Derby and District Astronomical Society



[2024]

2025 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 3rd
7:30 pm
Society Quiz Quizmaster: Dave Selfe The Friend's Meeting House
January 11th
7:30 pm
OBSERVING SESSION - The Flamsteed Observatory
January 17th
7:30 pm
INTRODUCTION TO ASTRONOMY EVENING
The January Sky
Dr Mike Lancaster
Derby & District Astronomical Society
The Friend's Meeting House
February 7th
7:30 pm
The Search for Dark Matter Professor Anne Green
School of Physics & Astronomy
The University of Nottingham
The Friend's Meeting House
February 15th
7:30 pm
OBSERVING SESSION - The Flamsteed Observatory
February 21st
7:30 pm
INTRODUCTION TO ASTRONOMY EVENING
Telescope Workshop
Gary Lambert
Derby & District Astronomical Society
The Friend's Meeting House
March 7th
7:30 pm
Gravitational Waves: Einstein's Messengers Professor Robin Jeffries
School of Chemical and Physical Sciences
Keele University
The Friend's Meeting House
March 15th
7:30 pm
OBSERVING SESSION - The Flamsteed Observatory
March 21st
7:30 pm
INTRODUCTION TO ASTRONOMY EVENING
TBA
Anthony Southwell
Derby & District Astronomical Society
The Friend's Meeting House
April 4th
7:30 pm
New Images of the Universe Paul Money The Friend's Meeting House
April 12th
8:30 pm
OBSERVING SESSION - The Flamsteed Observatory
April 18th
7:30 pm
INTRODUCTION TO ASTRONOMY EVENING
The Solar System
Brian Dodson
Derby & District Astronomical Society
The Friend's Meeting House
May 2nd
7:30 pm
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING - The Friend's Meeting House
May 10th
9:30 pm
OBSERVING SESSION - The Flamsteed Observatory
May 16th
7:30 pm
INTRODUCTION TO ASTRONOMY EVENING
The Constellations
Dave Selfe
Derby & District Astronomical Society
The Friend's Meeting House
June 6th
7:30 pm
Space: An exploration of how we got there and where we might be going Katie Smith
Beyond the Pencil
The Friend's Meeting House
June 14th
9:30 pm
OBSERVING SESSION - The Flamsteed Observatory
June 20th
7:30 pm
INFORMAL EVENING - The Friend's Meeting House
Saturday
5th July
7:30pm
Society BBQ and Observing Session - The Flamsteed Observatory
September 5th
7:30 pm
TBA - The Friend's Meeting House
September 13th
8:00 pm
OBSERVING SESSION - The Flamsteed Observatory
September 19th
7:30 pm
INTRODUCTION TO ASTRONOMY EVENING
TBA
The Friend's Meeting House
October 3rd
7:30 pm
TBA The Friend's Meeting House
October 11th
7:30 pm
OBSERVING SESSION - The Flamsteed Observatory
October 17th
7:30 pm
INTRODUCTION TO ASTRONOMY EVENING
TBA
The Friend's Meeting House
November 7th
7:30 pm
Jeremiah Horrocks - A Very Curious Astronomer Mike Frost
Coventry & Warwickshire Astronomical Society
The Friend's Meeting House
November 15th
7:30 pm
OBSERVING SESSION - The Flamsteed Observatory
November 21st
7:30 pm
INTRODUCTION TO ASTRONOMY EVENING
TBA
The Friend's Meeting House
December 5th
7:30 pm
TBA The Friend's Meeting House
December 13th
7:30 pm
OBSERVING SESSION - The Flamsteed Observatory
December 19th
7:30 pm
INTRODUCTION TO ASTRONOMY EVENING
TBA
The Friend's Meeting House

[2024]

Further details of all meetings may be obtained from the Secretary  on 07491 407261.

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