Stargazing LIVE in the Pub

 

EVENT CANCELLED DUE TO WEATHER CONDITIONS
Re-scheduled to Saturday 5th April 2014
Details to follow.
 

The Star Inn, Pevensey, East Sussex

Saturday 8 February 2014

1400 - Midnight

Organised by the East Sussex Astronomical Society

 

The Star has a great southerly view with an array of telescopes for viewing the Sun and the night sky; all are welcome to come and view its wonders.

Observing will start at 2.00pm with the Sun, then early evening, the Moon, and, as it approaches dark, the ESAS will have laser guided tours of the constellations along with telescope viewing through a variety of provided scopes.

 

Talks will also take place throughout the afternoon and evening, of which I shall be one of the guest speakers.  If wet, still come along as we shall be presenting, whatever the weather!

 

Here's hoping for clear skies!
Follow link for full details and directions.

 

 

 

Horns Lodge Inn, South Street, South Chailey, BN8 4BD

Saturday 22 February 2014

1800 - Midnight

Organised by Richie Jarvis of South Common Observatory

 

South Chailey turns off the lights to view the night sky in one of the darkest corners of the country, with a full supporting cast of astronomers and telescopes to help out.

Following the success of last year's event, feel free to join us for an evening of viewing and presentations, including mine.  It was really great fun last year and I am sure it shall be again.

 

Again, let's hope for clear skies!
Follow link for full details and directions.

 

Hopefully see you there.

Astronomy in the Pub

Friday 22 February 2013

Horns Lodge Inn

South Chailey

 

 

 

A big thank you to Richie Jarvis and his team for making this such a brilliant fun evening!  What a fabulous idea.  Who says you have to be interested in astronomy to get interested in astronomy?!  I arrived at 6.00pm.  Richie, his friends and colleagues from the East Sussex Astronomical Society had all the scopes set up in the garden behind the pub - and you could just tell that even though the skies were cloudy (I mean, how else could they be?!) it wasn't going to matter a hang!  And it didn't because folk were checking out the scopes all evening.

 

 

Inside the already packed pub, walls and beams were bedecked with astro images.  A television screen at one end was all set for presentations, and so were those folk propping up the bar and filling the restaurant tables.  At 7.00pm Richie was on the microphone and took everyone on a journey to the red planet, Mars, with a thrilling seven-minute video of NASA's Curiosity touchdown thrown in for good measure.  It went down a treat and set a really exciting tone.

 

 

Next up was little 'ol me with my presentation 'Size Matters'. I wasn't sure how to pitch, so just started with our seemingly small Star and took 'the' journey out to the realms of the known Universe.  It was really fantastic to capture the unsuspecting, those who really had no clue whatsoever, who had just come along for a mildly interesting drink, or two, perhaps and found themselves discovering all kinds of things.  I could tell by the gasps and laughter that they were with me throughout ... and isn't it brilliant to distract two-thirds of those in a pub on a Friday night, so much so that they stop drinking, gather around and just stay with you.  So many that were previously uniniated were ... initiated!  That sure does make you feel GREAT!

 

 

Next up was Charlotte Clark, PhD student at Sussex University whom I was really fortunate to meet when we were both speakers with Richie at Brighton's swanky AMEX football stadium as part of the BBC-led Stargazing Live 2013 Event.  It was terrific to have time with Charlotte again, to hear all about her fascinating work number-crunching galaxies, and then to have it explained fully in her presentation, accompanied by lots of fascinating current data/images from the Herschel Space Telescope and those of her time spent in Hawaii. 

 

 

Charlotte kept the audience in the palm of her hand and had a terrific sense of humour too!

 

 

To finish, Rosemary Selmes from the East Sussex Astronomical Society gave an equally humorous and interesting presentation about her time spent working on the fabulous telescopes at the Herstmonceux Observatory.  As a big fan of the place, it was amazing to appreciate just how it must have been to work on these amazing bits of kit ... something I would have loved to have done.  Rosemary shared many personal experiences with both Charlotte and me afterwards - could have listened all night!

 

All in all, it was a fabulous evening and, judging from all the amazing feedback, was thoroughly enjoyed by all.  Well done everyone, especially Richie, for making it so brilliant and THANK YOU for inviting me along to play a small part.

 

 



ASTRONOMY IN THE PUB

Friday 22 February 2013

1800hrs until Midnight

Horns Lodge

A275, South Chailey, BN8 4BD

Tel: 01273 400422

 

Come and join us in one of the darkest village pubs in the south east for an evening of astronomical discovery.  Telescopes will be set up in the rear garden for everyone to enjoy the night sky.  Amateur astronomers will be on hand to answer questions.  The event goes ahead, clear skies or not!  If cloudy, state of the art computer technology will reveal the astral wonders lurking behind.  See the International Space Station as it passes overhead and marvel at the giant gas planet Jupiter.

 

Speakers for the evening:

Richie Jarvis, astro-imager - South Common Observatory, East Sussex Astronomy Society

Jane A Green - author and broadcaster, Eastbourne Astronomy Society

Others to be announced.

 

For more info, contact Richie Jarvis: 07702 705427.  Email: richie@nebul.ae