The Flamsteed is an amateur astronomy society at the Royal Observatory and National Maritime Museum We are an amateur astronomy society based at the Royal Observatory and National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, London SE10.
It is named after the first Astronomer Royal, John Flamsteed. It has about 350 members who represent the full range of interests and experience in astronomy. Beginners are very welcome!
Operating as usual
A short clip from our recent "Introduction to Astronomy" talk, presented by Bobby Manoo - where Bobby explains the celestial sphere, with the help of a friend!
Part 3 of the series is on Wednesday evening, but you can see the full video of part 2 here: https://vimeo.com/427913650
A short clip from our recent "Introduction to Astronomy" talk, presented by Bobby Manoo - where Bobby explains the celestial sphere, with the help of a friend!
Part 3 of the series is on Wednesday evening, but you can see the full video of part 2 here: https://vimeo.com/427913650
With heavy rain due both today and tomorrow, along with strong winds, we have decided to CANCEL the Blackheath observing event, which was due to take place either tonight or tomorrow evening.
Though it is possible that we could have clear skies tomorrow evening, the ground underfoot will be saturated making the set up of heavy telescope equipment difficult and potentially dangerous.
The strong wind (gusts of > 40 mph) will make objects almost impossible to view properly.
Our next Blackheath observing event is planned for Friday 27 March or Saturday 28 March.
Thanks to all who came to our Blackheath Observing session last night. Here are a couple of astrophotography images, taken during the session, by Mike Meynell.
This Friday or Saturday we had our planned to have our last Blackheath observing session of the year. Sadly, forecasts do not suggest a crisp and clear night on either day but a cloudy, wet and soggy one. Therefore we have decided to cancel in the hope that Santa brings us clear skies for the New Year.
Our first observing session of the New Year is planned for Friday January 17th (or the 18th) from 7.30pm.
We will be trying to view the Transit of Mercury at the Royal Observatory Greenwich today, from 12.35pm until around 3.15pm (when the Sun gets too low for us to view).
We will be in the Sundial courtyard behind Flamsteed House at the ROG.
Alternatively, if you prefer to stay warm and indoors, the ROG astronomers will be doing a short livestream from the AMAT (the Annie Maunder Astrographic Telescope) in the Alt-Az pavilion. You can watch the transit between 12.25pm and around 1.10pm on Facebook via this link: https://www.facebook.com/royalmuseumsgreenwich/posts/2655277881189689
Scroll to 08:20 to watch our broadcast of the Transit of Mercury from the Royal Observatory's state-of-the-art telescope.
A couple of images taken by Mike Meynell during the Flamsteed observing event at the Charlton & Woolwich Free Film Festival in Woolwich last night, where "First Man" was being shown.
Thanks to all who came along.
We hope you enjoyed the views of Saturn, Albireo, the Ring Nebula and (appropriately for the occasion) the (almost) Full Moon.
Here are a few more images of the partial lunar eclipse from Tuesday evening, this time by Flamsteed committee member Helen Edwards. All taken at the Blackheath event.
Unfortunately, due to poor weather, the April Blackheath Observing session scheduled is CANCELLED. We will try to reschedule to a later date.
Unfortunately, the January Blackheath Observing session has been CANCELLED due to poor weather. The next session will be on 22 or 23 February.
Our next Blackheath observing event is scheduled to take place on Friday or Saturday evening (14th or 15th December). The event is planned to begin at 7.30pm. We will make a go / no-go announcement by 5pm on Friday. If we cannot go ahead on Friday evening due to the weather, we will try again for Saturday evening.
At the moment, the forecast looks slightly better for Friday evening, though, it must be said, the forecast doesn’t look great for either evening. However, there is still plenty of time for the forecast to change.
Should the event go ahead, the main target will be the Winter Constellation of Orion, rising in the east at our start time. By 9.30pm, the Orion Nebula (M42) will be over 25 degrees high in the southeast, so easily visible to telescopes and binoculars. The Pleiades (M45) will be over 60 degrees high in the south, which should make a particularly attractive target for us to view.
