ENCOUNTERS 2014

 

Presentation
at the
Historic Library Airdrie Observatory
Monday 6 October

From left, Aileen (secretary) Jack (operator), Jim and Bob (curators) and me

with the famous 6" Cooke refractor at the historic Airdrie Observatory.

Image credit:  Alan Watson

 

A wonderful evening with some truly fabulous people who were warm, welcoming and enormously enthusiastic.  I was honoured to be their first female speaker, and felt amongst friends.  What a trip and what an unforgettable evening. 

A big sincere thank you to all!

 

 Image credit: Alan Watson



TOUR OF THE UNIVERSE

 With media partner BBC Sky at Night Magazine
 

 

I have been invited to team up with rocket scientist Neil Phillipson and some of the UK's most renowned astronomers to co-present a show with a difference - TOUR OF THE UNIVERSE! - with media partner BBC Sky at Night Magazine.

 

Special guest include Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock, space scientist, and Dr Chris Lintott, astronomer, both presenters of the BBC's Sky at Night television programme.

 

Also joining us will be Dr Rhodri Evans, Honorary Research Fellow of Cardiff University, Mark Thompson, astronomer, author and presenter of BBC's Stargazing Live and Will Gater, astronomer, presenter, author and journalist for the BBC Sky at Night magazine.

 

Neil says: "The show is a night like no other - we take our audience on a whistle-stop journey through space and time, sharing the incredible nature of the Universe in a humorous, passionate and inspiring way."

 

Stunning planetarium-style presentations provide the backdrop to an intimate and uniquely insightful look at the wonders of the cosmos, touching on frequently overlooked fundamentals and guiding the audience to a jaw-dropping appreciation of the night sky.  Alongside Neil and our special guests I intend to bring the images alive with an interactive, light-hearted and illuminating approach.

 

TOUR OF THE UNIVERSE launches at Dorking Halls on 4th October 2014 with nine other national theatre venues to follow, including Nottingham, Altrincham, Liverpool, Southport, Portsmouth, Cardiff, Bath and Peterborough.

 

Full details are available on the official TOUR OF THE UNIVERSE website (see below) as well as via national media, Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites!

Come along and join in the fun!

TOUR OF THE UNIVERSE: Official Website

UCKFIELD 105FM RADIO

Astronomy Interview

Friday 4 April 2014

Shooting Stars and Mars!

 

It's that time again!  Feel free to listen in to this month's radio show where, with radio presenter, Tony Williams, we share the secrets of April's Lyrids meteor shower, the delights of the planets Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn ... and a few thoughts on the Big Bang.

 

 

Simply click the Uckfield 105 FM icon at left and follow the link.

 

Happy stargazing and join us again at 1030hrs on Tuesday 13 May.



Uckfield 105FM Radio

Astronomy Interview

Friday 7 March 2014

1030hrs

 

Feel free to join radio presenter, Tony Williams, and me, for our monthly astronomy show.  This time we share the wonders of Jupiter, currently perfectly placed for viewing in the night sky, the Moon's impending conjunction with the gas giant planet, Saturn, a close shave by asteroid DX110, the winter constellations, and much more besides ...

 

 Tune in by clicking the Uckfield 105FM Radio icon at left.

 

See you next month!

 



ASTRONOMY IN THE PUB

Saturday 22 February 2014

The Horns Lodge Inn

South Chailey

 

 

Yet again, this was a really fun evening, enhanced this year by the fact that we actually enjoyed clear skies too!  As a result, Richie Jarvis took a crowd outside The Horns Lodge Inn to witness the passing of the International Space Station, as well as sharing the stunning views of Jupiter and Orion against the darkest skies in Sussex.  A raft of telescopes were also set up and members of the public enjoyed some amazing views of the gas giant planet as well as the Great Orion Nebula.

 

 

To complement the practical viewing sessions, astronomy author and broadcaster, Ninian Boyle, joined Richie and me in offering astronomy presentations.  Ninian shared the perils of Near Earth Objects, Richie, the latest rover activities on Mars and me, a journey from a speck of cosmic dust to the observable Universe, and beyond!  The pub was packed for its entire length, and was at least three people deep along the bar.  Subsequent feedback has been amazing.

It truly was a fantastic night - a gathering of like-minded people who clearly loved the subject, and a gathering of those who had very little idea about the great 'out there' but were possessed of an enormous thirst to know!  I felt privileged to play a part.

A big thank you to Richie, as ever, for organising the event and an even bigger thank you to all the lovely people who came along and made it so enjoyable.  Here's to another one next year! 

 

And a few more photos ...

