Welcome to the Basingstoke Astronomical Society (BAS)

BAS is a friendly and welcoming society of approximately 60 like-minded individuals with varying levels of expertise and ages. Our twice-monthly regular meetings, held in the southern part of Basingstoke, cover both practical and theoretical aspects of astronomy.

Topics of Interest:

Visual Astronomy: Explore the wonders of the night sky through observation.
Astrophotography: Capture stunning celestial images.
EEA/EEVA: Dive into electronic assisted astronomy and video astronomy.
Exoplanets: Learn about planets beyond our solar system.
Spectroscopy: Study the light emitted by celestial objects.
Telescope Making: Discover the art of crafting telescopes.
General Interest: If you’re curious about anything related to astronomy, join us at our next family-friendly meeting!

BAS members enjoying a Summer BBQ , 2023

Recent Pictures by BAS members

IC443 - The Jellyfish Nebula in LRGBHO by Rob Saxby

55hrs 38mins taken over 21 nights between 9th Jan and 11th April

Full res + details on Astrobin - www.astrobin.com/34979r/

M58 and Siamese Twins by Dave Shave-Wall

M89 and M90 by Dave Shave-Wall

M81/M82 by Rob Saxby

55hrs 48mins HaLRGB on M81/M82 with lots of IFN!

Taken over 13 nights since 2nd Jan.

Full resolution image and further details available on astrobin:

www.astrobin.com/u78edw/

M63 The Sunflower Galaxy
by Dave Boddington

24hrs Lum 12hrs each RGB

Full resolution image and further details available on Flickr:

https://flic.kr/p/2qXmMce

NGC2903 in Leo
by Dave Boddington

12hrs Lum 4hrs each RGB

NGC2903 in Leo and and a distant (500 million light year ) cluster middle right

Full resolution image and further details available on Flickr:

https://flic.kr/p/2qXvTxQ

Astronomy Picture of the Day
Congratulations to BAS member Dave Boddington, who had his image of The Spider and the Fly , IC417 & NGC 1931, selected as NASA's APOD on 11th February 2025. If you missed it, click the link ...

Our next meeting will be our annual Chairman's Address on the 8th May 2025.

more details to follow ...

In the News

C/2025 F2 (SWAN): A New Comet Appears in the Sky - may have disintegrated (Apr22 Update)

2025: An Oddly Satisfying Year for Maths Nerds

Update on T Coronae Borealis Eruption

What Solar Maximum Means for Aurora Colours in 2025

Your Chance to see an 'exploding' star and related article T CrB and the Recurrent Symbiotic Novae

Basingstoke Astronomical Society Meetings at Cliddesden Primary School

📅 Meeting Schedule:

We gather on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of every month.
Please note that there are no scheduled meetings in July and August.

⏰ Meeting Times:

Doors open at 7:00 PM.
Meetings officially start at 7:30 PM and conclude by 10:00 PM.

☕ Refreshments:

Tea and coffee are provided during our meetings.

📍 Location:

Cliddesden Primary School
Address: Cliddesden, Basingstoke, RG25 2QU

Feel free to join us at our next gathering! Whether you’re an astronomy enthusiast or just curious, everyone is welcome. 🌠

European Conference on Amateur Radio Astronomy

The UK BAA Radio Astronomy Section with RAL Space are pleased to announce the European Conference on Amateur Radio Astronomy.

Further information and registration can be found at https://eucara.org/

This conference will be held at the Harwell and Science Innovation Centre – 20km south of Oxford on September 5th – 7th. We are delighted that Professor Jocelyn Bell Burnell will be our keynote speaker. This event will have speakers from academia and the amateur community. There will be posters and demonstrations. The event organizers are Paul Hearn and Andrew Thomas.

Visitors

Visiting Our Meetings

🌟 Welcome! Visitors are encouraged to attend our meetings and explore the fascinating world of astronomy. Here are some important details:

Entrance Fee: There is a nominal entrance fee of £3.00 to cover venue hire costs.

Age Policy:
- Under 18s: Young astronomy enthusiasts under 18 years old can attend free of charge.
- Accompaniment: All guests and members under 18 must be accompanied by a responsible adult during the meeting.

Insurance Note: Unfortunately, we cannot accommodate unaccompanied minors due to insurance reasons.

Feel free to join us at our next gathering! 🌠

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