South West Herts Astronomical Society

SWHAS Monthly Meeting February 2024
2024-02-23 20:00 - 22:00 UTC | Royal Masonic School, Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, WD3 4HF, United Kingdom
“The Planet Mercury”
By Chris Hooker – Newbury AS

Chris is the Mercury co-ordinator for the BAA Mercury & Venus section.
Join us for a fascinating talk about The Planet Mercury.
The meeting will also include a news item of interest and a tour of the night sky.
For those who cannot attend in person the meeting can be viewed on Zoom. Details will be emailed to members a few days before the meeting.
We look forward to seeing you.

SWHAS Monthly Meeting March 2024
2024-03-22 20:00 - 22:00
Dr Francisco Diego – Details of talk to follow.

Francisco Diego was born in Mexico City, where he got his first degree in Mechanical Engineering. His career in Astronomy started at the Sociedad Astronomica de Mexico and the Planetario Luis E. Erro. He worked for several years at the Instituto de Astronomia, UNAM and then came to University College London where he got a PhD in Astronomy. Currently, he is a Senior Teaching Fellow at the Department of Physics and Astronomy, UCL, vice president of the UK Association for Astronomy Education and a fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society. He is a keen populariser of natural sciences and extensive experience as a planetarium producer/presenter, lecturer, author and broadcaster.
Francisco has appeared on TV series like Stephen Hawking’s Universe, BBC’s The Planets and more recently, Genius by Stephen Hawking (PBS), the world-wide version of BBC’s Wonders of the Universe, The Seven Ages of Starlight and The Secret Life of the Sun. He is a regular contributor to BBC , Sky and Aljazeera News channels. Veteran of 20 solar eclipse expeditions. Founder and director of Your Universe, the UCL festival of Astronomy. Producing and delivering The Mind of the Universe, a collection of public and school lectures and teacher workshops on astrophysics, cosmology and life in the Universe. His most recent educational project is called Think Universe!, a novel and ambitious idea to bring fundamental science to the primary and secondary classroom with initial support from the Royal Society and the Science and Technology Facilities Council.
The meeting will also include a news item of interest and a tour of the night sky.
For those who cannot attend in person the meeting can be viewed on Zoom. Details will be emailed to members a few days before the meeting.
We look forward to seeing you.

SWHAS Monthly Meeting April 2024
2024-04-26 20:00 - 22:00
FROZEN: ICY WONDERS OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM by Karen Anne Devoil

On this journey we will encounter amazing landscapes, exotic ice forms and hear about some of the processes involved drawing on the latest research and hear about the space missions involved in exploring these icy bodies. Ices are found from the innermost planet -Mercury, right through to the icy far outer reaches of the solar system-the Oort Cloud, these ices encompass not only water ice but also many other ‘volatile’ species including carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, ammonia, methane, and nitrogen ice. Along the way, we will explore some key questions such as how different ices behave, what active processes are driven by ices and also consider their significance for Astrobiology and the search for life by exploring the potential habitability of some of these icy worlds.

Karen Anne joined the Centre for Planetary Sciences at UCL/Birkbeck as the Marketing and Outreach Advisor.
Karen has been studying Astronomy and Planetary Science for several years, most recently at Birkbeck (Planetary Science) for 2 years and before that 2 years at UCL (Astronomy Certificate). She is also a Fellow of The Royal Astronomical Society and a registered STEM Ambassador.
Some of you may have already met Karen through her work with UCL’s Your Universe public outreach festival, where she has contributed for several years and run her own presentation stand (Is There Life on Mars) in 2020, as well as assisting Mark Fuller and Francisco Diego in promoting the event using her professional marketing skills. She has also taken part in many other outreach events, including International Asteroid Day 2021.
The meeting will also include a news item of interest and a tour of the night sky.
For those who cannot attend in person the meeting can be viewed on Zoom. Details will be emailed to members a few days before the meeting.
We look forward to seeing you.

SWHAS Monthly Meeting May 2024
2024-05-31 20:00 - 22:00
Join us for our AGM & Members Images Meeting together with a talk on Astrophotography by Antonio Filippi.

Antonio’s presentation will give you a fantastic introduction to practical astrophotography as well as providing inspiration on what can be achieved.

In addition, this meeting will include a BRING & BUY stall where you can sell your unwanted astro kit or find a great deal from what’s for sale from others.
The meeting will also include a news item and a tour of the night sky.
For those who cannot attend in person the meeting can be viewed on Zoom. Details will be emailed to members a few days before the meeting.
We look forward to seeing you.