 

 

 

 





 

 

DON'T FORGET ...

 

ASTRONOMY IN THE PUB

organised by

The East Sussex Astronomical Society

The Star Inn, Pevensey

Saturday 5 April 2014

 

Hope to see you there.  More details to follow.

 



THE GREAT DEBATE

Astronomy vs Astrology

Uckfield 105FM Radio

Tuesday 25 February 2014

 

 

Well, this was an idea of radio presenter, Tony Williams, with whom I share my monthly broadcast on all things astronomical.  He teamed me up with Sharon, Uckfield 105FM's Astrologer, for what became a lively discussion about the stars and planets, agrarian beliefs and the mysticism of horoscopes.  Tony led us way back into the realms of ancient Babylonia, Egypt, China and Australia, and great fun was had by all. 

Don't take my word for it, click the link below and listen in!

The Great Debate on Uckfield 105 FM

 

From left to right: Sharon, Tony and Me

 



Uckfield 105FM Radio

 

Friday 10 January 2014

 

Feel free to listen in to this morning's show where, with radio presenter, Tony Williams, we share a journey into the realms of the Northern Lights and what can be seen in the January night sky.

 

Yours truly with radio presenter, Tony Williams

 

This local radio station is hugely popular with listeners, both young and old, numbering in the tens of thousands.  Uckfield 105FM is ranked third highest after BBC national radio and Heart FM.  Little wonder because everyone in the team is enthusiastic, energetic and works really hard to serve the local community.  They do a great job.  My monthly astronomy slot, since my initiation as Royle's Astronomer over two years ago, has gone from strength to strength. 

I feel I must thank Tony, Mike Skinner and Gary King for all their support, genuine interest and, above all, fun.  Astronomy is now well and truly on the map ... and I love being a part of their team.

To listen in click the Uckfield FM icon at left.

Happy listening and look out for those Northern Lights!

 

 

ASTRONOMY IN THE PUB EVENT

 

A note for the diary: on 22 February 2014 astro-imager, Richie Jarvis, will be hosting another 'Astronomy in the Pub' evening at the Horns Lodge Inn in South Chailey.  I have been invited along as a Guest Speaker.  Last year's event was really well attended and was terrific fun.  More details to follow, but hope to see you there!



HERSTMONCEUX OBSERVATORY

ASTRONOMY FESTIVAL

Friday 6 - Sunday 8 September 2013

 

With the field in the foreground of these historical domes replete with tents and the neighbouring car park full, clearly word continues to spread about this great three-day national astronomy event sponsored by the BBC's Sky at Night.

I go every year, ostensibly to catch some great speakers and soak up the atmosphere but, particularly, to watch renowned astro-imager, Nik Szymanek, deliver his sell-out presentation.  With a fabulous projector and large screen he thrilled us all with his latest images captured with Ian King (of Ian King Imaging) using their remotely operated telescope in Nerpio, Spain.  Stunning, literally jaw-dropping stuff.

As always, there were amazing activities for all, young and old, and, with some stunning clear skies on the Friday and Saturday evenings, amateur telescopes were turned skyward to capture some incredible astronomical objects and views of the Milky Way.

 

 

 

On a personal note, I was invited to be a Guest Speaker on the Sunday, the title of my presentation, 'Basketballs and Beyond' seemingly hitting just the right note.  How fantastic to have a sell-out audience join me in the historic Dome B - dark, cosy and so atmospheric beneath the 36-inch Yapp reflector telescope.  We shared a journey from the tiny to the truly tremendous.  The feedback was amazing and, as always, it reaffirmed for me why I love the subject so much. 

 

Roll on my next private presentation at Winchester's Intech Planetarium to raise funds for Cancer Research UK.  Can't wait!





Uckfield 105FM Radio

Friday 6 September 2013

 

Feel free to tune in to my most recent monthly appearance with radio presenter, Tony Williams, where we discuss the emergence of Comet ISON, what's in the  night sky for September and my views on a one-way ticket to the red planet, Mars! 

Click the Uckfield 105FM icon at left.

 

A report on the Herstmonceux Astronomy Festival 2013 will follow.

The Observatory Science Centre

Wartling Road, Herstmonceux, Hailsham, East Sussex

Friday 6th to Sunday 8th September

I shall be presenting at 1.00pm on the Sunday but check out the great Guest Speakers on Saturday too! 

Hope to 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.

 

 



SUSSEX LIFE

January 2013

Interview

with

Angela Wintle

 

Read full interview by accessing icon at right.

