Exploring the Universe; a HoVAS event in association with Usk & Abergavenny Societies.
Tabor Centre, Brynmawr. 23rd March 2019, 12:00pm/5:00pm plus evening talk 6:30/7:30 pm.

For our next meeting Jenifer Millard from Cardiff University School of Physics and Astronomy will be talking about GALAXIES.
Jenifer is an amateur astronomer and also co-presents the blog @AwesomeAstroPod.

Usual time and venue, The Kings Head, next to Abergavenny Town Hall, at 7:30pm

Should be an interesting and informative evening.  All are welcome.

A question was asked at our January discussion group about the evolution of the Solar System and planetary migration.  So, at this meeting we can explore the issue in a bit more depth.  I am hoping I will be able to show a short video, or videos, illustrating the Grand Tack Hypothesis.

If we have some time left over there are other topics that have piqued my interest in the last month that we can look at.

All are welcome and all input is appreciated.

Suggested Topics:-
1          Formation of the Solar System  –  planetary migration
2          Did a collision trigger life on earth
3          Mining the Moon
4          Black Hole spinning as fast as it theoretically can.
5          Dark Matter: The milky way halo & another low DM galaxy discovered.
6          The Hubble Constant confusion: using quasars to estimate it’s value.

If there are any topics that anyone wishes to talk about do bring them along or let me know by email or at a meeting.  

Usual time and place: 7:30pm in the upper room at the King’s Head, Abergavenny

Keith Mosely FRAS, from Monmouth Astronomical Research Society, is coming to talk to us about the BepiColombo joint European/Japanese mission to investigate the planet Mercury.
Usual time and place, 7:30pm in an upper room at the Kings Head, next to Abergavenny Town Hall.
All are most welcome

BepiColombo is a joint mission of the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to the planet Mercury.  The mission comprises two satellites launched together: the Mercury Planetary Orbiter (MPO) and Mio (Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter, MMO).  The mission will perform a comprehensive study of Mercury, including characterization of its magnetic field, magnetosphere, and both interior and surface structure. It was launched on an Ariane 5 rocket on 20 October 2018 at 01:45 UTC, with an arrival at Mercury planned for December 2025, after a flyby of Earth, two flybys of Venus, and six flybys of Mercury. Wikipedia

For those members that have been following the basic astronomy sessions, that are held after the normal meetings, the slide pack is now available as a PDF.  It may be found on the website under the tab “Download” – it is under the “PDF presentations” and called “The life and times of stars”.  You may also access it by clicking here