SWHAS Monthly Meeting August 2024
2024-08-30 20:00 - 22:00
The Hidden Secret of Starlight
Join us for a very interesting 45 minute presentation by Richard Westwood.
Without spectroscopy we would know very little about the Universe we live in: in fact, it is at the forefront of the science today; with the JWST, in its task of revealing the very dawn of the Universe.
Our discovery of spectroscopy is a fascinating human tale, of experiment, theory, persistence and interesting characters: particularly the group of talented ladies who, by studying glass plates, gave us the stellar spectral sequence we use today
This presentation reveals the characters involved and how we learned to interpret these curious ‘lines’ in the spectrum, we see their triumphs and struggles – and sense of humour, as they carried out this painstaking work.
This talk also commemorates the bi-centennial of one of these pioneers – Sir William Huggins, a silk merchants son, who, as an amateur astronomer, became one of the leading experts in this field in the 1870’s. His observatory at Tulse Hill, south London, housed an 8-inch refractor, which he devoted to spectroscopy.
He was President of the Royal Astronomical Society from 1876-1878.
We look forward to seeing you.

SWHAS Monthly Meeting September 2024
2024-09-27 20:00 - 22:00
Astounding Tales and Cautionary Tales: Lessons Learned in a Lifetime of UFO Investigation

Neil Nixon is a writer and academic who has published 30 books and spent the final 20 years of his academic career founding and running the UK’s first full-time higher education program in Professional Writing. His published works cover a range of topics including a range of writing exploring sceptical viewpoints on claims of the paranormal.
The meeting will also include a news item of interest and a tour of the night sky.
We look forward to seeing you.

SWHAS Monthly Meeting October 2024
2024-10-25 20:00 - 22:00
The Mind of the Universe by Dr Fransisco Diego

Born in Mexico City, where he got his first degree in Mechanical Engineering. His career in Astronomy started at the Sociedad Astronomica de Mexico and the Planetario Luis E. Erro. He worked for several years at the Instituto de Astronomia, UNAM and then came to University College London where he got a PhD in Astronomy. Currently, he is a Senior Teaching Fellow at the Department of Physics and Astronomy, UCL, vice president of the UK Association for Astronomy Education and a fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society. He is a keen populariser of natural sciences and extensive experience as a planetarium producer/presenter, lecturer, author and broadcaster.
The meeting will also include a news item of interest and a tour of the night sky.
We look forward to seeing you.

SWHAS Monthly Meeting November 2024
2024-11-29 20:00 - 22:00
“How to Build a Mars Rover” by Paul Meacham from Airbus, Stevenage

Paul is the Spacecraft Chief Engineer for a major UK National Telecommunications project at Airbus, and previously spent 14 years working in Systems and Chief Engineering on the ExoMars Rover Vehicle Project from inception to delivery, including the build and test phases.
The meeting will also include a news item of interest and a tour of the night sky.
We look forward to seeing you.

SWHAS Monthly Meeting December 2024
2024-12-13 20:00 - 22:00
Members Images and Bring & Buy Event

For our last meeting of 2024 we will be showing a selection of members images in the Cadogan House Hall, Royal Masonic School For Girls, Rickmansworth.
We will also be holding a Bring & Buy event. This is a great opportunity to pick up a bargain or a chance to find a new home for equipment or accessories that you no longer use.
The meeting will also include a news item of interest and a tour of the night sky.
We look forward to seeing you.

SWHAS Monthly Meeting January 2025
2025-01-31 20:00 - 22:00
Astronomers’ Tools: Choosing the right telescope by David Arditti

David Arditti has been observing the sky for 47 years. He took up astronomy at the age of 13 after reading a book by Patrick Moore that he found in the school library. After making a telescope by the method described in the book, using spectacle lenses and cardboard tubes, which did not work very well at all, he joined a local astronomical society and became addicted after being shown views of Saturn and other objects through a 12-inch reflector. He now lives in NW London and uses an observatory he constructed himself in his back garden to observe a wide variety of objects, but mostly the Moon and planets, the imaging of which he is a noted expert on.
He is currently both Director of the Equipment and Techniques Section of the BAA and the BAA Vice-President. Also he is Observations Director and Vice-President for the West of London Astronomical Society. He has written for many magazines including Astronomy Now and the BAA Journal and has produced a book, Setting-Up a Small Observatory, published by Springer. He regularly gives talks on observing, imaging, astronomical equipment, the history of astronomy, cosmology, and other topics, to groups ranging from schools to professional conferences. He is also a classical pianist and composer and is Chair of London Composers Forum, a group that puts on concerts of new music.
The meeting will also include a news item of interest and a tour of the night sky.
We look forward to seeing you.

