Orwell Astronomical Society (Ipswich)

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Lectures

Date

Topic

Lecturer

Venue

10 November 2023
The Optical Tracking of Spacecraft
Nick James, BAA
Zoom and St Augustine's Church Hall (hybrid)
31 March 2023
The Great Debate
Dr Nick Hewitt, BAA
Zoom and St Augustine's Church Hall (hybrid)
18 November 2022
How Fast Is The Universe Expanding?
Dr Matt Bothwell, Institute of Astronomy and Kavli Institute for Cosmology
Zoom and St Augustine's Church Hall (hybrid)
09 September 2022
Observing the Satellites of the Giant Planets
Mike Foulkes
Zoom (recorded)
12 August 2022
Colliding Stellar Winds - Observations and Theory
Dr Julian Pittard
Zoom (recorded)
10 June 2022
Fast Gamma Ray Burst
Professor Carole Mundell
Zoom (recorded)
03 June 2022
LOFAR: How High-Resolution Radio Observations Can Help Us To Understand Supermassive Black Holes
Dr Leah Morabito
Zoom
13 May 2022
The Standard Model
Professor Harry Cliff
Zoom (recorded)
15 April 2022
The End of Everything (Astrophysically Speaking)
Dr Katie Mac
Zoom
11 March 2022
Jodrell Bank, the Cold War & the Space Race
Professor Anna Scaife
Zoom
11 February 2022
The Last Stargazers - The Changing Nature of Professional Stargazing
Professor Emily Levesque
Zoom
28 January 2022
Bursts, Bangs And Things That Go Bump In The Night: Transient Astronomy
Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell
Zoom and St Augustine's Church Hall (hybrid)
08 December 2021
NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory
Professor Belinda Wilkes
Zoom
26 November 2021
Sideways Astronomy
Steve Hubbard
Zoom and St Augustine's Church Hall (hybrid)
25 June 2021
Anglo-Saxon Astronomy
Martin Lunn, MBE
Zoom
10 May 2021
The Apollo 11 Guidance Computer
Robert Wills
Zoom (recorded)
26 April 2021
The Weirdest Stars in the Universe
Dr Emily Levesque
Zoom (recorded)
22 April 2021
The Appley Bridge Meteorite – the Space Rock that Hit Lancashire
Russell Parry
Zoom
12 April 2021
Exploring the Dark Universe with XENON
Professor Marc Schumann
Zoom (recorded)
22 March 2021
Video Meteor Detection
Alex Pratt, William Stewart and Bill Ward
Zoom (recorded BAA lecture)
19 February 2021
From Big Bang to Periodic Table
Dr Richard Miller
Zoom
08 February 2021
Spacecraft I’ve Known and Loved
Professor John Zarnecki
Zoom (recorded)
11 January 2021
Galaxy Collisions
Dr Paul Whiting, FRAS
Zoom
14 December 2020
Bursts, Bangs and Things That Go Bump in the Night
Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell
Zoom (recorded)
04 December 2020
Big Bangs to Big Rips: A History of 20th Century Cosmology
Dr Matt Bothwell, University of Cambridge
Zoom
18 November 2020
Mars
Dr Paul Whiting, FRAS
Zoom
09 November 2020
Searching for Evidence of Life on Venus
Emily Drabek-Maunder
Zoom (recorded)
23 October 2020
Brown Dwarfs: Linking Stars and Planets
Dr Sonali Shukla
Zoom
02 October 2020
Storm Chasing
Chris Bell
Zoom
25 September 2020
Adventures in Deep Sky Astrophotography
Nik Szymanek
Zoom
19 August 2020
The Crowd and the Cosmos
Professor Chris Lintott
Zoom
22 June 2020
Wartime Astronomy
Paul Whiting, FRAS
Zoom
23 March 2020
NASA Flight Controller Francis "Poppy" Northcott
Andy Gibbs
Zoom
15 November 2019
Neighbours - An Introduction to the Local Group of Galaxies
Dr Nick Hewitt, BAA
St Augustine's Church Hall
18 October 2019
Pulsars and our Understanding of the Cosmos
Dr Robert Ferdman, University of East Anglia
St Augustine's Church Hall
20 September 2019
Monsters in the Dark: Searching for the Most Massive Galaxies in the Universe
Dr Matt Bothwell, University of Cambridge
St Augustine's Church Hall
02 March 2019
BAA-OASI Back to Basics Workshop:

