Welcome to the website of the Derby
& District Astronomical Society. The Derby & District Astronomical Society
(DDAS) was founded in 1974 and is open to all with an interest in
astronomy. We currently number around 30 members from all walks of life and whose knowledge of
astronomy ranges from complete beginner to advanced. The society holds regular meetings on
the first Friday of each month (except July) at 7:30 pm at the Friend's Meeting House on
St. Helen's Street in Derby. Meetings usually involve an outside speaker, but members also give
talks and the society holds a quiz in February.
We are a friendly and, despite our subject, 'down to earth' society. Meetings are a great way for potential new members to see
what we're about in an informal and relaxed atmosphere. The social aspect continues after
most monthly meetings with a visit to, appropriately enough, The Seven Stars.
The society's Flamsteed Observatory near Brailsford houses
a 10-inch Newtonian reflector. The observatory is named in honour of England's first Astronomer
Royal, the Reverend John Flamsteed (1646-1719), who was born in Derbyshire and attended Derby
School. Regular monthly observing sessions are held at the facility and new people are always welcome.
The observatory is also available for use by individual members at any time
after some simple training. We encourage visits from schools and other groups
although these necessarily have to be in the evening or at weekends. A summer barbecue
is held at the observatory on the Saturday following the first Friday in July instead of a meeting at
The Friend's Meeting House that month. Public observing evenings are also occasionally held in
Derby at which members share their
enthusiasm for the night sky and the club's portable 8" Meade LX-90 telescope is used. We also bring this telescope along to cub and
brownie groups, primary schools etc., to which members also give talks. An annual trip provides the opportunity for members to
visit a different site of astronomical or space interest within the UK each
year. Several of our members are highly accomplished astrophotographers and our picture gallery is entirely
comprised of DDAS member's work.
DDAS member Barry Ashforth captured this incredible image of the International Space Station (ISS) from Derby during it's pass on
the evening of the 17th May 2009. More pictures...
The DDAS BBQ will be held
this Saturday, 4th July 2009 from 7:30 pm onwards at the Society's Flamsteed Observatory. The BBQ will be
set up for cooking but please bring your own food and drink. There may be an opportunity to
do some observing later on if the skies are clear. If you would like directions to the site please email
ASTON UPON TRENT WELL DRESSING The DDAS will have a stand at this year's Aston upon Trent
Main Well Dressing on Saturday, 11th July 2009 between 11 am and 5 pm in the car park of The Malt Shovel pub.
As 2009 is the 40th anniversary of the first moon landing as well as the International Year of Astronomy the well
dressing will have a space theme. We will have a display about the Society and a laptop showing DDAS member's astronomical images. If the skies are clear
we may have opportunity to display real time images of the Sun on the laptop taken through the Society's LX-90 telescope.
For more information on the Aston upon Trent well dressings and directions click
here.
FULL STEAM AHEAD The DDAS will have a stand at this years Barton Gate Charity
Steam Rally on Saturday, 18th July 2009 at Needwood Rise Farm, Barton Gate, Barton-u-Needwood, Staffordshire,
DE13 8AP. We will have a display on the Society with examples of member's astro-imaging, a laptop running video presentations
and one or more telescopes. The format will be very similar to our recent activity at the Relay for Life in Derby.
For more details on the rally itself please see the rally's own website here.
Please note that although the rally continues on the Sunday we will only be present on the Saturday.
Our NEXT MAIN MEETING will be held
on Friday, 7th August 2009 at 7:30 pm at the Friend's Meeting House, St. Helen's Street, Derby.
Kevin Kilburn, of the Society for the History of Astronomy and
the Manchester Astronomical Society, will give a talk
on The Ghost Book of Manchester. After the talk, if the sky is
clear, there may be an opportunity to look through a telescope from the back garden of the Friend's Meeting House.
The raffle for a copy of Starry Night Pro that was begun at the June meeting will continue at this meeting to allow more
people to enter, and will be drawn. So if you entered in June please don't forget to bring your raffle ticket(s) along!
NIGHTS TO REMEMBER April this year blessed us with clear skies for both our 'Spring Moon Watch' at
the main meeting on the 3rd and at our observing session on the 18th. Both were very well attended by members and visitors alike.
Follow these links for pictures from the Moon Watch and
the Observing Session.
A FESTIVAL OF SCIENCE 2009 is the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles
Darwin and to celebrate the University of Derby held a Festival of Science from the 9th to 14th March. DDAS members
Graham Ensor, Anthony Southwell, Mike Dumelow and others were there to represent the Society. Graham brought along a
stunning collection of meteorites and Anthony display material and Society info. In total the event attracted around
2000 visitors. There was even a Meteorite or Meteorwrong
competition! Click here for Anthony Southwell's account of the proceedings...
BANG! A COMPLETE HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSE For the DDAS main meeting on the 5th December 2008 we were delighted to welcome
Dr Chris Lintott of The Sky At Night to give his talk entitled Bang! – The Complete History of the Universe.
More details....
IN FLAMSTEED'S FOOTSTEPS A group of DDAS members met up in Greenwich on the 25th
October 2008 for a special guided tour of the Royal Observatory. Full story....
THE COSMIC WEB The most recent Flamsteed Lecture was held on the 15th October 2008 at the University of
Derby. Cosmologist Professor Peter Coles of Cardiff University gave an excellent lecture entitled The Cosmic Web. As
usual the Society had a display in the University atrium which attendees were able to visit during the post lecture
reception. More....
MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU! The DDAS had a stand at the 2008 Cancer
Research UK - Relay For Life at Moorways Stadium in Derby over the weekend of the 5th-6th July 2008. We
brought a couple of telescopes and battling blustery weather managed to show people the filtered Sun and a
thin crescent Moon. We were even inspected by some Imperial Stormtroopers from the UK Garrison, together with a
certain Princess Leia! Full story....