Close to the Pleiades and the Hyades, we should be able to view Comet 46P/Wirtanen, a short-period comet (~5 years) which is making a close pass of the Earth at the moment. This comet was the original target of the Rosetta spacecraft, but the launch window was missed so 67P/ Churymov-Gerasimenko was Rosetta’s target in the end. The comet should be around magnitude 4, technically naked eye visibility… but it is very diffuse, so will not be visible without binoculars or a telescope. We will certainly try to view it should conditions allow.
The Geminids meteor shower also peaks on 14 December, so we may be able to spot a few meteors, though they are always tricky in light-polluted skies. The brighter meteors should be easy to see.
We look forward to seeing as many of you there as possible. Please bring a telescope if you can, the more the merrier! If not, there should be at least three scopes available to take you on a tour of the sky.
Blackheath is quite exposed with the temperature expected to be between 1°C & 5°C, so you are advised to wrap-up warm.
We will meet at our usual spot just north of Talbot Place at 7.30pm. Talbot Place is the first left off Goffers Road after the Tea Hut. Parking is free after 6.30pm. A map of the site can be found here
http://flamsteed.info/observing/stargazing-events/blackheath-stargazing/
For details of our scheduled Blackheath Stargazing events, please click here. Further unscheduled events may take place throughout the year if there are particular astronomical events to view, or based on demand. Location details are shown below.
Our next scheduled observing event was proposed to take place tonight depending on the weather. Unfortunately the various weather forecasts and satellite info is suggesting cloud and at best, poor seeing . Therefore we have decided it is not practical for the event to go ahead so tonight's Blackheath observing session is now CANCELLED.
Apologies to those of you looking forward to it.
Our next Blackheath Observing event will be on 14 or 15 December.
Atlas Obscura
The giant, cosmic blanket is actually composed of seven panels, created using a domestic knitting machine from the 1980s.
Unfortunately, due to the likelihood of cloud cover, today’s solar observing event at the Royal Observatory Greenwich has been CANCELLED. The next scheduled solar observing event will be on Thursday 6 September.
Please note that our public solar observing session, which was due to take place at the Royal Observatory Greenwich today (Saturday 18th August), has been CANCELLED due to poor weather. Our next scheduled session is on Saturday 25th August.
Our public solar observing event, scheduled for today, has been CANCELLED due to poor weather. Our next public solar observing event is scheduled for Saturday 18th August.
The skies are clear! We'll be solar observing at the Royal Observatory Greenwich from 11.30am today. Join us here to look at the Sun safely.
http://flamsteed.info/event/solar-observing-at-the-royal-observatory-greenwich-52/
THIS EVENT IS CONFIRMED ON We will be running a solar observing session at the Royal Observatory Greenwich on Saturday 28th July from 11.30am to around 4pm. This session is open to all and is free of charge. There is no need to book, just turn up. We will be setting up at our […]
With great regret, due to the poor weather, we have decided to CANCEL tonight's Blackheath #LunarEclipse observing session.
Join us tonight at Blackheath from 9pm to observe the #LunarEclipse. We're keeping an eye on the weather forecast – fingers crossed for no rain and breaks in the cloud cover. Details here: http://flamsteed.info/event/lunar-eclipse-observing-at-blackheath-friday-27th-july/
A total eclipse of the Moon will occur on Friday 27th July. Eclipses of the Moon occur when the Full Moon passes through the cone of shadow cast by the Earth into space. From the UK, the Moon will rise above the horizon in full eclipse, so only the latter part of the eclipse will […]
Today’s solar observing event at the Royal Observatory Greenwich has been CANCELLED due to a forecast of cloud cover. Our next solar viewing event is scheduled for next Saturday (28th July).
Unfortunately, there is too much cloud cover forecast for today, so we have decided to CANCEL our planned solar observing event at the Royal Observatory Greenwich. The next scheduled public event is on Saturday 21st July.
Unfortunately, the weather conditions have turned against us, so we have decided to CANCEL the solar observing session at the Royal Observatory Greenwich today.
Solar Observing at the Royal Observatory Greenwich is CONFIRMED ON for today (Saturday 30 June). The event will run from 11.30am to 4pm, at our usual location by the alt-azimuth pavilion.
All are welcome to attend, and it’s FREE.
