Members Activity Schedule

Date	Day	Event & Location	Event Details	Times*
6th Mar	Sat	Stargard, at The Oaks	Members private observing	SS 7.25 pm; MR: 12.16 am
13th Mar	Sat	Stargard, at The Oaks	Members private observing	SS 7.16 pm; NM
15th Mar	Mon	Macarthur Astronomy Forum, Zoom	Guest Speaker: Dr Brett Addison	7.15 pm for 7.30 pm start
20th Mar	Sat	Stargard, at The Oaks	Members Telescope Workshop	SS 7.07 pm; MS 10.01 pm
3rd Apr	Sat	Stargard, at The Oaks	Members private observing	SS 6.48 pm; MR 11.04 pm
10th Apr	Sat	Stargard, at The Oaks	Members private observing	SS 5.39 pm; NM
19th Apr	Mon	Macarthur Astronomy Forum, Zoom	AGM	7.15 pm for 7.30 pm start

 *Time Key for observing sessions: SS = sunset; MS = Moonset; MR = Moonrise; NM = New Moon

 

Membership Renewals

Members are reminded that the 2020-21 membership period will expire on 28th February, when renewals for 2021-22 will become overdue.

There have been some changes to the classes of membership. Please go to our renewals page.

 

Next Guest Speaker

Dr Brett Addison (USQ)

Monday 15th February.  Online, for members only. 7.15pm for a 7.30pm start. 

 

The Hunt for a Characterization of Alien Worlds Beyond the Solar System

Over the past 25 years, astronomers have discovered thousands of planets orbiting other stars outside the Solar System, known as exoplanets. The discovery of the first exoplanets led to a revolution in our understanding of how planets form, the sheer diversity of planets that are possible, and our place in the cosmos.

Prior to those discoveries, our understanding of planets was based solely on our knowledge of the Solar System, with models predicting systems that resembled our own - rocky planets on short period orbits and gas giants on orbits with periods measured in decades. 

Those first discoveries painted a very different picture, revealing the diversity of alien worlds to be far greater than we ever imagined! These include true behemoths, orbiting so close to their parent star that their atmosphere is literally being boiled away, planets on backward (retrograde) orbits, and even ones that are less dense than cotton candy! 

The pace of exoplanet discovery has only accelerated over the past decade, thanks to dedicated space and ground-based telescopes hunting for planets using the radial velocity and transit techniques. Now the focus is shifting towards detailed characterization of these worlds, including the search for life on potentially habitable planets through the detection of biosignatures in their atmospheres.

In this presentation, I will discuss the exciting work that is being done in this field, including my exoplanet discovery efforts at the University of Southern Queensland using our very own Minerva-Australis telescope array facility at the Mt Kent Observatory in south east Queensland.

 

We Can Hear You!

A few members are still forgetting to mute their microphones.

As a courtesy to our Guest Speakers, please always engage your "MUTE" button!

The "MUTE" button is located bottom left. When you wish to speak, you can unmute by pressing the space bar. 

 

• Members Sessions

• Regrettably, for the forseeable future, the Forest location will not be available to members for New Moon weekends. New Moon Saturdays will be rescheduled for Stargard.

• Members must contact John Rombi to reserve a place before travelling to Stargard.

  Members are reminded to maintain strict social distancing. Masks are preferred.

• In the event of poor conditions, Stargard sessions will be postponed or even brought forward. Before travelling, members should check this page and the Facebook page for updates. See also our Observing page and Field Etiquette page. 

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• Macarthur Astronomy Forum

• The Forums are held on the third monday of the month (Jan-Nov) and an earlier Monday in December. They are normally held publicly at Western Sydney University (Campbelltown Campus) but during the public health crisis are being held online, for members only.

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• Telescope Workshop

• Understanding Your Telescope and Learning How to Use It

• Saturday March 20th

• If you are having trouble understanding your new telescope, or exactly how it should work, then this event is for you. Tips on how to setup your scope, eyepiece selection etc. will be discussed and if time and weather permit, a tour of the night sky will be conducted. We will not be covering astrophotography on this occasion but will do so on a future occasion.

• This and future workshops will be held at Stargard at first quarter moon, so as not to interfere with our regular night. We would like to make it a casual occasion, so we would ask that you arrive at least an hour before sunset. This will allow familiarisation with your scope, with the help of an experienced member.

  Then a picnic dinner (BYO) and then look forward to a clear night, where you can put into effect all that you have learned.

  Starting time will be advised later. Your instructors will be John Rombi & Greg Bradford and you must be a financial member of the MAS to participate.

• John & Greg will have heir own telescopes setup, to show you how to get the best from your equipment.

  Please contact John via email to book a place.