Hi all, Nick has updated the message on the website:-

This meeting rescheduled for Monday 30^th January

Time and venue remain the same, i.e. 7:30pm at the Hen & Chicks.
Apologies for the change but hope to see you there.  Nick will be giving a talk entitled “Big bang to diamond rings” which is a look at how the elements in our Universe were formed and their long and tortuous journey to being found on the surface of the Earth. This will be a talk in the back-to basics series and aimed at all levels but particularly beginners.

Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) is currently visiting the inner solar system.
It is estimated to have last been here 50,000 years ago, ie at the time when the Neanderthals were roaming the land.  So, this is the first time that Homo Sapiens will have seen it.
Some have speculated that this comet originated in the Oort Cloud, the theoretical sphere of debris some 50,000 to 100,000 AU from the sun, 1-2 light years.
It is likely to be at its brightest at the end of January, beginning of Feb and is predicted to be easily seen with binoculars, and maybe also the naked eye. 
No doubt the observers in our membership will be able to advise how best to sight it but a screen shot from the video on space.com (LINK) shows where it will be during January.  There are also many other sites on the web were you can read up about C/2022 E3 (ZTF)

Interesting Dark Matter session on Monday.  Lots of questions but no conclusions of substance!
For those who may be interested I have loaded the presentation used up on to the “Downloads” page LINK
Next meeting will be on Monday the 23^rd January.

Have a Good Christmas and New Year

Nadolig Llawen  –  Blwyddyn Newydd Dda

The next meeting will be on Monday 28^th November, 7:30pm in the Hen & Chicks.
The topic, suggested by a member, will be Dark Matter.

Rough headings:- What’s the universe made of/Why do we need Dark Matter/What is it/Is it real/Are there alternatives?

No knowledge necessary we are all learning, but if you have any ideas, questions, thoughts or outlandish theories come along and share them.

November:-  The next meeting of AAS will be on the 28^th, the 4^th Monday of the month, at 7:30pm.
The proposed topic, from a suggestion at our September meeting, will be “Dark Matter”.
If you have any questions or answers or other thoughts on this elusive Matter do come along and share them with the rest of us.  We are all operating in the Dark so any and all contributions are welcomed!
Further details will be posted nearer the date.

December:-  As the 4^th Monday falls between Christmas and the New Year we have decided to miss out this month.

January:-  Our first 2023 meeting is scheduled for the 23^rd of January.  This session will continue with the “Astronomy Basics” theme.  The topic will be decided in the New Year.
If anyone has a specific subject they would like to be covered please let me or Nick know, email addresses below.

All sessions are upstairs in the Hen & Chicks, Flannel St, Abergavenny NP7 5EG, starting at 7:30pm

Everyone is welcome.

Kevin: webmaster@abergavennyas.org.uk         Nick: observing@abergavennyas.org.uk

Yesterday’s meeting at the Hen & Chicks went well.  We had a general discussion as to interests and how to take AAS forward.
There was support for the “Back to Basics” series, including basic astrophotography.  A number of topics that would be of interest were also highlighted, eg latest NASA/ESA missions, black holes, neutron stars, exo-plants etc.  It was also suggested that trips out would be of interest.
A couple of people also expressed a willingness to host an informal chat.
I have put a pdf copy of last night’s notes on the download page ( HERE ).  These are my notes so please excuse any errors that you spot or any missed attributions!

Next meeting is scheduled for the Monday 24^th October.  Notification with details will be posted nearer the date. Many thanks for everyone’s support and it is good to see that there is an interest in keeping the Abergavenny meetings going.