "SuperStars!"
May 17Annual General Meeting (+ Summer 2007 preview)

2005/2006

2005 September 22 Dave Norman, Chris Proctor and other committee members: Summer 2005 review, Mars Opposition
October 20Mini-lectures: "(titles tbd)"
November 17Dr David Ramsden (Southampton University): "Gamma Ray Objects"
December 15Mini-lectures: "(titles tbd)"
2006 January 19Annual Quiz vs Exeter Astronomical Society ... (Exeter won this year - well done!)
February 16John Stapleton (Basingstoke AS): "Planetary Nebulae"
March 16Dave Norman: Chairman's Address: "Mars3D!"
April 20Professor John Brown (Astronomer Royal for Scotland): "Black Holes and White Rabbits"
May 18Annual General Meeting (+ Summer 2006 preview)

2004/2005

2004 September 16 Dave Norman and Chris Proctor: "Transit to Titan"
October 21 Chris Proctor: "The Moon"
November 18 Sarah Burton (Exeter University): "Astrobiology"
December 16 Tim Moffatt: "My Observatory"
2005 January 20 Jim "Our Sun",Dajana: "Stellar Evolution",Dave: "SOHO 2004"
February 17 Steve Duncan: "Tricks of the Light"
March 17 John Hedley Robinson Memorial Lecture:
Professor Tim Naylor: "The Formation of the Solar System"
April 21 Chairman's Address: Dave Norman: "A Celestial Odyssey"
May 19Annual General Meeting (+ Summer 2005 preview)

2003/2004

2003 Sep 18Society members, guests and visitors
"Open Forum"
Oct 16Dr Chris Baddiley
"Galaxies"
Nov 20mini-lectures
Dec 18Quiz vs Exeter AS
2004
Jan 22
Dave Norman and Dr Chris Proctor
"SOHO in 2003!"
Feb 19Stephen Parkinson
"SETI"
Mar 18Dr Chris Proctor "Antarctica!"
and Dave Norman "Celestia"
Apr 15Chairman's Address by Dave Norman
May 20Dr Andrew Coates
"The Cassini/Huygens Mission to Saturn and Titan"
May 27Annual General Meeting (+Mars Express)
NOTE: at TBGS, not Town Hall!!!

2002/2003

2002 September 19The committee and members of the society"We are the TAS!"
October 17John Hedley Robinson Memorial Lecture
by Dr John Mason
"Destination Mars!"
November 21(members of the society)(mini-lectures: titles TBD)
December 19-TAS Christmas Quiz
2003 January 23Steve Duncan"433rd Rock From The Sun"
February 20Patrick McGuire, Chris Proctor and Dave Norman(PM:) "Astronomy Distance Learning", (DN/CP:) The latest observatory images
March 20Dave NormanChairman's Address: "The Dark Side of the Universe"
April 17Dr Andy Norton (Open University)"Outbursts, Orbits and Oscillations"
May 15-Annual General Meeting

2001/2002

(anyone got a copy?!)

2000/2001

2000 September 21Dr. Andy Norton (Open University) and/or Steve Duncan Ph.D"Gamma-ray Bursters"
October 19Kieran McGrathTelescope buying advice
November 16Chris Proctor Ph.D, Michael Morley, Alan Horner Mini-lectures
December 21-Social/Fun Evening
2001 January 18Ian Walsh and Dave Norman"The Lost Worlds of 2001"
February 22John Stapleton"Mapping the Moon"
March 15Neil BoneJ H R Memorial Lecture - "Aurorae"
April 19Dave Norman B.TechChairman's Address
May 17-Annual General Meeting

1999/2000

1999 September 16thDave Norman and Chris Proctor Ph.D"There Goes the Sun!"
October 21Howard Donaldson & Joyce Hedges (E.A.S)"American Observatories"
November 18Geoff White (Westland School)"The Universe at Large"
December 16-Annual Quiz with Exeter A.S.
2000 January 20Dave Norman, Alex Tarr (and others!)"Third Millenium Astronomy"
February 17Steve Duncan Ph.D"Orbital Mechanics"
March 16Dr. Andy Norton (Open University)"Gamma-ray Bursters"
April 20Grahame Veale B.ScChairman's Address
May 18-Annual General Meeting