Flamsteed Astronomy Society

26/04/2019

Unfortunately, due to poor weather, the April Blackheath Observing session scheduled is CANCELLED. We will try to reschedule to a later date.

25/01/2019

Unfortunately, the January Blackheath Observing session has been CANCELLED due to poor weather. The next session will be on 22 or 23 February.

11/12/2018

Blackheath Stargazing

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.

30/11/2018

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.

13/09/2018

Atlas Obscura

Atlas Obscura

The giant, cosmic blanket is actually composed of seven panels, created using a domestic knitting machine from the 1980s.

30/08/2018

‪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.‬

18/08/2018

‪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.‬

09/08/2018

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.

28/07/2018

Solar Observing at the Royal Observatory Greenwich – CONFIRMED ON

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 […]

27/07/2018

With great regret, due to the poor weather, we have decided to CANCEL tonight's Blackheath #LunarEclipse observing session.

27/07/2018

Sumitra

Sumitra

27/07/2018

Lunar Eclipse Observing at Blackheath – Friday 27th July

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 […]

21/07/2018

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).

12/07/2018

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.

05/07/2018

Unfortunately, the weather conditions have turned against us, so we have decided to CANCEL the solar observing session at the Royal Observatory Greenwich today.

30/06/2018

Solar Observing at the Royal Observatory Greenwich – CONFIRMED ON

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 […]

02/06/2018

Solar Observing at the Royal Observatory Greenwich

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.

24/05/2018

Solar Observing at the Royal Observatory Greenwich

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 […]

17/05/2018

Blackheath Observing – Saturday 19 May

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...

13/04/2018

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.

08/03/2018

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.

17/02/2018

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.

31/01/2018

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

31/01/2018

NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration

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

12/01/2018

Our January Blackheath Observing session has been CANCELLED due to poor weather. The next Blackheath observing event will be on 16 or 17 February.

25/12/2017

An old collage of the Astro-Robin to wish everyone a Merry Christmas! We hope you've received many clear skies among your presents! ^_^

21/12/2017

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.

22/09/2017

We have decided to CANCEL our planned observing session on Blackheath tonight (Friday 22 September) due to forecast cloud cover and the risk of rain.

15/09/2017

ESA - European Space Agency

1.4 billion km away... it will now take about 83 mins for Cassini's last signal to reach us here on Earth #GrandFinale

15/09/2017

ESA - European Space Agency

ESA - European Space Agency

WATCH LIVE: Webcast from NASA/JPL for the end of the NASA/ESA/ASI Cassini-Huygens mission. Starting shortly https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3_byIkXF7Q

15/09/2017

NASA Live

Happening now: the spacecraft is entering Saturn’s atmosphere. Watch at 4am PT to see when the final data is received!

NASA.gov brings you the latest images, videos and news from America's space agency. Get the latest updates on NASA missions, watch NASA TV live, and learn about our quest to reveal the unknown and benefit all humankind.

15/09/2017

Saturn probe heads towards destruction

Saturn probe heads towards destruction

The end is near for US-led space mission as it flies towards a fiery impact with the ringed planet.

15/09/2017

NASA's Cassini Mission to Saturn

NASA's Cassini Mission to Saturn

The Grand Finale toolkit: everything you need to know about why, how and when our mission is coming to a close: https://go.nasa.gov/1Up1oba

02/09/2017

Solar Observing at the Royal Observatory Greenwich – CONFIRMED ON

After a terrible run of luck with the weather, we finally get to run a solar observing session at the Royal Observatory Greenwich today.

Our solar observing session starts at 11.30am today. All are welcome to attend, and it's free! See http://flamsteed.info/event/solar-observing-at-the-royal-observatory-greenwich-42/ … for details.

THIS EVENT IS CONFIRMED ON We will be running a solar observing session at the Royal Observatory Greenwich on Saturday 2nd September 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 […]

25/08/2017

Sunshine - Free Film Festivals

The Flamsteed Astronomy Society will be running a solar viewing event for members of the public at the Charlton and Woolwich Free Film Festival (see https://www.facebook.com/events/293198831155212 ) on Saturday September 9th. The event takes place at Charlton House (https://www.greenwichheritage.org/visit/charlton-house), a quite magnificent setting in southeast London.

