The Liverpool Astronomical Society Forum

Hi Peeps,

Just thought I would introduce myself to you all !!

My name is Becky, I live in Liverpool and have always had a bit of an interest in astonomy although have never really had the chance to do anything about it.  Am looking for a local group to get involved in, mainly for something to do as I seem to have way to much free time these days, but also to hopefully meet some new friends.

I notice you have a monthly meeting in Liverpool which I am thinking I would like to come along to although I think I may struggle to make the weekly ones because of where they are.  So, first question is how do these monthly meetings work, is it just a case of turning up ?  I know it sounds a little silly but am just a little nervous about going to a meeting where I dont know anyone else ?

Becky
x

Hi Becky nice to hear from you.
If it is astronomy that you are interested in then I would strongly urge you to come along to our meetings. I think that you will find us a friendly gang and will make you feel very welcome. Our next monthly meeting is on April  20th when Prof Michael R. Merrifield, Prof of Astronomy.Nottingham Univ.  will be discussing the subject 'The Centre of Our Galaxy'.
Full details can be found at:
http://www.liverpoolas.org/content/view/10/18/
with maps of how to find us at:
http://www.liverpoolas.org/content/view/17/
I suggest that you should arrive for 19:00 as the meeting will start around 19:15. The meeting is free of charge.
We generally invite visitors to three monthly or weekly meetings and then ask for them to consider becoming a member. Subscriptions are currently £10 per annum.
Don't be shy as we all have the same enthusiasm for astronomy and are willing to teach and learn more about the subject.
Feel free to ask for me (David Galvin) at the meetings and I will introduce you to others if you wish.
I look forward to meeting you and hope that you will consider joining the society if it suits your purposes.
Regards from David Galvin.

Hi Becky

Joining a society is great way to explore your interest in astronomy.

Looking forward to meeting you one Friday.


David & Janet.

Hello,

I am newly registered too.  I have always been keen to further my interest in astronomy but I never get past the stage of reading books and watching documentaries.  I did have a basic telescope when I was younger but got turned off by the low quality results.

As I currently live in a flat in Wavertree it isn't really practical to buy a telescope so I was thinking of picking up some binoculars, though I do know if they will suffice?

I would like to know do most members of the LAS have A-Level's and Degrees or are there some people, like me, who just have the interest?  Not that I wouldn't say no to a Degree mind!  ;D

Thanks.   Neil.

Hi Neil, you do not need to have any academic qualifications to join our society, just a willingness to enjoy astronomy :)
Also you could come along on a Wednesday evening and read books, watch documentaries and then chat about it afterwards. ;D.
Our membership come from all walks of life with a variety of backgrounds. Some may have qualifications, but we all have the same interest.

Thanks for the reply David.

I'm guessing that this particular incarnation of the website is pretty new.  It looks good.

I would like to go to one of the weekly's at Pex Hill but I am not the most social of people  ::)  I only recently found out that there was an observatory there and I have been driving past it for years  :o

I will keep logging on to the site for a while and if my interest is sustained I will try and pluck up some courage to come to one of the meets.  Are you allowed to bring a guest?

I think that all forums are slow to start off with and given time will grow and develop. It is useful for making a quick contact or request for info and, hopefully, getting a speedy reply! Finding the time time to keep the site up to date is a struggle at the best of times and I am still learning the ropes.  ::)
As for the interest then I do hope that it stays with you and develops and you can be sociable as you need to be.
If you fancy popping in to see the group ( very down to earth) and would like to bring a guest or the family then that is fine.
Look forward to meeting you and having a chat sometime.
Dave G.

My thirteen year old has been interested in astronomy for a while and after struggling in the light polluted hotspot of Childwall I decided to try and sort out contacting a club to get him on the right track.  We went up to Pex Hill on 19th May and was really impressed by the setup and genuine friendliness of the crew.  Many thanks to the Daves and Brendan, but everyone was genuinely interested  and happy to pass on their knowledge.  There were quite a few telescopes up and running and there is just no comparison with getting the info from people who know what they're talking about.

I'll be taking his telescope next time for a 'setup' and if the last visit was anything to go by it'll be the first of many.  Don't be concerned about turning up - you will soon be at your ease and the obvious enthusiasm of the club members is really infectious.

Go on - you know it makes sense !

Hello everybody! Im new to this forum, in fact it's the only forum I've ever posted a message on!

I have a profound interest in astronomy and what was a hobby as a young child has returned with a vengeance over the last few months! I got a 10 inch dob in march and started re-learning the sky.

I've been well impressed at some of the things I have seen from my light polluted back garden in Wirral. Ive watched the moons orbit around the rings of saturn, watched the phases of venus, even caught mercury recently! I couldn't believe the detail on the moon the first time I used the dob on it, I felt like I was there. Ive found elliptical galaxies in virgo, the huge orion nebula, some clusters in cassiopeia. After three nights of trying I even found the whirlpool galaxy, but was dissapointed because through the layers of light pollution, it just looked like two grey clouds.