1. What astronomy can I do?

2. What equipment & books do I need?

3. Solar observing

4. OASI

5. Observing planets

6. Comets

7. Deep Sky observing

1. Hazel Collett

2. Dr Stewart Moore

3. Peter Meadows

4. Andy Gibbs

5. Michael Foulkes

6. Nick James

7. Callum Potter

Methodist Church
23 November 2018
Imaging with a Dobsonian
Martin Lewis
St Augustine's Church Hall
21 September 2018
Can the World's Largest Digital Camera Answer Cosmological Questions?
Dr Lorne Whiteway
St Augustine's Church Hall
17 November 2017
Talk with ET? We Think not!
Steve Hubbard and Malcolm Brown
Methodist Church Hall
20 October 2017
Active Galactic Nuclei
Dr Sarah Hutton
Methodist Church Hall
11 November 2016
Aliens – Are They Out There?
Steve Hubbard and Malcolm Brown
Methodist Church Hall
14 October 2016
Why Observe Variable Stars?
Roger Pickard (Director of Variable Star Section of the BAA)
Methodist Church Hall
07 November 2015
Jupiter: The Giant Planet
Damien Peach
Methodist Church Hall
02 October 2015
Night Vision: Exploring The Infrared Universe
Professor Michael Rowan-Robinson
Methodist Church Hall
11 September 2015
Lunatick Astronomy
Andrew Lound
Methodist Church Hall
21 November 2014
Using the Sloan Digital Sky Survey to Study Quasars and the Early Universe
Alan Mcguire
Methodist Church Hall
24 October 2014
Black Swans (black holes in Cygnus)
Professor Ralph Spencer
Methodist Church Hall
21 February 2014
Building the Solar System
Greg Smye-Rumsby (Royal Observatory/ Astronomy Now)
Methodist Church Hall
07 June 2013
Sixth Presidential Lecture: Patrick Moore, A Lifetime In Astronomy
Dr Allan Chapman MA, D.Phil, FRAS, OASI President
Orwell Park School
12 October 2012
Barnard, Gordon and the Darkness
Nick Hewitt
Methodist Church Hall
04 November 2011
Are We Star Dust Or Nuclear Waste?
Robin Catchpole
Methodist Church Hall
14 October 2011
Telescopes From Hell (What to watch out for when buying a telescope)
Martin Mobberley
Methodist Church Hall
22 October 2010
Discovering Supernovae - Motivation and Rewards
Tom Boles
Methodist Church Hall
23 April 2010
Fifth Presidential Lecture: Thomas Harriot, Galileo and the First Telescopic Astronomers
Dr Allan Chapman MA, D.Phil, FRAS, OASI President
Orwell Park School
19 March 2010
An Automated Video Meteor Detection System
Nick James
Methodist Church Hall
14 November 2008
Sir William Herschel
Tony Dagnall, Stour Valley Astronomical Society
Methodist Church Hall
24 October 2008
To Infinity And Beyond - Postcards of Astro Discovery
Andy Green, Director of StarDome Astronomy and Astronautics
Methodist Church Hall
12 September 2008
The Biggest Telescope in the World
Peter Hingley, RAS Librarian
Methodist Church Hall
16 November 2007
Dinosaurs on the Moon: Astronomy and Space in the Media
David Whitehouse (BBC Science Correspondent)
Orwell Park School
26 October 2007
Exo-Planets and their Aurora
Sam George (FAS Secretary)
Methodist Church Hall
04 May 2007
Fourth Presidential Lecture: That Clubbable Passion; the Amateur Astronomical Society
Dr Allan Chapman MA, D.Phil, FRAS, OASI President
Methodist Church Hall
02 March 2007
Image Processing
Nik Szymanek
Methodist Church Hall
24 November 2006
Space Rocks
David Bryant
Methodist Church Hall
27 October 2006
The Day They Launched A Woodpecker
Jerry Stone, FBIS, FRAS
Methodist Church Hall
24 February 2006
1. TBA

2. A Star At Home - Patrick Moore's Pad

1. Nigel Evans

2. Ken Goward

Methodist Church Hall
27 January 2006
An Introduction To Radio Astronomy In the BAA
Laurence Newell
Methodist Church Hall
25 November 2005
Eddington: Man, Myth And Mystic
Mark Hurn
Methodist Church Hall
22 April 2005
Third Presidential Lecture: The Great Ladies Of Astronomy
Dr Allan Chapman MA, D.Phil, FRAS, OASI President
Orwell Park School
25 February 2005
1. Hark The Aurora

2. An Unusual Planetarium In The Netherlands

3. Millennium Telescope Update

1. Dr Paul Whiting, FRAS

2. Garry Coleman

3. Neil Morley

Methodist Church Hall
22 October 2004
Astronomical Imaging From Mauna Kea, Hawaii
Nik Szymanek
Friends Meeting House
15 May 2004
Astronomers and Oddities: Treasures of the Royal Astronomical Society Library

Lecture given after opening the OASI Library.

