Visit to Herstmonceux 10.4.10

[Carole]

I suggest meet at the main entrance at 6pm.

Carole

[Delphine]

The trip last night to Herstmonceux was really interesting and fun.  They went out of their way to make our visit enjoyable.  I was particularly impressed with the moving observatory floor which took us up to the telescope!

Many thanks to Carole for organising it.

Cheers
Delphine

[doug]

     Well done, Carole, for getting the trip organised.  It was an informative and very interesting visit as were the views through the two telescopes, and it was good fun as well. 

     For Rose, the view of Saturn was magnificent and for me splitting Castor into the two stars was magic.  But the whole visit was great. We have been there before but these trips bring it all to life.  I suggest a vote of thanks to the staff who demonstrated everything, as well as sorting us out with teas, coffees and food, should be sent, as well as the organiser.

     Rose and Doug.

[Mike]

A very interesting evening. I can't say I was particularly impressed with the images through the scopes. But I really enjoyed it and especially messing around with all of the experiments in the science centre.

[Carole]

I can't say I was particularly impressed with the images through the scopes

No neither was I.  Apart from the obvious poor seeing conditions, I have seen really large views of Mars and Saturn through their scopes before which were absolutely stunning, and I am sure they used the main scope and not the secondary guide/finder scope.  Admittedly I saw Mars in 2003 but Saturn was very much larger than that.  I think we were a bit short changed there.

Nevertheless, I thought they were very accommodating and friendly and had the skies been better would have taken us onto M13.

The red lit footpath lighting has been added since I last went down there which detracted somewhat from the dark skies, I guess Health and Safety has intervened, but at least it stopped any-one falling in the lake which I very nearly did on my first visit down there (as I was so entranced looking at the dark sky instead of where I was walking) I am really suprised they don't put a fence around it.  It really is a lovely sky down there on a clear night, and it might be worth thinking about going to their Astronomy festival one September where you can camp in the field (where we parked) for a long weekend.

Would any-one like to do a report on this, I don't feel I should as I was the organiser.  I did take a few notes on the scopes if any-one wants them.

Carole

[Mike]

I agree that the red light footpath was overkill. If they were smaller and dimmer it would have been better. I was also surprised they left all of the lights on in the Science Centre.

[Fay]

Yes it was an interesting evening, thanks Carole. I do seem to remember that I was not that impressed with the images before. Shame that the equipment is not looked after enough, not collimated, dirty mirrors, etc, as a lot of people visit the centre, & it would be nice for the public to see what they are supposed to see.
If you have not looked through a telescope, you would not know any difference, I suppose.

[Carole]

Did any-one get any nice photos from this event especially if they show members looking at telescopes etc.  I've got a few of my own but only one with OAS people in it.  I took a few more but they seem to have gone into a black hole.

I've been asked to prepare a presentation for the next meeting. 

If you have any suitable can you E mail them to me please.

Thanks

Carole

[Mike]

Yes i've got a few.

[Carole]

Thanks Mike, can you E mail me some, particularly ones showing members during the visit. 
Also if any-one has got any of the on hands science exhibits.

Thanks

Carole

[Mike]

Carole - Images uploaded here :-

http://picasaweb.google.com/EarthshineDesign09/Hertsmonceux#

They have not been edited at all (apart from a 25% resize) so you may need to fiddle with them before use.

[Carole]

Thanks Mike, I've used a few of them.

Carole