Our volunteers will have telescopes set up on the front lawn between 11.00am and 1.00pm. There will also be a short talk about solar science taking place in The Stables at 1.30pm

Not entirely by coincidence, the Film Festival will be showing Sunshine (http://www.freefilmfestivals.org/event/sunshine/) – a sci fi thriller in which a team of international astronauts are sent on a dangerous mission to reignite the dying Sun with a nuclear fission bomb in 2057. The film is being shown at The Stables at Charlton House.

The solar viewing is free of charge, of course. The film is also free - but it’s first come, first served! The film itself starts at 2.00pm.

In the event of cloudy weather (or the sudden and unexpected demise of the Sun) Flamsteed volunteers will be indoors at The Stables, showing some examples of their astrophotography.

For more information about the Film Festival and the other films being shown between 8th and 16th September, see their website (http://www.freefilmfestivals.org/filmfestival/charlton/) . One of the many other films that will appeal to space enthusiasts is Hidden Figures, the story of the African-American female brains behind the early NASA missions.

A team of international astronauts are sent on a dangerous mission to reignite the dying Sun with a nuclear fission bomb in 2057. We are...

21/08/2017

Wow! 😎

It's the moon, sunspots AND the station in front of the sun! A NASA photographer captured this image of the station transiting the sun during the #Eclipse2017.

21/08/2017

NASA Sun Science

You can watch tomorrow's eclipse online with us! Tune in to nasa.gov/eclipselive, or look for the stream at facebook.com/nasa.

13/08/2017

'Impressive' Perseid meteor shower seen over UK - BBC News

Anyone caught some Perseids last night? Do show your photos!

A display of hundreds of shooting stars has been captured by stargazers from across the UK.

16/07/2017

The Flamsteed had a wonderful trip to Herstmonceux Castle and the Observatory Science Centre yesterday.

Here are a few images from the visit (all by Mike Meynell).

07/07/2017

Solar Observing at the Royal Observatory Greenwich – CONFIRMED ON

Solar Observing at the Royal Observatory Greenwich will be going ahead today (Friday 7 July) from 11.30am onwards.

There is likely to be some cloud about later today, so come early if you want to view the Sun through our specialist solar telescopes.

See http://flamsteed.info/event/solar-observing-at-the-royal-observatory-greenwich-35/ for details on our location.

THIS EVENT IS CONFIRMED ON We will be running a solar observing session at the Royal Observatory Greenwich on Friday 7th 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 usual […]

26/06/2017

Visit to the National Space Centre in Leicester – 17th June 2017

A report on our recent trip to the National Space Centre in Leicester http://flamsteed.info/2017/06/national-space-centre-17-june-2017/

Report by Christina Chester Everything about the National Space Centre in Leicester is suggestive of the grandeur and excitement of space travel. A visit, arranged for Saturday 17th June by Mike Meynell, gave Flamsteed members the opportunity to see this attraction that’s dedicated to space explorat...

17/05/2017

Thomas Pesquet

Gorgeous!

A timelapse of aurora into a sunrise. Wait for it, the first bright rise... is not the Sun! https://flic.kr/p/Uj97BT

15/05/2017

The first true-color images of Saturn taken during Cassini’s close en

The first true-color images of Saturn taken during Cassini’s close en

Astronomy.com is for anyone who wants to learn more about astronomy events, cosmology, planets, galaxies, asteroids, astrophotography, the Big Bang, black holes, comets, constellations, eclipses, exoplanets, nebulae, meteors, quasars, observing, telescopes, NASA, Hubble, space missions, stargazing,…

13/05/2017

flamsteed.info

Blackheath observing is CONFIRMED ON for this evening (Saturday 13 May).

Meet from 9.30pm at our usual location, north of Talbot Place, on Blackheath.

See http://flamsteed.info/event/blackheath-observing-saturday-13-may/ for location details.

All are welcome to attend, members and non-members.

11/05/2017

flamsteed.info

We will be running a Blackheath Observing session on Saturday 13 May from 9.30pm until around 11.30pm.

The Moon will be absent during our session and the main event of the evening will surely be Jupiter. At around 9.30, Io will transit, casting its shadow across Jupiter’s clouds. So come along and enjoy this and other objects before the bright summer skies intrude.

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!

A go / no-go announcement will be made by 4pm on Saturday.

Blackheath is quite exposed, so please wrap up warm.

We will meet at our usual spot just north of Talbot Place at 9.30pm. Talbot Place is the first left off Goffers Road after the Tea Hut. Parking is free after 6.30pm.

See http://flamsteed.info/event/blackheath-observing-saturday-13-may/ for location details.