Location details can be found on our website: http://flamsteed.info/event/solar-observing-at-the-royal-observatory-greenwich-48/
THIS EVENT IS CONFIRMED ON We will be running a solar observing session at the Royal Observatory Greenwich on Saturday 30th June from 11.30am to around 4pm. This session is open to all and is free of charge. There is no need to book, just turn up. We will be setting up at our usual […]
Today's solar viewing session at the Royal Observatory Greenwich has been CANCELLED due to cloud cover.
Our next scheduled solar viewing event will be next Saturday (9 June). See http://flamsteed.info/event/solar-observing-at-the-royal-observatory-greenwich-46/ for details.
Our Solar Observing session, which was due to take place at the Royal Observatory Greenwich today, has been CANCELLED due to poor weather conditions.
Our next next scheduled Solar Observing session is on Saturday 2 June. See http://flamsteed.info/event/solar-observing-at-the-royal-observatory-greenwich-45/ for details.
We will be running a solar observing session at the Royal Observatory Greenwich on Saturday 2nd June from 11.30am to around 4pm. This session is open to all and is free of charge. There is no need to book, just turn up. We will be setting up at our usual location by the Altazimuth Building […]
Our next Blackheath observing session will take place on Saturday evening (19th May). See http://flamsteed.info/event/blackheath-observing-friday-18-may-or-saturday-19-may/ for details. All are welcome to attend. Usual location, north of Talbot Place on Blackheath. Meet from 9pm.
We will be running a Blackheath Observing session on Saturday 19th May from 9.30pm until around 11.30pm. We will have at least three scopes available at the session, but please feel free to come along with your own. The more the merrier! Blackheath is quite exposed, so please wrap up warm. We will m...
Please note that our Blackheath Observing session, due to take place this evening, has been CANCELLED due to poor weather conditions. We will look to hold a short-notice event when weather conditions improve.
Please note that our Blackheath Observing session, due to take place on Friday or Saturday this week, has been CANCELLED due to poor weather.
Our next scheduled session is on 13/14 April, but we will look to run an impromptu session before that date.
Unfortunately, due to the poor weather forecast, with cloud and heavy dew this evening, our Blackheath observing event has been CANCELLED. The next Blackheath observing event will be on either 9 or 10 March.
NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration
LIVE NOW: Watch views of the #SuperBlueBloodMoon from multiple telescopes. We’ll have views of this lunar trifecta streaming throughout the morning. Take a look: https://www.nasa.gov/live
NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration
During an eclipse, two shadows are cast: the umbra & the penumbra. The umbra is where the Sun is completely hidden behind Earth. The real action begins when the Moon starts to disappear as it enters the umbra at about 6:48 a.m. EST/3:48 a.m. PST. An hour later, entirely within the umbra, the Moon is a ghostly copper color, and this lasts for over an hour before the Moon begins to emerge from the central shadow. Watch live online: https://www.nasa.gov/live
Our January Blackheath Observing session has been CANCELLED due to poor weather. The next Blackheath observing event will be on 16 or 17 February.
An old collage of the Astro-Robin to wish everyone a Merry Christmas! We hope you've received many clear skies among your presents! ^_^
Please note that our December Blackheath Observing session (scheduled for Friday 22 or Saturday 23 December) has been CANCELLED due to the poor weather forecast.
Our next Blackheath Observing event will be on 12 or 13 January 2018.
Membership Office, National Maritime Museum, Park Row
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A short clip from our recent "Introduction to Astronomy" talk, presented by Bobby Manoo - where Bobby explains the celestial sphere, with the help of a friend! Part 3 of the series is on Wednesday evening, but you can see the full video of part 2 here: https://vimeo.com/427913650
A short clip from our recent "Introduction to Astronomy" talk, presented by Bobby Manoo - where Bobby explains the celestial sphere, with the help of a friend! Part 3 of the series is on Wednesday evening, but you can see the full video of part 2 here: https://vimeo.com/427913650
The @IAU_org's #NameExoWorlds contest is closing! Please help us name upsilon Andromedae: http://nameexoworlds.iau.org/systems/108
Final week of the @IAU_org's #NameExoWorlds contest! Please help us name upsilon Andromedae: http://nameexoworlds.iau.org/systems/108
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