* A very good turn out for the event with visitors of all ages attending the AC. True to the weather forecast the sky conditions did not allow any observation  of the astronomical events predicted ( a very brief 10 seconds moon glow appeared through the clouds well after the lunar eclipse).Observations of Mars were certainly out of the question. We hope someone somewhere got a view?

For the rest of the evening visitors and members had informal discussions about general astronomy and future events at the AC.

Thanks to all for turning up inspite of the unhelpful weather. Maybe better luck at the 2018 Perseid Meteor shower in August... we plan to be open Saturday and Sunday evening/mornings.

The Astronomy Centre will be open to visitors on the night of the 27th July 2018 after 21.00.

The main feature should be the observation of the planet Mars which will be the brightest its been since Mars 2016. The approach will be only the second closest since the Stone age at about 35.7 million miles. In 2012 it was ~60 million miles from us at magnitude +1.2, on the 27th it will be -2.8 ( more than 40 times brighter). A very special event indeed.

As well as "Mars calling" we have some other events during the same night. At about 21.31 the moon will rise in eclipse ( the moon will be in the shadow of the earth), we should  see the second half of the event, cloud permitting.

Also throughout the night Venus, Saturn, Jupiter join the party , if we are lucky also Mercury just after sunset.

Join us for some planetary and lunar observing , the show starts at 21.30.