Peter Hingley, RAS Librarian
Orwell Park School
14 May 2004
Transit of Venus
Peter Hingley, RAS Librarian
Friends Meeting House
04 October 2003
Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Society for Popular Astronomy:

1. Imaging Comets

2. Pre-Telescope Astronomy

3. OASI Millennium Telescope Update

4. Australia Total Solar Eclipse

5. Australia Total Solar Eclipse

1. Martin Mobberley

2. Martin Lunn

3. Neil Morley

4. Dr Paul Whiting

5. Nigel Evans

St Mary Magdalen Church Hall
07 March 2003
Second Presidential Lecture: The Victorian Amateur Tradition
Dr Allan Chapman MA, D.Phil, FRAS, OASI President
Orwell Park School
15 November 2002
Short talks evening: Size Matters - Large Telescopes Old and New.

1. The Birr Observatory

2. The Millennium Telescope

1. Ken Goward

2. Neil Morley

Friends Meeting House
18 October 2002
Imaging the Universe
Nik Szymanek
Friends Meeting House
17 May 2002
Searching For Supernovae
Tom Boles
Friends Meeting House
30 November 2001
Space Odysseys 2001
Various OASI Members
Friends Meeting House
05 October 2001
Why the Universe Exists
Joao Magueijo
Friends Meeting House
18 May 2001
Presidential Lecture: Sir G B Airy

Followed by official dedication of the Tomline Refractor

Dr Allan Chapman MA, D.Phil, FRAS, OASI President
Orwell Park School
09 February 2001
Space Propulsion Systems for the 21st Century
Chris Welch
Friends Meeting House
24 November 2000
Mars and the Amateur Astronomer
Richard McKim (Director BAA Mars Section)
Friends Meeting House
19 May 2000
Twinkle, Twinkle Little Neutron Star
Paul Roche
Friends Meeting House
31 March 2000
21st Century Astronomy
Various OASI Members
Friends Meeting House
11 February 2000
Deep Sky Exotica
Nick Hewitt (BAA President)
Friends Meeting House
03 September 1999
Observations Of The 1999 Total Solar Eclipse
Various OASI Members
Friends Meeting House
23 April 1999
Getting the Measure of the Universe
Frank Flynn
Friends Meeting House
05 March 1999
Members' Short Talks
Various OASI Members
Friends Meeting House
05 February 1999
The Universe Unveiled With the HST
Robin Catchpole
Friends Meeting House
03 December 1998
Comets and How to Catch Them
Martin Mobberley (BAA President)
Friends Meeting House
02 October 1998
Intergalactic Stars
Nial Tanvir
Friends Meeting House
15 May 1998
Get Ready for the 1999 Total Solar Eclipse
Nigel Evans and Mike Harlow
Friends Meeting House
17 April 1997
Celestial Spectaculars: Comets and Eclipses
Mike Harlow
Friends Meeting House
20 March 1997
Hot Stars
Andy Reid
Friends Meeting House
20 February 1997
Life in the Universe
Keith Tritton
Friends Meeting House
07 February 1997
The Hubble Space Telescope
Gerry Workman
Orwell Park School
26 April 1996
Observations Of The 1995 Total Solar Eclipse
Mike Harlow and Pete Richards
Friends Meeting House
01 March 1996
Norwich Astronomical Society's New Observatory
Ron McArthur
Friends Meeting House
09 February 1996
The Planet Uranus
Gerry Workman
Friends Meeting House
07 April 1995
CCD Photography
Nik Szymanek and Ian King
Ipswich School
06 May 1994
Radio Astronomy
Ron McArthur
Friends Meeting House
11 March 1994
Film Evening
Pete Richards
Friends Meeting House
11 February 1994
The Planet Mars
Gerry Workman
Friends Meeting House
12 June 1992
Hubble's Constant
Dr David Dewhirst
Friends Meeting House
27 March 1992
Film Evening
Pete Richards
Friends Meeting House
28 February 1992
Members' Short Talks
Various OASI Members
Friends Meeting House
23 November 1990
Experiences Of La Palma
Konrad Malin-Smith
Friends Meeting House
20 April 1990
Members' Short Talks
Various OASI Members
Friends Meeting House
16 March 1990
Unidentified Flying Objects
Del Newman and Brenda Butler
Friends Meeting House
16 February 1990
Asteroids
Neil Taylor
Friends Meeting House
10 April 1987
Geology of the Solar System 4
Robert Markham
Friends Meeting House
13 March 1987
Halley's Comet from the Australian Outback
Roy Cheesman and Alan Smith
Friends Meeting House
13 February 1987
Short talks evening:

