Meetings
Our meetings are held in Lecture Theatre L in the Lecture Theatre Block (Level 2) of the University of Surrey, Guildford.
Click here for a map to show you directions to the University Main Car Parks. If you’re travelling using a SatNav the postcode is GU2 7XH.
A detailed map (available here) shows the location of the Lecture Theatre Block (pale blue and near the middle of the map), Main Car Parks 1-4 and Bus Stops next to Senate House and North of the Austin Pearce Building. There are also more convenient car park spaces available for disabled drivers at various nearby locations. The University also has a web page here for newcomers to the campus.
For a preview of the lecture room see here
Meetings start at 7.30pm on the first Thursday of each month (except August when there is no meeting) and usually finish around 10pm. One or two meetings in the year, (including the AGM), are set aside for members only; these are indicated in our list of Talks for upcoming meetings.
Note for Visitors: To help cover the cost of the room hire, we charge just £5.00 (£4.00 for Junior/Student guests) per meeting. On arrival, please introduce yourself to any member of the Committee (look for their badges) — you’ll be very warmly welcomed!
Tea/Coffee (biscuits included) available in the break for just £2. However, we respectfully ask that you don’t bring any food or drinks into the lecture theatre.
If you have any special access requirements, please contact the Secretary, .
See you there…
Meeting Format
Meetings generally take one of two formats:
- An invited expert gives a talk/presentation – illustrated and/or animated – of an aspect of astronomy. Subjects are chosen because they’re topical, practical – or just interesting to astronomers. Each year we arrange a balanced mix, covering a wide range of topics. and levels.
- A ‘members evening’, in which members present short talks on their own interests, projects, and topics of general interest.
Occasionally, invited speakers have to cancel, (usually at extremely short notice), and at these times the meeting often takes the form of an informal quiz, a question and answer session, or a hands-on Workshop.
Typically,the main talk of the evening lasts for an hour or so, after which we have a 15-20 minute comfort break. Tea, coffee and biscuits are available from the adjoining refreshments room.
Following the break, the remaining time until 10pm usually features Society news and business, (such as the latest reports from the Observatory, Observing Evening Reports, etc), and a short ‘What’s on?’ feature describing events happening later in the current month.
Afterwards
If there’s time at the end, some members go for a drink and chat. You’re welcome to join us in the bar in Wates House (see the map).
The 2016-2017 Session
Subject to change
| Date | Talk/Presentation Title | Speaker |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Sep 2016 | Exploring the Non-Thermal Universe: the Cherenkov Telescope Array | Prof Tim Greenshaw |
| 6 Oct 2016 | Spacecraft I Have Known and Loved | Prof John Zarnecki |
| 3 Nov 2016 | Extraterrestrial Resources: Mining the Moon and Asteroids | Prof Ian Crawford |
| 1 Dec 2016 | Black Holes and Spin-offs | Prof Katherine Blundell |
| 5 Jan 2017 | Variable Stars: a vital area of observing for amateur astronomers | Guy Hurst |
| 2 Feb 2017 | The digital window to the Universe: Using computers to understand the Cosmos | Dr Ramón Rey Raposo |
| 2 Mar 2017 | Astronomy and Sex: the historical relationship between Women and the Cosmos | Prof David W Hughes |
| 6 Apr 2017 | The Greatest Light Show on Earth | Dr Colin Forsyth |
| 4 May 2017 | Is there Life on Proxima b? | Prof David Waltham |
| 1 Jun 2017 | Planets and Pulsations: The New Keplerian Revolution NB: This is a change to the previously advertised talk. | Prof Donald W Kurtz Professor of Astrophysics, Jeremiah Horrocks Institute of Maths, Physics & Astronomy, University of Central Lancashire |
| 6 Jul 2017 | Members Only AGM & Members Presentations | GAS Committee & Members |
| Aug 2017 | Note: There is no meeting in August |
The 2017-2018 Session
Subject to change
| Date | Talk/Presentation Title | Speaker |
|---|---|---|
| 7 Sep 2017 | TBA (Gaia) | Dr George Seabroke Senior Research Associate, MSSL, UCL |
| 5 Oct 2017 | From Quark to the Cosmos | Prof Ian Shipsey Head of Particle Physics University of Oxford |
| 5 Jul 2018 | Members Only AGM & Members Presentations | GAS Committee & Members |
| Aug 2018 | Note: There is no meeting in August |
Click here to see the profiles of past and forthcoming speakers.
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