SWHAS Monthly Meeting February 2025
2025-02-28 20:00 - 22:00
Black Holes & Exploding Stars – The Cosmic Life Cycle by Dr Chris Crowe

Journey inside a black hole and through the centre of a star like our Sun. Discover how exploding stars provide the seeds for life on Earth.
Explore the most energetic phenomena in the Universe from exploding stars, to the immensely powerful black holes that power the centre of almost every galaxy. We are all made of stars.
Dr Chris Crowe is a professional astronomer, teacher, elected fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society, and received degrees in theoretical physics and mathematics from the universities of Nottingham and Cambridge. He is currently the Head of Astronomy and Director of The Rayleigh Observatory in London where he teaches astronomy. He works extensively in public outreach at science festivals across the UK and hosts public observing evenings. Previously part of a research team at the University of Cambridge studying the relic radiation from the big bang, he worked in the same department as the late Stephen Hawking while studying for his doctorate. Recently he has been part of a team designing a new state-of-the-art observatory in the Caribbean. His main research interests are cosmology and the early Universe, and was part of the international Planck collaboration, a European Space Agency project which uncovered light from the earliest moments of the primordial Universe.
The meeting will also include a news item of interest and a tour of the night sky.
We look forward to seeing you.

SWHAS Monthly Meeting March 2025
2025-03-28 20:00 - 22:00
Mechanics of Solar Eclipses by Sheridan Williams

As there are 3 central solar eclipses through Spain in 2026 this will be the focus of the talk.
Sheridan Williams is a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society, recipient of the British Astronomical Association’s Lydia Brown medal, secretary of the Open University Astronomy Club and former professional ‘rocket scientist’ for the UK Ministry of Defence. He watched his first total solar eclipse through smoked glass from his school playground in 1954. Since then, Williams has travelled the world – from Antigua to Australia, Mexico to Madagascar, Siberia to Sumatra – to see 18 total solar eclipses. He has written extensively about total solar eclipses, including authoring previous Bradt guides to the total solar eclipses of 2006, 2008/09, and 2012/13. He lectures widely to astronomical societies, is an astronomy-travel consultant, and guides groups to see astronomical events such as aurorae and meteor showers. He initiated education tours at the National Museum of Computing at Bletchley Park, where attractions include Colossus, the world’s first programmable digital computer.
The meeting will also include a news item of interest and a tour of the night sky.
We look forward to seeing you.

SWHAS Monthly Meeting April 2025
2025-04-25 20:00 - 22:00
Spaceship Earth: A Journey in Time and Space by Dr. Mike Leggatt

Dr Mike Leggatt, a founder member of the South Lincolnshire Astronomical and Geophysical Society in 1976, has been an active presenter and lecturer in astronomy for various organizations across the UK. He serves as General Secretary and Council member of the Society for the History of Astronomy (SHA), and coordinates SHA surveys for Buckinghamshire, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, and Rutland. He is a Fellow of both the Royal Astronomical Society and British Interplanetary Society, and a member of several other astronomical and space societies. Dr Leggatt holds a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Nottingham, is a Chartered Chemist, and a Member of the Royal Society of Chemistry. He also possesses a Postgraduate Diploma in Technical Authorship and Communication.
Affiliations
· Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society (since 1986)
· Fellow of the British Interplanetary Society (since 1984)
· Founder member, Council Member, and General Secretary of the Society for the History of Astronomy
· Member of the British Astronomical Association (since 1993)
· Member of the Planetary Society (since 1996)
· Member of the Society for Popular Astronomy (since 2013)
· Member of the Herschel Society (since 2014)
· Member of the National Space Society (since 2016)
· Member of the Milton Keynes Astronomical Society (since 1993)
The meeting will also include a news item of interest and a tour of the night sky.
We look forward to seeing you.

SWHAS Monthly Meeting May 2025
2025-05-30 20:00 - 22:00
Join us for our AGM & Members Images Meeting.
This is your chance as a member of the SWHAS to have your say on how the society is run, elect the committee members and make suggestions as to how to improve the way things are done.
In addition we hope that you will be inspired by the astrophotography images captured by our members.
The meeting will also include a news item and a tour of the night sky.
We look forward to seeing you.

SWHAS Monthly Meeting September 2025
2025-09-26 20:00 - 22:00
In Search Of The Aurora by Andrew Ritchie Green BSc (Hons) FRAS