 

Image credit: www.eastmanphotography.co.uk



 



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

BBC Stargazing Live 2013

American Express Community Stadium

Thursday 10th January

4.30pm to 8.00pm

 

 

 

Well over 500 guests joined us for this BBC-led stargazing event where not even cloudy skies could detract from a truly stunning venue that in itself resembled a space ship nestled in the South Downs!

 



 

The BBC and Stadium Crew worked hard to set up for the 4.30pm deadline and telescopes, like sentinels, stood poised for action alongside the pitch (below).

 

 

Image credit: Andy Lee: www.astronomy4everyone.org.uk

 

For Richie Jarvis, Charlotte Clarke and myself, as guest speakers for the Event, we had a relatively easy task to set up in one of the lecture rooms.  Less easy, however, was the issue of lighting whereby when we switched our lights off, so the entire east wing of the stadium was plunged into darkness!

Great fun was had by all!

 

Richie Jarvis (left), astro-imager, Jane A Green (centre), author and speaker,

Charlotte Clarke, PhD student, University of Sussex

 

But on a more serious note, it was a terrific evening.  It was so wonderful to witness such enthusiasm and interest in astronomy.  Throughout our talks we were joined by people of all ages.  What made it for me was the blind ex-astronomer who attended our presentations and never stopped smiling.

He confessed his joy at being involved in astronomy again.  But every gasp of wonder, every laugh of disbelief and every smile of incredulity made it worthwhile for me!

A fabulous night and so great to have played a small part.

 

 

 

UCKFIELD FM - Royle's Astronomer

Don't forget to join DJ, Jon Royle, and me, Royle's Astronomer, at 1100hrs on the first Thursday of every month for our informal catch-up on all things astronomical as part of his live 105FM broadcast on Uckfield FM radio.

For astronomy enthusiasts feel free to check out this month's night sky in the 'What's Up' column.

Catch you over the radio waves!

Jane

TALK WITH SIR PATRICK MOORE

Many months ago I was invited to give an astronomy presentation as part of the Portsmouth Festivities Space City Event. The extravaganza takes place over an eleven-day period in June each year at various locations in Portsmouth and focuses on music and arts, cosmology, astronomy, space technology and, latterly, science fiction. But not only was I asked to give a presentation ... I was asked if I would "mind" Sir Patrick Moore joining me on stage. Would I mind? I took a nanosecond to consider and replied a resounding, "No, not at all!"

So, as surreal as it sounds, on the afternoon of Saturday 25th June I 'stepped up to the plate' at Portsmouth Grammar School before a capacity audience; the organisers switched the venue last-minute since they'd sold so many tickets. I gave a one-hour presentation, explaining how and why I became interested in astronomy, as well as offering all the reasons why I hadn't for so long. Then Sir Patrick joined me for a half-hour Q&A session. What an indescribable honour. I did have to pinch myself several times as I glanced to my left. Sir Patrick was as fabulous as ever: dry, witty and so knowledgeable. Luckily, I knew my answers too!

This was then followed by just under two hours of book-signing, with each of us signing our own and each other's recent books, mine being the second reprint edition of Haynes' ASTRONOMY MANUAL. Again, it was surreal ... and undeniably a fabulous experience ... I think possibly the pinnacle of my amateur astronomy exploits!

Other invited speakers for the event included: NASA astronauts Dr Andrew Thomas and Dr Shannon Walker, space scientist Maggie Aderin-Pocock, Lord Professor Robert Winston, Professor Jim Al-Khalili OBE, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston CBE, Professor Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell, Mark Butler, Programme Manager for Spaceport America at Virgin Galactic, Simon Singh MBE ... among others ... you have the idea! I felt incredibly awed and honoured to be in the theatre of these renowned 'giants' of the astronomical and scientific world.

What a day! One that will linger long in the memory. And there are more talks in the pipeline ... watch this space.

ASTRONOMY MANUAL by Jane A Green

The launch date for this new astronomy publication is 7th October 2010. Jane is thrilled that both Dr Brian May and Sir Patrick Moore have contributed a Foreword and Introduction respectively, particularly as it is her first book.

Jane started presenting astronomy worldwide whilst serving as a senior officer on cruise ships. After being invited to host a Science Fiction Theme cruise, Jane became a professional Guest Speaker and continued in this capacity on many other ships. Now based ashore, Jane continues astronomy outreach with presentations to sell-out audiences, ranging from Women's Institute meetings and specialist lecture groups in 2,000-seater theatres, to literary and astronomy societies, often working alongside VIPs, celebrities and industry professionals.

This introductory book is for everyone. EVERYONE ... those who are already interested and those who think they are not. Available from all book stores and Amazon. All gentle reviews gratefully received!