I even managed to get on one of those night flights to see the aurora last february and sure enough I saw a beautiful green aurora, arcing round the sky. I wish we could see them from Merseyside!

Every time I look up, I can hardly believe the beauty and variation of everything up there. It's so humbling to think that even when you're sitting down to you're dinner at half one on a monday afternoon , saturn is still grinding round above you're head and in turn it's moons are grinding on their mechanical orbits around saturn, which in turn is orbiting the sun, which is orbiting round the milky way, which is orbiting other galaxies in the local cluster. Every time I look through the eyepiece it's almost a religious experience and you do sort of feel you're place in the cosmos, because you're part of it, standing there watching the universe dance in front of your eyes!

Anyway, basically I would very much like to join the Society and to meet up with other people who share the same interest. I read in this months Sky At Night that there is an observing evening at your observatory in Pex Hill and I wondered if I could come along and join in?! Ive read some other posts and think I understand how the joining procedure works. Do I just turn up a couple of times and apply after that? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks for your time everybody and hello!
 ;)

Hi Alexander, sounds like you have been keeping yourself busy with the telescope and have looked at a large assortment of objects.
Did you see the lunar occultation of Saturn recently? It was a little tricky since it was in twighlihgt but the reapearence from behind the moon was spectacular.
If you can get up to Leighton Observatory this Wednesday and have a chat to the regular gang I am sure that you will enjoy yourself. The occasional observing trip is arrange around the Wednesday group and will travel out to North Wales  or Delemere Forest usualy around the time of new moon. Although the sky is still a little bright for galaxies at this time of the year we still meet up and do a bit. I will not be there tommorow as it is my wedding anniversary and will be eating and drinking locally but try and get up there and share your enthuisiasm with others.
Regards from Dave G.

Made my first trip to meet everyone on wednesday night, up at the observatory. Was a little nervous when I was outside, it's a proper observatory with a dome and everything! it looks a bit daunting from outside, but its really nice inside.

Once inside everyone introduced themselves and we had tea and biscuits before I got the grand tour of the library and offices and the observatory dome itself. Everyone was brilliant, very knowledgeable and really friendly. There was no awkward silences or anything, just constant chat and there was always 2 or 3 conversations going on at any time. I was well impressed with the sheer power of the equipment, especially the 16inch and 30 inch dobs and the Meade scope.

There was over a dozen people who turned up, even though the all the weather consisted of was relentless rain and complete cloud cover.

Im just writing this post to encourage anyone thinking of coming along to turn up, I was made up I did! See you all next Wednesday, fingers crossed for better weather!

Glad that you enjoyed yourself Alexander. it is always a little daunting when you first attend a scientific group.  ;)
Once the ice is broken then that is it, you are on your way. Thanks for the good report and I hope that it will encourage others to make 'first contact' with us. You can see how keen they are by the fact that they turn up despite the rain and daylight. I hope to meet up with you soon. I am off to Lanzerote for a week this Sunday so I will try and moniter the website over there. I have put some new International Space Station images in the gallery and an article on the front page.
If you have any ideas as to content that you would like to be considered then please let me know and I will do my best to get it on.
Don't forget to check out the old website, link at top right of the pages, as this will show you what we had on originally and also that the links all work. .

Hi again everyone, sorry I haven't made it to a meeting yet, have had a few things going on in life recently that have been taking up most of my time.  I have just been reading through the list of meetings for the rest of this year though and should be okay for this Septembers meetings, so hopefully might see a few of you there !!

Becky
xx

Hi you stargazers. Was fishing from the sandbank at Hoylake on Friday 7th Sept. Sometime around 11pm saw a very bright light move quickly from about 20 degrees above the horizon almost down to the horizon. Lasting for about 2 to 3 secs. Seen plenty of "shooting" stars but never anything as bright as this or as low as this. Definitely not a plane. Can anyone enlighten me?
Thanks

Hi All,
       I have had an interest in astronomy for as long as I can remember, unfortuantely life has just gotten in the way as it has the habbit of doing. I am going to make a concerted effort to come to a few of your weekly meetings at the visitor centre and the monthly ones also, when I can fit it in. I notice you have one on Friday 21st Sept unfortunately I have other plans that night, but I hope to  come along and see how things work shortly.
      Whilst I have your attention in reading this post, what would be the best telescope "per buck" so to speak for a novice ,im told a refractor over a reflector ? any advice greatly appreciated.

Hi Ian, what telescope to buy?  It all depends on how much your willing to spend , my advice is come up to pex hill on a wednesday and talk to the members and possibly try a few scopes before you buy. Look forward to seeing you there