Andy is a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society has been actively involved in astronomy and space for over 48 years becoming interested in astronomy & space aged 7. He has travelled the world many times to promote astronomy and give presentations and lectures far and wide, talking to varied groups including those at the University of Cambridge, Sheffield Hallam University and visiting observatories as far afield as Hawaii, mainland USA, Europe, Australia, and Chile. He has visited several space agencies and their facilities including those at NASA and the European Space Agency, ESA. He was involved in grass roots astronomy for many years, and he has seen astronomy at all levels from the local astronomical society level to the public understanding of science and space to professional astronomy.
Andy’s particular interest is in the Auroras and has spent over 16 years researching, observing and photographing them in Iceland, he has many friends in the country. He has a degree in Geo-Science / Planetary Geology from the University of Sheffield. He is also a freelance space journalist/photographer and has had articles published in several magazines both in the UK and USA. Andy recently wrote on Space Flight for the US Navy’s training manual for the ROTC Programme. An accomplished photographer his images have been published in many publications and used online in addition to many hard copy publications and books worldwide. One of his Aurora images was used on the title page of the 2021 Philips Stargazing Guide
Affiliations Director & Senior Lecturer – StarDome Astronomy & Astronautics Fellow – Royal Astronomical Society Director – AAAEP Astro Education – Australia Aurora and Eclipse Travel Guide and Astronomer Freelance Space Journalist & Broadcaster Cunard “Insights” Lecturer
The meeting will also include a news item and a tour of the night sky.
We look forward to seeing you.

SWHAS Monthly Meeting October 2025
2025-10-31 20:00 - 22:00
Dr. Paul Fellows: Once Around the Sun’s Sisters
A talk which looks at the question of whether the Sun was born as a solitary star and if not how we might find its sisters!

Paul leads the public observing events at the University of Cambridge and presents lectures on Cunard Queen Mary 2 and other ships on a frequent basis, his talks are always popular. Having borrowed a small telescope and seen the rings of Saturn for the first time aged 13 Paul went on to build his own 8in reflector and do the O-level in astronomy the following year. His undergraduate studies were in Natural Science at the University of Cambridge specialising in Spectroscopy after which he joined the university Computer Laboratory for his postgraduate degree. He worked on the first generation of home computers and lead the design of the RiscOS operating system for the ARM processor, including inventing the apps and icon bar user interface that has since spread to phones and computers across the world.
Paul was a pioneer of streaming video across the internet and twice a winner of the Queens award for Technology. In 2005 he was elected a Fellow of the Institute of Engineering and Technology and was recently given a lifetime achievement award by Emmanuel College Cambridge and was awarded the British Empire Medal for services to the public understanding of science and technology in the new years honours of 2025. Through this time he maintained his interest in astronomy and has lead the public observing events at the University for over 20 years giving hundreds of live presentations, lectures and planetarium shows. He teaches the introduction to astronomy course and leads the monthly “Cambridge young astronomers” events for younger children. He is also an elected Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society. Since 2016 he has been a lecturer on board Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 and other ships and frequent presenter to clubs and societies as well as at the international astronomy show.
The meeting will also include a news item and a tour of the night sky.
We look forward to seeing you.

SWHAS Monthly Meeting November 2025
2025-11-28 20:00 - 22:00

SWHAS Monthly Meeting December 2025
2025-12-12 20:00 - 22:00
For our last meeting of 2025 we will be showing a selection of members images in the Cadogan House Hall, Royal Masonic School For Girls, Rickmansworth.
The meeting will also include a news item of interest and a tour of the night sky.
We look forward to seeing you.

SWHAS Monthly Meeting January 2026
2026-01-30 20:00 - 22:00
‘Rocky Planet Formation in the Outer Solar System’ by Dr. Ben Rider-Stokes
Join us for this fascinating talk at our first monthly meeting of 2026.
Dr. Ben Rider-Stokes is a Postdoctoral Research Associate at The Open University, specialising in planetary materials and asteroid science. His current research integrates laboratory spectroscopy with meteorite microanalysis to interpret the mineralogy of asteroids, providing ground truth for astronomical observations and supporting ongoing and future space missions. His focus is on linking differentiated planetesimals and their meteorite analogues to asteroid spectral properties, with implications for planetary formation, resource utilisation, and the evolution of the early Solar System.
Looking ahead, Dr. Rider-Stokes aims to build an academic career that advances our understanding of planetary bodies through chemical and spectroscopic techniques, while contributing to the teaching and mentoring of the next generation of planetary scientists.
The meeting will also include a news item of interest and a tour of the night sky.
We look forward to seeing you.

SWHAS Monthly Meeting February 2026
2026-02-27 20:00 - 22:00
An Astronomer’s Guide to Strange Things in the Sky
by Andrew Mowbray BSc (Hons). MSc.
This fascinating talk covers lots of different things and includes some audience participation!
Andrew Mowbray is a former IT Professional who worked mainly in local government as well as teaching IT for several years. Having retired early he is a fully qualified tour guide who gives walking tours in the City of Colchester in Essex. Andrew has numerous interests, one of which has always been astronomy. He has been a member of Castle Point Astronomy Club for many years and served fifteen years as the Secretary and Webmaster.
The meeting will also include a news item of interest and a tour of the night sky.
We look forward to seeing you.
