MINUTES OF THE 435TH MEETING
PRESENT
Kevin Thurstan (Chairman), Nick Odom, Josh Odom, Geoff Flood, Tony Aremia, Peter Baugh, Steve Holt, Chris Suddick, Colin Eaves, Stephen McHugh, Colin Bowler, Geoff Walton, Paul Clark, ????? Ged Birbeck.
Kevin opened the meeting and introduced Nick Odom who was to speak to us about the “History of Distance”
Nick took us through astronomical measurement, starting with the ancient Greeks who realised that the earth is not actually flat and the sun is not the centre of the Universe and measuring far distances with a remarkable degree of accuracy via Geometry. On through the years via Copernicus, Kepler and Herschel and Hubble, until Einstein complicated matters with relativity thus distance was no longer in a straight line.
Probably the simplest method of measuring distant stars is via the red shift although even this is less accurate than might be expected as the Universe is expanding non-uniformly.
Following Nick’s talk we had a break and then continued with the business of the Society.
The FAS Newsletter now comes as an e-letter but is too big to forward via Yahoo, a number of suggestions were made as to how we might proceed. Eventually the newsletter arrives as hard copy but minus some detail.
The equipment list is to be put on Yahoo so that it can be readily updated; if members sign up to Yahoo they will readily be able to view the list.
A set of 8X40 binoculars has been received from Evergreen Optics and are available to members.
There are now 5 sets of keys and Kevin will arrange for all key holders to also have a key for the cupboard.
Mar Crossley is changing ISP and at some point will have to close down the ADAS website. It was generally agreed that it would be worth having a training session some Friday evening so that more people become familiar with the website.
Ged Birbeck agreed to ask his son Steve to set the website back up.
Ged has asked Richard to send a cheque to pay for our stall at Timperley Country Fair and he asked members to start gathering items for the tombola.
At the 6th June meeting there will be a talk by Mike Cook “Observatory Building and buying and selling Telescopes”.
Kevin Thurstan (Chairman), Nick Odom, Josh Odom, Geoff Flood, Tony Aremia, Peter Baugh, Steve Holt, Chris Suddick, Colin Eaves, Stephen McHugh, Colin Bowler, Geoff Walton, Paul Clark, ????? Ged Birbeck.
Kevin opened the meeting and introduced Nick Odom who was to speak to us about the “History of Distance”
Nick took us through astronomical measurement, starting with the ancient Greeks who realised that the earth is not actually flat and the sun is not the centre of the Universe and measuring far distances with a remarkable degree of accuracy via Geometry. On through the years via Copernicus, Kepler and Herschel and Hubble, until Einstein complicated matters with relativity thus distance was no longer in a straight line.
Probably the simplest method of measuring distant stars is via the red shift although even this is less accurate than might be expected as the Universe is expanding non-uniformly.
Following Nick’s talk we had a break and then continued with the business of the Society.
The FAS Newsletter now comes as an e-letter but is too big to forward via Yahoo, a number of suggestions were made as to how we might proceed. Eventually the newsletter arrives as hard copy but minus some detail.
The equipment list is to be put on Yahoo so that it can be readily updated; if members sign up to Yahoo they will readily be able to view the list.
A set of 8X40 binoculars has been received from Evergreen Optics and are available to members.
There are now 5 sets of keys and Kevin will arrange for all key holders to also have a key for the cupboard.
Mar Crossley is changing ISP and at some point will have to close down the ADAS website. It was generally agreed that it would be worth having a training session some Friday evening so that more people become familiar with the website.
Ged Birbeck agreed to ask his son Steve to set the website back up.
Ged has asked Richard to send a cheque to pay for our stall at Timperley Country Fair and he asked members to start gathering items for the tombola.
At the 6th June meeting there will be a talk by Mike Cook “Observatory Building and buying and selling Telescopes”.
posted by Geoff Flood at 5:01 PM
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