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 an annual quiz. The August meeting usually comprises a stargazing session at our observatory.
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.
Mercury and the Moon imaged on the 6th May by Chris Newsome and Adrian Brown. More....
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.
The Winter 2007/2008 edition of the Society's magazine ARIES is now online. In this edition
Maurice Batchelor explains the nature of light of what makes the sky blue, Tony Hubbard provides a highly
amusing account of a DDAS observing session he attended, and Malcolm Neal looks at the life and work of rocket
pioneer Robert H. Goddard. Plus all
the usual Editorial, Society News and Astro News sections. All to be found
here... enjoy!
Our NEXT OBSERVING SESSION will be held on Saturday, 17th May 2008
from 9:00 pm onwards at the Society's Flamsteed Observatory. A variety of telescopes
will be available, including the Society's 10" Newtonian under the dome and our 8" Meade LX-90, as
well as those that may brought along by members. If you would like more details please email
. New people are always welcome and you can even bring your own scope! PLEASE NOTE THAT ASTRONOMY CANNOT BE GUARANTEED AS SKIES
MAY BE CLOUDY!
Our NEXT MAIN MEETING will be held on Friday, 6th June 2008
at 7:30 pm at the Friend's Meeting House, St. Helen's Street, Derby. Unfortunately our speaker
for the evening, David Lukehurst, has had to cancel. The replacement speaker and topic are to be announced in due course.
A SPLENDID TIME WAS HAD BY ALLClick here to read Claire
Spencer's report on the DDAS observing session of the 16th February this year.
CHRIS LINTOTT TO GIVE TALK TO DDAS IN DECEMBER DDAS member Chris Newsome visited the Basingstoke
Astronomical Society on the 25th October 2007 to hear The Sky At Night's Dr Chris Lintott give a talk on BANG! A Complete History of
the Universe as well as meet old acquaintances. Click here to read his report. Now Dr Lintott
will be giving this talk to the DDAS on December 5th this year, work permitting.
COMET 8/P TUTTLE Chris Newsome imaged his fourth comet last year when he captured Comet 8/P Tuttle
on the night of the 12th December 2007. To see his results click here.
COMET 17/P HOLMES has been imaged by DDAS members Adrian Brown, Chris Newsome, Malcolm Neal, and
Tony Razzell. See their results here.
Last year's FLAMSTEED LECTURE was held on the 10th October 2007 at the University of Derby and was attended by many
DDAS members. To mark the 50th anniversary of the launch of the first Sputnik Professor Colin Pillinger CBE FRS, of Beagle 2 fame gave a lecture
on Fifty Years in Space. Click here for a larger photo.
THE DDAS IS FLYING TO MARS! Thanks to Anthony Southwell the DDAS has added its name to a DVD that has been
sent to Mars on the
Phoenix Lander which was sucessfully launched on the 4th August 2007 and will touch down in the
Martian arctic.
Click here to see our
certificate submitted via the Planetary Society's Messages from Earth project.
