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.
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, .
Please note Lecture Theatre L does not have a hearing loop system. It does have a system where your smart phone maybe used. Please go here for details.
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 at The Astolat (Directions).
The 2019-2020 Session
Subject to change
| Date | Talk/Presentation Title | Speaker |
|---|---|---|
| 5 Sep 2019 | The Latest Developments in Solar Exploration | Prof. Lucie Green |
| 5 Sep 2019 | Albury Observing | Tim Ellison |
| 5 Sep 2019 | Training - Where & What ? | Max Dobres |
| 5 Sep 2019 | Chillean Solar Eclipse 2019 | Pam Noon |
| 5 Sep 2019 | GO1 Repairs | Martin Baker |
| 3 Oct 2019 | Origins. How the Earth made us | Prof. Lewis Dartnell |
| 7 Nov 2019 | Black holes that feed on galaxies | Dr Leah Morabito |
| 7 Nov 2019 | Monthly Whats Up Presentation | John Axtell |
| 5 Dec 2019 | A machine learning tool for characterising evolution of nearby galaxies | Choong Ling Liew-Cain |
| 5 Dec 2019 | Monthly Notices | President |
| 5 Dec 2019 | Break | |
| 5 Dec 2019 | Monthly Whats Up Presentation | Rob Graham |
| 2 Jan 2020 | Binary stars: astrophysical laboratories The stars in the sky are not always isolated and alone: many live with companions in binary star systems. If the stars in a binary are close enough they can interact by interchanging mass and spin, leading to astophysical phenomena like thermonuclear supernovae and gamma-ray bursts. | Dr. Robert Izzard |
| 6 Feb 2020 | Mercury and its geology | Prof. David Rothery The Open University |
| 5 Mar 2020 | Surrey Satellite Technology | Spyridon Grammenos SSTL |
| 2 Apr 2020 | Super-Massive and Wolf-Rayet stars - TBC | Prof. Raman Prinja UCL |
| 7 May 2020 | Remote Observing | Pete Williamson |
| 4 Jun 2020 | Geology of Solar System Objects | Dr Kerri Donaldson Hanna |
| 2 Jul 2020 | Members Only - AGM | GAS Committee & Members |
| Aug 2020 | Note: There is no meeting in August |
Click here to see the profiles of past and forthcoming speakers.