1. Constructing a Schmidt Camera

2. Slides of Halley's Comet

3. Eyepieces

1. Michael Harlow

2. Roy Gooding

3. David Payne

Friends Meeting House
20 June 1986
Halley's Comet from the Australian Outback
Roy Cheesman and Alan Smith
Friends Meeting House
01 November 1985
Halley's Comet
Malcolm Hendrie
Friends Meeting House
30 March 1984
The Space Telescope
K Dunlop
Friends Meeting House
09 December 1983
Solar System Dynamics
Neil Taylor
Friends Meeting House
25 March 1983
Comets
Malcolm Hendrie, Director BAA Comet Section
Friends Meeting House
24 February 1983
Interstellar Molecules
Dr J E Baker
Friends Meeting House
22 October 1982
Geology of the Solar System 3
Robert Markham
Friends Meeting House
26 March 1982
Variable Stars
Michael Nicholls
Friends Meeting House
26 February 1982
Construction of Norwich Astronomical Society's Observatory
B Mitchell
Friends Meeting House
29 January 1982
Novae, Supernovae and Stellar Evolution
George Curtis
Friends Meeting House
18 December 1981
History of the Telescope
David Payne
Friends Meeting House
24 April 1981
Quasars
Belinda Wilkes
Friends Meeting House
20 March 1981
Developments in Astrophotography
E M Maunder
Friends Meeting House
20 February 1981
Voyager 1's Encounter With Saturn
Peter Muller
Friends Meeting House
24 October 1980
UFOs
Brenda Butler
Friends Meeting House
02 May 1980
Exploding Galaxies
Heather Couper
Friends Meeting House
08 February 1980
Bent Minds and Curved Space
David Payne
Friends Meeting House
07 December 1979
Short talks evening to replace lecture Exploding Galaxies by Heather Couper (postponed due to illness).

1. Slide show

2. Meteors

3. ?

1. Roy Gooding

2. David Barnard

3. David Payne

Friends Meeting House
23 March 1979
Interstellar and Intergalactic Matter
Iain Nicholson
Friends Meeting House
16 February 1979
Extragalactic Astronomy Using Electronics
Michael Hardwick
Cancelled due to atrocious weather conditions making travelling impossible
15 December 1978
Short talks evening:

1. History of Orwell Park Observatory

2. Cosmology

3. Variable Stars

4. Planetarium

1. Charles Radley

2. David Payne

3. Colin Munford, FRAS

4. Royston Cheesman

Friends Meeting House
17 November 1978
Sun Worshipping
Peter Laycock
Friends Meeting House
13 October 1978
Man in Space - Past, Present & Future
Charles Radley
Friends Meeting House
17 March 1978
Journeys to the Stars
Ian Ridpath
Friends Meeting House
10 February 1978
UFO Sightings
W M Martindale
Friends Meeting House
16 December 1977
Fireballs in Britain
Dr Keith Hindley, Director BAA Meteor Section
Friends Meeting House
18 November 1977
The Planet Saturn
Colin Munford, FRAS
Friends Meeting House
14 October 1977
Development of Methods & Techniques for Observing Comets
Malcolm Hendrie, Director BAA Comet Section
Friends Meeting House
25 March 1977
Geology of the Solar System 2
Robert Markham
Friends Meeting House
18 February 1977
The Mythology of Quasar Redshifts
Dr Simon Mitton
Friends Meeting House
10 December 1976
The Galaxy
George Curtis
Friends Meeting House
19 November 1976
Observation of Galaxies & Binary Stars Using The Isaac Newton Telescope
Dr Brian Morgan
Friends Meeting House
15 October 1976
The Century of The Great Refractors
Dr David Dewhirst
Friends Meeting House
12 March 1976
The Sun
Peter Gill
Friends Meeting House
06 February 1976
Observing Venus & Mercury With a Small Telescope
R W Middleton, FRAS
Friends Meeting House
05 December 1975
Geology of the Solar System 1
Robert Markham
Friends Meeting House
31 October 1975
Space Film Show
David Bearcroft
Friends Meeting House
26 April 1975
The Amateur Astronomer

(Lecture following BAA Mercury & Venus Section meeting earlier in the day.)

J Hedley-Robinson, Director BAA Mercury & Venus Section
Friends Meeting House
07 March 1975
Do You Believe in UFOs?
Cyril Blount, FRAS
Friends Meeting House
07 February 1975
OSCAR (Orbiting Satellite Carrying Amateur Radio)
Patrick Gowen
Friends Meeting House
07 December 1974
Into Space

(Lecture following BAA Lunar Section Meeting earlier in the day.)

Patrick Moore
Copleston School Hall
15 November 1974
Comets
Malcolm Hendrie, Director BAA Comet Section
Friends Meeting House
04 May 1974
Any More Planets Out There?

(Lecture at JAS Provincial Meeting.)

Dr David Dewhirst
Orwell Park School
07 December 1973
Variable Star Observation
Colin Munford, FRAS
Friends Meeting House
02 November 1973
Comet Kohoutek
Malcolm Hendrie
Friends Meeting House
05 October 1973
The Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram
George Curtis
Friends Meeting House


Updated: 22 January 2024