Monday 5 December 2011

Earth's Twin discovered?

Astronomers have confirmed the existence of an Earth-like planet in the "habitable zone" around a star not unlike our own.

The planet, Kepler 22-b, lies about 600 light-years away and is about 2.4 times the size of Earth, and has a temperature of about 22C.

The rest of the article, from the BBC, is here.

Sunday 4 December 2011

2012 Programme


Wednesday 25th January
A.G.M. followed by an over view of 2012 events.

Wednesday 29th February
Prof. David Walker - Mirror Fabrication for the 42m European E.L.T.

Wednesday 28th March
Prof. Rob. Jeffries - New discoveries in exoplanetary systems.

Wednesday 25th April
Prof. Ian Morison - Proving Einstein Right.

Friday 18th May
Dr Allan Chapman - Title to be confirmed.

Wednesday 27th June
Peter Shah - A View of the Universe from my Garden Shed.

Wednesday 25th July
Dr Ed Daw -  Gravitational Waves.

August - NO MEETING 

Wednesday 26th September
Prof A Zijlstra - Planetary Nebulae of the Galactic Bulge.

Wednesday 31st October
Members’ Night 

Wednesday 28th November
Dr Jim Wild - Weathering Solar Storms.

December - NO MEETING

No meeting in December.

Please note that the society does not meet in December. Our next meeting is the AGM on January 25th at 7.30 pm. (The date in the newsletter is wrong!)

3D Astronomy

After a last minute change of plan, last Wednesday saw society member Richard Sargent give an interesting talk on 3D astronomy. He had lots of 3D pictures which we had to view using 3D glasses. We must have looked a sight!

Some of the pictures I had difficulty focussing (possibly because I wear normal glasses as well), but some were superb. It felt at times that we were standing on the surface of the moon or Mars.

A very interesting and unusual presentation.