Derby and District Astronomical Society
2024 Meeting Programme
Our 'Main Meetings' and 'Introduction to Astronomy Evenings' are held at the Friend's Meeting House on St. Helen's Street, Derby, DE1 3GY. This period stone building is owned by the Quakers Religious Society Of Friends, and is next door to BBC Radio Derby. Please note that we are not affiliated with the Quakers Religious Society Of Friends, but rent the meeting space from them. This venue may be found on Google Maps. Our main meetings usually involve a popular level talk by an outside speaker, typically from a university, on some aspect of astronomy or space science. DDAS members may also give talks, and in January we hold an informal quiz. The May meeting is replaced by our AGM, the July meeting by a barbecue at our observatory, and the August meeting by an observing session. Our 'Introduction to Astronomy Evenings' are aimed specifically at beginners, and may include advice and help on using telescopes, finding your way around the night sky, astrophotography etc. There is a room collection for meetings held at The Friends Meeting House, which is £1 for members and £3 for visitors. Coffee and biscuits are available during the break at these meetings, and there is a donations dish for this and we suggest a 25p contribution or thereabouts.
Our monthly observing sessions are held at The Flamsteed Observatory, North Lane, Ashbourne, DE6 1PL, about two miles north of the village of Brailsford. Find our observatory on Google Maps. Our 10" Meade Schmidt-Cassegrain, Altair ED80 refractor and GPCAM under the dome, as well as any telescopes that may be brought along by members are available. During summer months we also have a Lunt Solar Scope available before the sun goes down. Members and visitors alike are also encouraged to bring along their telescope if they have one. Please note that anyone visiting our observatory and site, be they members or non-members, do so entirely at their own risk.
Further details of all meetings may be obtained from our Secretary on 07491 407261.
Date | Title | Speaker | Venue |
January 5th 7:30 pm |
Society Quiz | Quizmaster: Dave Selfe | The Friend's Meeting House |
January 13th 7:30 pm |
OBSERVING SESSION | - | The Flamsteed Observatory |
January 19th 7:30 pm |
INTRODUCTION TO ASTRONOMY EVENING Life in the Universe: Evolution and Technology |
Madhunika Srivatsan | The Friend's Meeting House |
Saturday 20th January 4:30 pm to 8:30 pm |
ALVASTON PARK STARGAZING | - | Alvaston Park, Derby, DE24 8QQ |
February 2nd 7:30 pm |
The Multiverse: Is it Real? | Martin Griffiths Director, Brecon Beacons Observatory |
The Friend's Meeting House |
February 10th 7:30 pm |
OBSERVING SESSION | - | The Flamsteed Observatory |
February 16th 7:30 pm |
INTRODUCTION TO ASTRONOMY EVENING Unveiling Venus |
Anthony Southwell | The Friend's Meeting House |
March 1st 7:30 pm |
Footprints of the Big Bang | Dr Susan Cartwright Department of Physics and Astronomy The University of Sheffield |
The Friend's Meeting House |
March 9th 7:30 pm |
OBSERVING SESSION | - | The Flamsteed Observatory |
March 15th 7:30 pm |
INTRODUCTION TO ASTRONOMY EVENING Life in the Solar System |
Brian Dodson | The Friend's Meeting House |
April 5th 7:30 pm |
Jupiter: The Trojan Wars | Dr Colin Steele The University of Manchester |
The Friend's Meeting House |
April 13th 8:30 pm |
OBSERVING SESSION | - | The Flamsteed Observatory |
April 17th 6 pm to 10 pm |
STARGAZING ON CATHEDRAL GREEN | - | Cathedral Green Museum of Making Derby |
April 19th 7:30 pm |
INTRODUCTION TO ASTRONOMY EVENING My Trip to the Moon |
Peter Branson | The Friend's Meeting House |
May 3rd 7:30 pm |
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING | - | The Friend's Meeting House |
May 10th 7:30 pm |
DDAS 50th ANNIVERSARY PARTY Open to both members and non-members and their partners |
- | Littleover Social Club 61 Blagreaves Lane Littleover Derby DE23 1FQ |
May 11th 9:30 pm |
OBSERVING SESSION | - | The Flamsteed Observatory |
May 17th 7:30 pm |
INTRODUCTION TO ASTRONOMY EVENING What is the Problem with Gravity? |
Donald Anderson | The Friend's Meeting House |
Saturday May 18th 2 pm to 4 pm |
JOHN FLAMSTEED: DERBY'S GIFT TO ASTRONOMY | Dr Allan Chapman Wadham College, Oxford |
Derby Museum & Art Gallery |
June 7th 7:30 pm |
Houston We Have a Problem - We Have Met ETI | Martin Braddock, FRSB, FRAS Mansfield & Sutton Astronomical Society |
The Friend's Meeting House |
June 15th 9:30 pm |
OBSERVING SESSION | - | The Flamsteed Observatory |
June 21st 7:30 pm |
INFORMAL SOCIAL EVENING | - | The Friend's Meeting House |
Saturday 6th July 7:30pm |
Society BBQ and Observing Session | - | The Flamsteed Observatory |
Saturday August 10th 10 am to 4 pm |
DDAS 50th Anniversary Meeting | The Friend's Meeting House | The Flamsteed Observatory |
September 6th 7:30 pm |
Looking Back on 50 Years of the DDAS | Arthur Tristram & Dave Maynard Derby & District Astronomical Society |
The Friend's Meeting House |
September 14th 8:00 pm |
OBSERVING SESSION | - | The Flamsteed Observatory |
September 20th 7:30 pm |
INTRODUCTION TO ASTRONOMY EVENING Radio Astronomy |
Tony Razzell | The Friend's Meeting House |
October 4th 7:30 pm |
Light Pollution and the Lost Milky Way | Jim Sarsgard Derby & District Astronomical Society |
The Friend's Meeting House |
October 9th 6 pm to 10 pm |
STARGAZING ON CATHEDRAL GREEN | - | Cathedral Green Museum of Making Derby |
October 12th 7:30 pm |
OBSERVING SESSION | - | The Flamsteed Observatory |
October 18th 7:30 pm |
INTRODUCTION TO ASTRONOMY EVENING Meteorites |
Graham Ensor | The Friend's Meeting House |
November 1st 7:30 pm |
Update on Multi-Messenger Astronomy | Professor Nial Tanvir Department of Physics & Astronomy University of Leicester |
The Friend's Meeting House |
November 9th 7:30 pm |
OBSERVING SESSION | - | The Flamsteed Observatory |
November 15th 7:30 pm |
INTRODUCTION TO ASTRONOMY EVENING In the Shadow of the Moon - An American Adventure |
Dr Mike Lancaster Derby & District Astronomical Society |
The Friend's Meeting House |
December 6th 7:30 pm |
Down to Earth Astronomy: The Quiet Revolution of Radio Astronomy | Dr Emma Chapman School of Physics & Astronomy University of Nottingham |
The Friend's Meeting House |
December 14th 7:30 pm |
OBSERVING SESSION | - | The Flamsteed Observatory |
December 20th 7:30 pm |
REVIEW OF THE YEAR & SOCIAL EVENING | The Friend's Meeting House | |
Further details of all meetings may be obtained from the Secretary on 07491 407261.
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