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The Society has setup a YouTube channel to allow members and the public watch again those recent lectures that we have recorded off of Zoom.  This collection will grow over time and it is hoped that once we can resume lectures in person at University of Strathclyde we will still be able to record and share lectures on YouTube.

National Astronomy Week 2020 is being held from Saturday 14 November to Sunday 22 November to celebrate the closest approach of Mars to Earth until 2035.  From the website https://astronomyweek.org.uk/

"In autumn 2020, Mars makes a close approach to Earth, and it won’t be as close again until 2035.  We’ll be holding a National Astronomy Week to make sure that as many people as possible get a chance to see Mars, even if only from their back garden or online, and to find out about the exciting space missions to the planet.

The week will be Saturday 14 November to Sunday 22 November. Mars will be easily visible in the evening sky, as well as Jupiter, Saturn and the Moon. Normally, there would be observing sessions across the country, but this year because of COVID-19 we’ll be holding most of our events online, so you can join in wherever you are.

NAW is hosting a programme of exciting virtual events with a range of unique and current topics, including top speakers with specialist knowledge - see NAW Events in the menu.

And each evening, weather permitting, observatories around the country will be livestreaming views of Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, the Moon and other showpieces of the sky.  For the timetable, click on Events tab above.

And to find Mars in the sky for yourself wherever you are, and to learn how best to view it, click on the Observing tab above, or click here.

If you are organising an event which can be added to our events calendar, please get in touch via our contact form or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Why November?
Although Mars is at its closest on 6 October, it won’t be high enough to observe properly until the late evening. A month later, during NAW, however, it will be observable even in the early evening. Although it’s not quite as close, this will mean that children in particular will be able to see the planet in the sky for themselves, and watch our online talks and livestreaming. Jupiter and Saturn will also be in the evening sky, and the Moon will be waxing from a thin crescent to half phase during the week.

Several space missions to Mars are being launched during 2020, and will arrive early in 2021. British scientists are particularly involved in ESA’s Exomars Rover, named Rosalind Franklin, which has been built in Stevenage. This is due for launch in 2022. "

Prof Bonnie Steves, Director, The Graduate School & Professor of Mathematical Astronomy, Glasgow Caledonian University will present the fourth public lecture of the session "Strange Worlds: Extrasolar Planets" online via Zoom.

Login details will be provided here before the event.

The lecture will start promptly at 1930

 


Dr Queenie Chan answers questions after her successful lecture
entitled "Meteorites and the Search for Life", September 2019
Image: Paul Makin

The ASG's free public lectures for the 2020-21 session are as follows. Due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic our normal venue at University of Strathclyde is closed and public lecture will instead be held online via Zoom.  Access links for the Zoom sessions will be posted below before each lecture.  All lectures start at 19:30