Orpington Astronomical Society

The National Space Centre in Leicester is one of the UK's leading visitor attractions devoted to space science and astronomy.
http://www.spacecentre.co.uk/
Visit planned Saturday 25th April 2015.

Facilities:

• Sir Patrick Moore Planetarium
• Presentation to OAS (TBC): Challenges astronauts encounter whilst living in space.
• Exhibitions: Rocket Tower, Into Space, Exploring The Universe, The Planets, Orbiting Earth, Space Now, Tranquillity Base, Meet The 2.0s, 3D Simulator.
  
• Cafe on site offering variety of snacks, soup, sandwiches and refreshments.
• 4+ hours exploring the space centre

Travel:

• Coach: 35 seat Executive Coach with toilet.
• Approx 3ish hours each way including breaks.

Cost:

• £35 per person.
• £10 deposit per person to be paid by Meeting Thu 18th Dec.
• Remainder to be paid by meeting on 26th March.

Itinerary:

• Orpington Train Station: 7:15am for 7:30am departure.
• Arrival at NSC: 10:30am.
• Group Talk: 11:30am - 12:00pm.
• Planetarium: 2:30pm - Back to the Moon for good.
• Departure: 3:00pm.

If interested in going, add your names to the sheet or contact Kenny Sharp directly.

Currently 31 confirmed and paid up attendees.

1. Mark H.

signed up, deposit paid...cant wait
rogern

Yep. 2 please.

Done.

Can I bring my son as well please.

Cheers
Delphine

Done.

Don't forget I need the £10 pp deposit tonight or by next month's meeting on 18th December.
Cheers
Kenny

We currently have 32 people registering interest in this visit with 35 spaces on the coach, with all but 2 deposits paid (£10 each).

I now need the remainder (£25) / full amount (£35) to be paid either at the February or March members meetings. Please can you bring cash or cheque to one of those meetings and pass to me during one of the breaks.

Thanks

Hi there

It may not be of interest to anyone...but...about a 12 minute drive up the road from the National Space Centre is The University of Leicester car park... the place where they found Richard III remains.

Is anyone else interested in a detour seeing as we are already there? We may already pass it on the way there or back so the coach driver could just make an extra stop...
:)

If it's possible to fit it in I'd be interested.

Carole

Me too, I believe Richard the third is a much maligned monarch for various reasons and I would be interested in visiting the site.

has it not been returned to a car park or is there something there to see?
roger

Take a look at the map; it's a mile or so further into the centre of Leicester from the Space Centre...

     Rose and I would also like to see that, so please put our names down ..... if it happens.  :D

     Doug.

Sorry not interrested.  Leicester is a very difficult city to navigate and I think it would take too much time away from the Space Centre.  But that is just me I am probably in the minority!
Delphine

I think it's a possibility logistically if there is support. The site is 10 minutes drive away. Suspect the best we will be able to do is a drive by (camera) shooting. Logistically, if the traffic is kind to us, we have up to 4 1/2 hours at the Space Centre. The committee were discussing this probably being too long and keeping open the option to leave earlier than 3pm. I would also need to agree it with the coach company.

Rachel - As the sponsor of this detour, would you volunteer to confirm precisely where we would want to go and also be willing to do a short talk/presentation on the coach about Richard III and his remains, perhaps en route from the Space Centre to the burial site?

p.s. I think he's scheduled to be reburied at Leicester Cathedral mid-late March.

It's going to be a long day as it is. Any extra excursion would either cut into time we can spend at the Space Centre, or make a long day even longer, or quite possibly both.

I agree I think it would be a waste of time just to go look at a car park. It's all been filled in as far as i'm aware.

agree with last two posts...
roger

I think it is just the car park now .... they moved his remains somewhere else. So let`s not extend the day for no definite reason.

Doug.

There is an exhibition close by but it isn't at all related to astronomy.

If there is no longer anything to see in the car park then no point in making a detour.

Carole

It's worth pointing out that while the carpark will undoubtedly have been returned to its original state and function, perhaps with a plaque commemorating the historical significance of the site, it is next door to Leicester Cathedral where, by the time we get there, the body will be interred.

Although not of any astronomical interest, it sounds like there is some mixed historical interest while we are in the vicinity.

The challenges would be parking and timing.

OK after a bit of investigation there is nothing to see at the car park , there is a small visitor centre a few doors away. This is located on a very narrow side street with nowhere for a coach to stop. I think it would be practically almost impossible.

The day is already going to be long. The coach will have to find somewhere to park in Leicester, and it will have to be either when we're on our way in, thus delaying our arrival at the Space Centre (bad), or when we're on our way out. It'll either make the day longer (bad), or take time away from our visit to the Space Centre (bad), or both...

Bump. Minor tweak to the Itinary.

QuoteMinor tweak to the Itinary.

So what does that mean Kenny?

Carole

Quote from: Kenny on Nov 14, 2014, 02:02:01
Itinerary:

• Orpington Train Station: 7:15am for 7:30am departure.
• Arrival at NSC: 10:30am.
• Group Talk: 11:30am - 12:00pm.
• Planetarium: 2:30pm - Back to the Moon for good.
• Departure: 3:00pm.

This bit.

Wakey Wakey !!!

The wheels on the bus go round and round...

Good trip. Thanks, Kenny.

what a great trip , thanks kenny,

rog

Yup what they said , well done Kenny , great day. :)

Really enjoyed it, especially the talk on living in space.
Many thanks to Kenny for his hard work organising it. 

Carole

Thanks for organising it Kenny - we really enjoyed it.

Delphine

Agree with all above. Thank you Kenny for all your hard work in organising a great trip. Thoroughly enjoyed it. :)

Had a great day. Thank you Kenny for organising everything. I can now go upstairs without falling through into the cupboard underneath!

Thanks Kenny for a great day out. Mike and Petra.

Kenny, our thanks too for organising the trip. We enjoyed it very much and thought the talk was excellent. There was a lot more there to see than on the last OAS visit!
Sue and Roy

An excellent day, Kenny. Thanks for that, you did a good job and it was a good trip. More strings to your bow, mate.....

Rose and Doug.

Thanks all. It (mostly) went to plan. Surprising how much there is to see there. During planning, we initially didn't know how we would fill 4+ hours on site but with the benefit of hindsight I think many would have liked even more time yesterday. I'm glad you all enjoyed it. That's the main aim. :)