The Society ...

The Macclesfield Astronomical Society, founded in 1990, meets three times a month for a Workshop, main Lecture and Beginners class. Whether you are an armchair astronomer or a keen meteor-observer, you will find a kindred spirit within the Society ...

Founder		Chris Rose - 1990
Patron		Sir Bernard Lovell - O.B.E.,LLD.,DSc.,FRS.
President		Sir Francis Graham Smith - 13th Astronomer Royal
Vice-President		Professor Emeritus Rod Davies - C.B.E., FRS Jodrell Bank Observatory
Honorary members		Sir Patrick Moore - C.B.E., FRAS Professor Ian Morison - Gresham Professor of Astronomy, Jodrell Bank Observatory Megan Argo Tony Hordell Cherry Moss Alan Smith John Thomson

Chairman		Andrew Greenwood
Vice-Chairman/Editor		David Ogden
Secretary		Diana Willcox
Treasurer (Interim)		Malcolm Beesley
Librarians		Christine Elliot Judy Quinlan
Mailing list co-ordinator		Dana Taylor
Grant co-ordinator		Martyn Kinder
Observing co-ordinator		Paul Brierley
Outreach assistant		Richard Lowe

Andrew Greenwood
Chairman

Dave Ogden
Vice-Chairman

Diana Willcox
Secretary

Malcolm Beesley
Treasurer

Christine Elliot
Librarian

Dana Taylor
Mailing list co-ordinator

Judy Quinlan
Librarian

Richard Lowe
Outreach assistant

Our aims

Our long-term aims are to provide a focal point for contact between local astronomers and also to make astronomy accessible to the general public.

We would be pleased to hold Astronomy evenings for local schools and youth groups, to encourage interest in astronomy and to provide support for it as part of the National Curriculum.

We would like to express our thanks to Awards for All for their generous provision of a £4,641.00 grant in August 2008. This has enabled us to purchase various items of equipment allowing us to expand our Astronomy Outreach programme.

Members

Many of our members have considerable experience in various aspects of amateur astronomy such as astrophotography and CCD-imaging. If you are considering buying a telescope, talk to our experienced observers who will happily offer advice and guidance. The Society owns several telescopes and binoculars, which are available for hire by members. We also have an extensive book and video/DVD library from which titles may be borrowed.

Library list

To view our current list of titles, please download the Library list. If you wish to make a reservation please see our Librarians, Christine Elliot or Judith Quinlan at our main lectures (third Tuesday of every month).

Membership fees

Individual membership costs just £30.00 per year, payable on 1st September.. Children under 16 years are entitled to free membership.

If you would like to join the Macclesfield Astronomical Society, please feel free to visit one of our meetings and collect an application form from one of the Committee members. Alternatively, e-mail Malcolm Beesley at treasurer@maccastro.com

Journal and website

‘What’s Up?’ is a free bi-monthly newsletter providing up-to-date Society news and astronomical information. It is available at our monthly meetings and online, here.

We aim to update our fully featured website on a regular basis. Please add our URL to your Bookmark listing. For your reference, our web address is: http://www.maccastro.com

Meetings

There are three official meetings held by the Macclesfield Astronomical Society each month. Lecture meetings are held at Goostrey Village Hall, Beginners' classes at Holmes Chapel Comprehensive School and Workshops at Macclesfield Heritage Centre, unless stated otherwise.

All meetings begin at 2000.

Night sky observing

Informal observing sessions are held from time-to-time when the weather permits. These will be announced at meetings or via our website or at Workshops and lectures. Members and their guests are welcome to use the Society’s equipment or bring their own.

Dark sky field trips

On a regular basis we arrange weekend visits to Harris House (kindly provided by William Hulme Grammar School) in Hardraw to observe under wonderful, dark Yorkshire skies. The trips run from a designated date on a Friday evening to the following Sunday morning. Announcements are made well in advance of the event to allow members to register their interest.

Join us and see the night sky as Nature intended it to be ...

Activities

The case against light pollution



Click to download (1.6mb) Right-click (Windows)/Ctrl-click (Macintosh) and choose 'Download link to disk'.

In May 2003 we submitted a 24 page document to the Government's SCITEC Committee urging them to take action. Since this time there have been two hearings at the House of Commons, which have resulted in the publication of a final proposal setting out the case against light pollution.

In April 2006 there was a step forward in our on-going fight. The first UK law tackling light pollution came into force. Exterior lighting joins noise and smells on the list of things that can be treated as a Statutory Nuisance under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

However, we believe the problem is yet to be taken completely seriously. The issues will not be solved overnight, so we urge as many people as possible to write to their local council, MP, or the Prime Minister.

Please feel free to download our report.



Click to download (700kb) Right-click (Windows)/Ctrl-click (Macintosh) and choose 'Download link to disk'.

A student member of Macclesfield Astronomical Society has given us kind permission to make an additional report into light pollution available. It has been written by Hilary Summerfield, who is studying Physics and Astrophysics at the University of Birmingham.

On the 11th November 2005, a group of third year students visited the University telescope at Wast Hills and took spectra of the night sky with the telescope in various positions; towards the city, zenith and away from the city. Very high levels of sodium and mercury - the main elements used in Birmingham street lights - were found towards the city and zenith. The ‘away from city’ spectra were intended to show a clear, light free sky, but they were in fact spoilt by the security lights of a house in that direction.

Please feel free to download Hilary Summerfield's report.

If you wish to find out more, or join the Macclesfield Astronomical Society, please contact us.

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	Keep up-to-date with Society events and subscribe to the electronic version of our newsletter - 'What's Up?' ... Click here.

The night sky awaits you ...

If you have not visited our Society before, why not come along?

If you've ever looked up at the starry night sky and been enthralled by what you've seen, we'll be more than happy to show you more and help you understand its beauty ...

Clear skies to all!


	Would you like to join our newly formed visual observing group? We will now be holding regular observing sessions at some of our dark-sky sites across Macclesfield. If you would llike to be added to our contact list, don't delay ... Click here.


	For information on our observing field trips to Hardraw, Yorkshire ... Click here.


	Our Workshops continue to be a great success. As a result we are looking for more of you to participate and give your own short presentations to Society members. Let us know if you'd like to get involved ... Click here.

Will you be observing tonight? Click here ...

Header images courtesy of the Hubble Heritage Project